Category: Miscellaneous babble

Happy 139th! Check out some of the interesting clips from CBC’s archives. You might learn some interesting bits of trivia along the way!

I have to admit I’m kind of surprised I’m still doing this blogging thing after 3 years. It certainly doesn’t seem like it’s been 3 years. There are certainly a lot of entries in the archives though. Guess I’ll be sticking around the blog scene for a little while longer.

This job posting fell into my email in-box today.

Medical Physicist, Nuclear Medicine

Permanent, Full Time

Capital Health in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is Canada’s largest academic health region, serving 1.6 million people across central and northern Alberta, and the leading medical and health sciences centre for Western Canada. With a reputation for creating a culture of innovation and excellence, Capital Health is consistently recognized as a leading health system by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

Capital Health is currently developing the Capital Health Institute of Molecular Imaging (CHIMI). This groundbreaking innovation includes the installation of leading edge technology including PET/CT and SPECT/CT imaging systems and encompasses 14 additional gamma cameras distributed across four imaging sites within the region. To support this rapidly developing imaging modality, Capital Health requires the expertise of a Medical Physicist, Nuclear Medicine who will work closely within a multi-disciplinary team comprised of administrative, technical and medical staff.

Reporting to the Administrative Director, Regional Imaging Services, Medical Physicists are responsible for the provision of physics related services within Capital Health. A close collaborative relationship with the Regional Clinical Director, the Academic Chair and other Medical Physicists within the region is required to ensure that quality assurance, radiation safety, teaching, academics, and research initiatives are supported. Responsibilities of this position will mainly focus on Nuclear Medicine radiation safety, quality assurance and clinical programs as well as duties associated with PET/CT and SPECT/CT. The incumbent will also participate in the physics teaching program for Radiology residents, Nuclear Medicine residents and graduate students.

The successful candidate will possess a Ph.D. or equivalent in Medical Physics with a clinical specialty in Nuclear Medicine; be eligible for certification with the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine; and possess a minimum of five (5) years direct related experience, including the safe handling of radioactive materials. Knowledge of and experience in the imaging physics of X-ray, Nuclear Medicine, Ultrasound and MRI imaging systems, including digital image processing, is required. The successful applicant will have experience teaching adult learners, strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills; good organizational and time management skills; and the ability to effectively manage potentially conflicting priorities. General knowledge in PACS would be considered an asset.

If the wife wasn’t still in med school and I could convince her that it would be a good thing, I’d be all over this. It’s almost as if the job were meant for me. A chance to go back home and work in the same hospitals I started off in would be so cool. The lack of a PhD might be a problem though.

Oh well. We still have 3 years left here, and then it’s off to wherever the residency wind blows the wife to.

A few weeks ago, my sister emailed me to say she did the LASIK thing and proudly proclaimed that she could see.
The wife decided she would take the plunge too (something she had been mulling over for the past few months), so yesterday we headed off to the Magill Laser Center for her evaluation. After a couple of hours of doing things to her eyeballs and checking the status of her vision, they pronounced her a good candidate for laser surgery on the eyes. She’s going to get her eyeballs zapped next week.
The evaluation is pretty interesting. First they check the shape of your eyeballs, then do a standard vision evaluation just like going to your regular optometrist for an eye exam. Another nifty camera type device is used to measure the diameter of your dilated pupils. Eyedrops numb the eyes for a pressure test followed by a little probe thingy that’s used to measure the thickness of the cornea in several different spots. More eye drops are used to dilate the pupils and paralyze the normal focusing reflex (temporarily). While you’re waiting for the drops to take effect, there’s a nice little promotional video about the eyeball lasering process. Another vision evaluation is done by the opthalmologist once the eyes are suitably dilated at which point you can ask the doctor whatever questions are brewing in your brain. Finally someone else reviews all the pre and post-op procedures and schedules a time for the procedure.
When everything was done, the lady who did the last part of the consultation asked when they’d be seeing me there. Unfortunately my vision is crappy enough that I wouldn’t be a very good candidate for the laser thing. Just as well I suppose. I think I look pretty weird without glasses anyway.

Alberto makes it’s presence known two days later than the first tropical storm of last year. I hope this early start to the season doesn’t mean we’ll have another one like last year.