MY NAME IS JAMES KAVANAUGH. I AM A SECOND YEAR GRAD STUDENT
IN THE MEDICAL PHYSICS PROGRAM AT LSU.
I AM FROM CARLTON, MINNESOTA.
IT'S A VERY SMALL RURAL TOWN IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA.
LSU WAS ACTUALLY MY FIRST CHOICE FOR THE GRADUATE PROGRAM
IN MEDICAL PHYSICS AND THAT IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE FACT THAT
IT IS VERY STRONG NATIONALLY,
BUT ALSO, IT IS NOT TOO LARGE THAT YOU GET LOST IN THE MIX.
YOU ALWAYS HAVE INTERACTION WITH YOUR ADVISORS; YOUR PROFESSORS.
THIS PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON CLINICAL MEDICAL PHYSICS
WHERE YOU WILL WORK IN A CLINIC THAT TREATS CANCER AND WE
WILL DO THE TECHNICAL SIDE WITH MORE THE PHYSICS BASED SIDE
OR THE RADIATION THERAPY, SO TREATMENT PLANNING,
WE WILL ALSO DO A LOT OF THE QUALITY ASSURANCE
TO MAKE SURE ALL THE MACHINES ARE DOING EXACTLY
WHAT WE ARE SAYING. IT IS VERY REGULATED FIELD SO
WE NEED TO HAVE A VERY STRICT ADHERENCE TO THOSE REGULATIONS.
THIS IS A MASTERS PROGRAM, IT IS THREE YEARS IN LENGTH
AND THAT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN
SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS. A LOT OF THE OTHERS JUST OFFER
TWO YEARS WHICH IS DIDACTIC COURSES AND THEN EITHER USUALLY
A THESIS RESEARCH PROJECT. THIS COURSE
HAS BOTH THOSE TWO COMPONENTS BUT ALSO OFFERS
A YEAR OF CLINICAL ROTATION WHERE WE ACTUALLY
GET IN THE CLINIC. WE FOLLOW AROUND MEDICAL PHYSICISTS
AND WE GET TO SEE WHAT THEY DO.
WE CAN FOLLOW AROUND RADIATION ONCOLOGISTS SO WE SEE
THE MEDICAL SIDE OF IT AND WE HAVE PATIENT INTERACTION
AS WELL. AND THAT IS, I BELIEVE, SOMEWHAT UNIQUE
WITHIN THE GRADUATE COURSES FOR MEDICAL PHYSICS.
THAT WAS SOMETHING I REALLY LOOKED FORWARD TO, AND I
GET TO HAVE ALL THREE AND BE PREPARED, FULLY PREPARED,
I BELIEVE, TO COME OUT AND DO WELL IN MY JOB RIGHT AWAY.
