Five Papua New Guinea medical students studying at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka are progressing well in their training. The five students are sponsored by PNG's Port Moresby General Hospital to study medicine in Sri Lanka
Medical Physicist student Luwis Gabriel who is doing his second year undertaking a Master’s degree in Medical Physics has completed his coursework and is now into the second component of his program focusing on research and is expected to complete his studies by the end of this year.
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| Picture Caption: (From Left to Right) Second-year medical physics student Luwi Gabriel, radiation therapists Firman Dunstan and Richie Pumi, first-year medical physics student Sanja Ipu, Medical Physicist and Radiation Therapist program coordinator Dr. Jeyasingam Jeyasugiththan and radiation therapist Tonny Sula pose for a photograph together. |
In an arrangement between the university and the Sri Lankan Health Ministry, Mr. Gabriel has had the opportunity to do a one-year clinical internship with the Sri Lankan National Cancer Research Institute Margahma.
The institute has of 3 cobalt and 5 Linear Accelerator (LINAC) machines, 1 HDR Brachytherapy, CT Simulator, Iodine Therapy and a fully equipped Diagnostic & Nuclear Medicine Department.
As part of his training, Mr. Gabriel has done three commissioning of the Elekata machines and different types of radiotherapy planning for cancer patients and quality assurance for radiotherapy machines.
In August this year, PMGH sponsored another four students to the same institute which included three radiation therapists Firman Dunstan, Richie Pumi and Tonny Sula and medical physicist Sanja Ipu.
Since enrolment, they have begun their clinical lectures before progressing to a more advanced training.
Radiotherapy is a real time treatment and dealing with sophisticated machines is very complex process hence the trainees will need to gain an advanced theoretically based knowledge before they can progress to the practical work.
Of the three radiation therapists, two are expected to be sent to a private hospital Asiri Cancer Centre, while another will go the National Cancer Research Institute by 21 October, 2021 for further training.
They will learn and be exposed to the latest Linear Accelerator, a medical device most commonly used for external beam radiation treatments for patients with cancer, which have image guided components.
After completing the advanced clinical training for ten months, they will be PNG’s first radiation therapists to be exposed with Linear Accelerators with advanced Radiotherapy Treatment skills.
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