images/isrrt/Newsletter May 2009.pdf

ReportTanzania workshopDar Es SalaamNovember 6-8, 2008Report by Yvette HechterBackgroundFirstly, I would like to thank everyone involved withthis project and for allowing me the opportunity to playa part in it. Personally, I am enthusiastic about traininganywhere where input and involvement is positive. It wasa wonderful experience and an incredible learning curvefor all.I was encouraged by the enthusiasm and willingnessof the participants to gain knowledge as well as the twodoctors that attended the course. Equally impressive, wasthe fact that all delegates were present right up to the lastmoment on the Saturday – really a first for me!The workshop was designed by Alex Gontar,lecturer atthe Michener/University of Toronto radiological sicencesprogram with input from Ben Keir, medical physicist fromQueensland Health, Australia. Ben was lead instructor andwas also mandated to provide a preliminary analysis ofthe equipment for WHO. Jenny Motto from the Universityof Johannesburg acted as coordinator, and Caesar Barare,Board member from Kenya, provided ISRRT input.Lectures were given by Ben and myself, adapting Alex’smaterial to the specifc needs of the group. It was difficultto teach some of the digital information due to the lack ofexposure to this technology by many of the participants.In future workshops, a reduction in physics principles andmore hands on would be beneficial, although the lack ofthis very knowledge hampered the degree of success ofthe participants.I feel very strongly that we will have to follow thiscourse up with a intensive program in quality control (QC)and quality assurance (QA) in order to make the hands onfor the CR (computed radiography) more logical.At the culmination of day two we divided theparticipants into smaller groups of 5-6 people and gavethem questions on all the lectures to answer and discussamongst themselves. The feedback was amazing as well asencouraging and it was very apparent that the participantshad learnt a substantial amount. I was concerned that theirlack of knowledge of the radiographic techniques andprinciples such as the importance of kV and mAs impededthier ability to grasp all the factors.Not all the practicals could not be performed andtested to the full potential primarily due to the lack of22 ISRRT Newsletter