By strategically shuffling how it uses dedicated lab space, Radiation Sciences is introducing new technology and expanding hands-on training for future practitioners, which is critical in a field where pinpoint accuracy is the only acceptable treatment.

To start, the department switched the lab locations for sonography and radiation therapy education. A third lab, featuring virtual reality technology where students can simulate preparing patients and delivering radiation therapy, has been expanded and redesigned. Together, these labs play a vital role in preparing students to pass their national certification exams before entering the field.

“When they graduate, our students won’t have any surprises in using any health care system’s technology, because they will have experienced all of these tools and resources during their time here,” said Jeff Legg, Ph.D., department chair.

VERT Lab

The Virtual Environment in Radiation Therapy (VERT) Lab is the newest student lab. It offers a simulated treatment space where students master the precise practice of positioning patients on a therapy table and delivering the prescribed dosage to its targeted location. Students are getting hands-on experience in a safe space before they advance to clinical settings, where they will use a linear accelerator that delivers high-dose radiation. 

That includes learning how to create molds that a patient will use for each therapy session – typically frequent visits over a few weeks — to ensure they maintain the right position so therapy is delivered at the targeted spot. Lasers that cross the room and come down from the ceiling provide guidelines for students to establish markers, or pinpoints, for radiation delivery. 

“Depending on what the prescribed therapy is, we’ll have to protect all the critical structures nearby,” said Legg, noting that might include the heart or spine. “If a patient moves even the smallest fraction or is not completely lined up for treatment, there are consequences. We are teaching them how to plan so that when a dose is delivered, we are killing the bad cells and saving the good.”

In the health care setting, not until the patient is perfectly positioned can a therapist step away to execute the treatment – a process that might take 30 minutes for a treatment that lasts seconds. Because of that extended time, “we get to know our patients,” Legg said. “We get to see them through the treatment journey.”

A recent renovation introduced updated components to the lab, including a 96-inch display that allows students to visualize 3D structures and follow the radiation beam and dosage. Students practice with the same controls and devices that they will find in the clinical setting. They also step into their future patients’ shoes, as they get to spend time on the treatment table and understand how molds feel and fit.

Ultimately, the lab provides an environment where they can build their skills and develop confidence in their decisions. This experience is instrumental in preparing graduates with strong first-time pass rates on required board tests before they enter professional roles.

The technology also provides an avenue for students at distant learning sites to begin their radiation therapy education. 

“This opens the door for us as we look to expand our presence outside of Central Virginia,” said Melanie Dempsey, Ph.D., program director for radiation therapy. “We can bring this same technology to other locations.”

VCU’s College of Health Sciences, where the department is housed, has a growing tradition of distance learning. Today’s technology allows educators to bring initial training to venues across the state, including a multi-department site in Abingdon. 

Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning Lab

Featuring a handful of workstations, the Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning Lab helps senior-level students understand how a dose of radiation is distributed in the body. Instructors assign different treatment plans, as a radiation oncologist would prescribe for real-world patients, and students execute a simulated treatment and track its delivery in 3-D imaging. The Varian Eclipse platform — a highly sophisticated radiation treatment software — shows them the impact of different ranges of dosages.

“I can first teach a lesson, then break them into groups to work on treatment plans,” Dempsey said. “Students leave this lab with insight on how all the elements of a treatment plan come together.”

That imaging helps students improve their anatomy knowledge, as they navigate potential contouring challenges. They also learn how to evaluate and complete treatment plans, which are then loaded into the VERT lab for review.

Sonography Lab

By moving from what is now the Radiation Therapy space that barely afforded room for two beds, the Sonography Lab now features three larger patient stations. Each is equipped with a different brand of sonography technology that gives future practitioners experience with options they will likely find in the workplace,  including within pediatrics. 

Presenting scenarios that a greater volume of patients will likely experience, the lab complements instruction in advanced vascular systems. Students also conduct ultrasounds for volunteer obstetrics patients in their second or third trimesters. 

“The expansion made such an improvement in the quality of students’ lab time,” said Adrienne Pourteau, clinical instructor.

---

Give Now

Your financial support enables us to add lab training stations, allowing more students to use the resources simultaneously. Funds also go toward replenishing one-use training products, such as molds for learning accurate and consistent patient placement. Thank you for your generous assistance in supporting future practitioners.

Give to Radiation Sciences