By Adrienne Aguirre, Future Radiation Therapist, Texas State University
As a first-year radiation therapy student I had already heard these lines a hundred times before and had them drilled into my brain. I knew that it would take time for me to get the hang of things when I first went into a clinic and as everyone is at the beginning of something new, I was nervous. Then my professor introduced us to the VERT lab. It’s a godsend to students like me. Going into a treatment room for the first time is nerve-wracking as it is, and I didn’t want to feel so out of place and inexperienced in that environment.
With VERT I was able to experience an actual pendant, see the treatment room, accessories, and patients being positioned for treatment. The best part is being able to practice and become comfortable with the machine without the fear of messing up or causing any real damage. With VERT I can see my mistakes as they’re about to happen, see where I went wrong, and correct it without catastrophic consequences. A weight was lifted off my shoulders. My transition from classroom to clinic was effortless thanks to VERT. I was able to use the pendant with ease, and had no trouble directing the table and gantry where I wanted it to go.
I didn’t feel like such a novice when I went into the clinical treatment room for the first time. Thanks for creating such a useful software program and saving me from some embarrassing beginner moments. Success doesn’t happen overnight!