Career Center

Therapeutic Medical Physicists (TMPs) work in Radiation Oncology and have responsibilities that include: protection of the patient and others from potentially harmful or excessive radiation; establishment of adequate protocols to ensure accurate patient dosimetry; the measurement and characterization of radiation used for radiotherapy; the performance and supervision of treatment planning. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Master's degree or higher in a physics, science, or engineering discipline recognized by an accredited college or university with at least 30 semester hours in medical physics, health physics, radiological science, physics, engineering, chemistry, or biology; or an equivalent foreign degree and coursework substantiated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Board Certification. Persons hired or reassigned to TMP positions in the VHA must be board certified in the field of therapeutic medical physics by an approved certifying body. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. (1) Approved Certifying Bodies (a) The American Board of Radiology (ABR) in any of the following field titles: 1. Therapeutic Medical Physics 2. Therapeutic Radiologic or Therapeutic Radiological Physics 3. Radiologic Physics or Radiological Physics (b) The American Board of Medical Physics (ABMP) in the subfield of Radiation Oncology Physics. (c) The Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine (CCPM) in the subfield of Radiation Oncology Physics. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-12 Therapeutic Medical Physicist (Entry Level) (a) Experience, Education, and Board Certification. None beyond the basic requirements. (NOTE: See exception to certification requirement in subparagraph 2c(2) above.) GS-13 Therapeutic Medical Physicist (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of 1 year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. References: VA Handbook 5005 Appendix G48 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-12 to GS-13. Physical Requirements: Work is moderate activity but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light to moderately heavy items especially when involved in patient care or machine calibrations. ["As a member of the VA NYHHS staff, the entry level TMP will be a qualified user of the Philips Pinnacle\ntreatment planning system, MIM Maestro fusion and deformable software, Elekta Monaco treatment planning\nsystem, Elekta Infinity linear accelerator and Siemens Oncor linear accelerator radiation therapy delivery\nsystems, and vendor-specific QA equipment and software. The entry level TMP will also have experience in the following special procedures: - Participates in the development of equipment specifications for radiation therapy treatment,\nbrachytherapy, simulation, and radiation detection. ·\n- Assists with the provision of evidence of compliance of equipment for radiation therapy treatment,\nbrachytherapy, simulation, and radiation detection with regulatory and accreditation agency rules and\nrecommendations.\n- Measurement and characterization of medical radiation from radiation therapy treatment, brachytherapy,\nand simulation equipment prior to clinical utilization.\n- Acceptance testing, evaluation and Commissioning of equipment used for external beam therapy,\nbrachytherapy, simulation, treatment-planning, and radiation detection, acceptance testing and evaluation of\ntheir associated computer systems, algorithms, data, and output.\n- Evaluation of radiation oncology technical procedures prior to clinical use.\n- Development and/or evaluation, in conjunction with the medical practitioner, of policies and procedures\nrelated to the appropriate therapeutic use of radiation.\n- Periodic review of radiation oncology dosimetry information noted in patient records.\n- Participates in the development and management of a comprehensive Quality Management Program that\nmonitors, evaluates, and optimizes radiation oncology processes.\n- Provides institutional radiation safety coverage in the absence of the Radiation Safety Officer, as needed.\n- Assists the Advanced Level/Supervisory TMP with the direction of the Radiation Oncology Physics\nprogram to include the technical direction of staff responsible for treatment planning, machine maintenance and repair and other physics support staff.\nGS-13\nAs a member of the VA NYHHS staff, the TMP performs the following duties and responsibilities, including but\nnot limited to:\n- Participates in the development of equipment specifications for radiation therapy treatment,\nbrachytherapy, simulation, and radiation detection. ·\n- Assists with the provision of evidence of compliance of equipment for radiation therapy treatment,\nbrachytherapy, simulation, and radiation detection with regulatory and accreditation agency rules and\nrecommendations.\n- Measurement and characterization of medical radiation from radiation therapy treatment, brachytherapy,\nand simulation equipment prior to clinical utilization.\n- Acceptance testing, evaluation and Commissioning of equipment used for external beam therapy,\nbrachytherapy, simulation, treatment-planning, and radiation detection, acceptance testing and evaluation of\ntheir associated computer systems, algorithms, data, and output.\n- Evaluation of radiation oncology technical procedures prior to clinical use.\n- Development and/or evaluation, in conjunction with the medical practitioner, of policies and procedures\nrelated to the appropriate therapeutic use of radiation.\n- Periodic review of radiation oncology dosimetry information noted in patient records.\n- Participates in the development and management of a comprehensive Quality Management Program that\nmonitors, evaluates, and optimizes radiation oncology processes.\n- Provides institutional radiation safety coverage in the absence of the Radiation Safety Officer, as needed.\n- Assists the Advanced Level/Supervisory TMP with the direction of the Radiation Oncology Physics\nprogram to include the technical direction of staff responsible for treatment planning, machine maintenance and\nrepair and other physics support staff.\n- Participates in the development and/or evaluation of a comprehensive clinical radiation safety program in\nradiation oncology. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00am to 4:30pm\nPosition Title/Functional Statement #:Therapeutic Medical Physicist/PD24240F\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]