Marian Manciu Physics Department, University of Texas at El Paso Dr. J. Lopez, Dr. F. Manciu, Dr. T. Vulcan University of Texas at El Paso Dr. R Waggener, Dr. A. Gutierrez, Dr. N. Papanikolaou, Dr. G. Clarke, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
Background and Motivation Shortage of Medical Physicists in USA Shortage of Hispanics in cancer research/cancer health Increasing the representation of Hispanics in Radiation Oncology may improve cancer care of Hispanic patients Main Objective Increase Minority Representation in Radiation Oncology Physics with a Dual Program: M.S. Physics UTEP Ph.D. Medical Physics UTHSCSA
Student Pipeline Collaborative Research M.S. Physics UTEP Ph.D. Medical Physics UTHSCSA Medical Physics Training El Paso Community Involvement
Collaborative Educational Programs New Classes in Medical Physics developed at UTEP Introduction to Medical Physics Health Physics Radiation Physics Introduction to Physics of Medical Imaging UTHSCSA Distance learning classes RADI 6024 Radiological Anatomy & Physiology RADI 5025 Basic Radiation Biology RADI 5007 Statistics in the Radiological Science RADI 5015 Physics of Diagnostic Images UTHSCSA Coordinators Dr. R. Waggener Dr. C. Esquivel Dr. A. Gutierrez Dr. G. Clarke Dr. R. Campos
Collaborative Research What are UTEP' strengths? Computational Physics Theoretical Physics Solid State Physics (e.g. Optical Spectroscopy) Collaborative Research Projects Pilot: X-ray Spectral Estimation from Attenuation Measurements (completed) Follow-up: Differential Absorption Contrast Computed Tomography Modulation Transfer function above Nyquist Frequency (completed) Follow-up: Relation between Radiation Dose and Image Quality Preliminary data: A Novel Fiber Optics-based Isotropic Ionizing Radiation Microdetector. Digital Tomosynthesis 4D Computed Tomography: Patient Specific Predicting Geometries
Community Involvement Local Medical Physicists involved in the program John Winston (USOncology), Member of the Internal Advisory Committee Dr. Teodor Vulcan (Southern New Mexico Cancer Center, Las Cruces) Member of the Internal Advisory Committee. Dr. Norris J. Parks (adjunct faculty, Civil Engineering, UTEP), Member of the Internal Advisory Committee Dr. Rodica Alecu (private Medical Physics company, Dallas) Partnerships with local Cancer Centers and Hospitals Sierra Providence (El Paso) Southern New Mexico Cancer Center (Las Cruces) Outreach El Paso Community College Silva Magnet High School Franklin High School Coronado High School
Results I. Short Term 1. Recruitment Since program inception, we were able to attract in the program 4 graduate Underrepresented Minority Students (US Citizens ) in our Department: Salvador Rodriguez ( Hispanic); Josephina Maldonado (Hispanic, Women); Sarah Vega-Marchena (Hispanic, Women); Miguel Herrera (Hispanic). 2. Medical Physics Teaching / Course Development UTEP: All 4 classes in Medical Physics, suggested in the proposal, have already been developed and taught in the Physics Department of UTEP. UTHSCSA: 4 classes in Medical Physics have been developed for distance learning. They will be available to the UTEP students via internet. 3. UTEP -> UTHSCSA Student Pipelining Oscar Calvo (M.S. Physics, UTEP, Summer 2007) Ph.D. candidate UTHSCSA, (accepted in Fall 2007) Salvador Rodriguez (enrolled at UTEP in Spring 2007) Ph.D. candidate UTHSCSA ( accepted in Spring 2008) Luis Vazquez-Quino (M.S. Physics, UTEP, Degree expected Summer 2008) Ph.D. candidate UTHSCSA (accepted in Fall 2008) Claudia Huerta (M.S. Physics, UTEP, Degree expected Summer 2008) Ph.D. candidate UTHSCSA (accepted without financial support in Fall 2008,).
Results II. Long Term 1. B.S in Physics with concentration in Medical Physics The students graduating form this program will have a major in Physics (40 CR) and a double minor in Mathematics (20 CR) and Biology (20 CR) and will meet the usual course requirement to apply for Medical School (18 CR Biology, 8 CR Chemistry, 8 CR Organic Chemistry, 8 CR Physics ). The graduates of the program will have the following options: Apply to Medical School Continue Graduate Education in Medical Physics Continue Graduate Education in Physics, Mathematics, Biology Chemistry or modern interdisciplinary fields (Biophysics; Bioinformatics; BioMedical Engineering). Direct employment as a physicist of health physicist. The program has been approved by the University; will start in the fall of 2008. 2. M.S. in Medical Physics The program will have a requirement of 36 CR (Thesis track) or 42 CR (written research report track), with 12 CR core classes in Medical Physics and 12 CR prescribed electives from Physics ( 4 out of the 6 Graduate Physics classes already taught in the Physics Department). The 4 core classes in Medical Physics (Introduction to Medical Physics, Health Physics, Radiation Physics, Introduction to Physics of Medical Imaging ) are the classes developed and taught at UTEP, supported by this award. In addition, other Medical Physics classes (Radiological Anatomy & Physiology, Basic Radiation Biology, Statistics in the Radiological Science and Physics of Diagnostic Images) will be offered to our students by the Radiology Department of UTHSCSA via distance-learning. The development of these classes has been, also supported by the present award. The program has been approved at the College level; will likely start in the fall of 2009