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Neil Joyce
September 8, 2019
DOS 793 Fieldwork III
Professional Service Project

For the fall semester service project, I volunteered for the 19th annual Roswell Park
Comprehensive Cancer Center/AAMD Radiation Oncology Conference in Niagara Falls, NY.
The conference, suited for both radiation therapists and dosimetrists, was held September 5 -7,
2019. I assisted with the conference on Friday, September 6th.

Several months prior to the meeting, fellow University of Rochester dosimetrists and
University of Wisconsin medical dosimetry students Nathan Jones, Amy Herman, and I reached
out to the organizers of the meeting to express our interest in volunteering for the conference.
Denise Hammell, the administrative assistant in the office of continuing medical education at
Roswell Park, responded and provided the necessary information and details to allow for us to
volunteer. We were notified that our duties for the day would include helping at the registration
desk, handing microphones to attendees with questions, scanning bracelets for attendance, and
handing out tickets to vendors. Due to having a recent surgery on my foot, I was assigned to
assist at the registration desk.

The Friday meeting registration and breakfast was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., so we
were asked to arrive at 7 a.m. to meet with the organizers and review the specifics of what our
tasks would include for the day. Two other University of Wisconsin students from the Detroit
area, Madeline and Makelle, also volunteered to help with the conference and were assigned to
help out at the registration desk, in addition to scanning bracelets for attendance. Madeline,
Makelle, and I handed out identification badges, bracelets, response clickers, and conference
booklet and materials as the attendees arrived in the morning.

Due to being stationed at the registration desk, I attended a limited number of

presentations. During the morning pelvic radiation symposium, I was fortunate to be able to
attend three very interesting and informative talks given by Leayn Flaherty, PA, Lee Culp, MS,
CMD, RT(T), and Maryann Mikucki, MD, PhD. Leayn’s presentation was “Dealing with the
Side Effects of Pelvic Radiation”. She discussed common side effects of pelvic radiation and
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Neil Joyce
September 8, 2019
DOS 793 Fieldwork III
Professional Service Project

dietary and lifestyle modifications that impact treatment tolerance. Lee’s talk, “Pelvic
Irradiation: A Dosimetrist’s Perspective”, reviewed costs/benefits of 3D and VMAT planning,
treatment planning techniques to help minimize side effects, and the impact of cursory
simulation procedures on dosimetric planning. Dr. Mikucki’s presentation, “Brachytherapy for
GYN Cancer” reviewed the history of radiation therapy, brachytherapy rationale and techniques,
and new directions in the treatment of gynecological malignancies.

Volunteering at the Roswell Park/AAMD Radiation Oncology Conference was both

satisfying and rewarding. Working at the registration desk, I had the wonderful opportunity to
see and reconnect with many radiation oncology professionals with who I currently work with,
and have worked with throughout my career. The pelvic radiation presentations I attended were
valuable in gaining the perspective of the caregivers who see and manage the side effects
experienced by patients who undergo pelvic radiation therapy, tips and tricks in the treatment
planning of pelvic cancers, and an exceptional review of brachytherapy procedures and rationale
for patients with gynecological malignancies. This professional service project gave me a deeper
appreciation of the hard work that is involved in organizing these types of events and both the
need and importance of volunteers who help make them a success.
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Neil Joyce
September 8, 2019
DOS 793 Fieldwork III
Professional Service Project

2019 Radiation Oncology Conference for Therapists and Dosimetrists