Independent Component Update: 91% on my midterm & leaving Service Learning (El Monte Hospital)

Blog 10: Self Reflection

(1) How do you think you are doing so far in your senior project and why?  AE, P, AP, CR, or NC

P+

I have done every assignment on time and met the proficient requirements.  I also have really worked at getting my service learning at El Monte Hospital started and taking my independent component college class three days a week.

(2) What one thing do you think you have done well on and why?

I started off wanting to do radiology therapy, but as I have learned more about it I realize I want to do radiology onocology.  I learned this because of my first, second interview, and a few informal interviews.   I think I have done this transition from one focus to another well including the interviews.

(3) What is one thing you would like to improve on and why? 

The weaker part of my project has been how many articles I am reading and the notes.  I need to finish more articles and take more notes.

Service Learning Update: El Monte Hospital

Getting my TB test read.

Blog 9: Science Fair Proposal

1. What is your hypothesis?

If there are higher concentrations of Octyl salicylate in the soap mixture, then it will block a greater amount of UV radiation.

2. Identify the dependent (produced), independent (manipulated) and control variables in your hypothesis.

·      Dependent = level of UV index measured

·      Independent = concentration of Octyl salicylate in the soap solution

·      Control variables = the time the readings are taken, the intensity of sunlight and other weather conditions on the day of testing and the location where the testing is done.

3. What is the connection between your science fair project and your senior project EQ?

I am studying radiology oncologist with a focus on skin cancer.   Studying sunscreen soap helps me understand which sunscreen soap is the best and why.   Sunscreen soap is meant to reduce the chance of getting sunburn.

4. How will you perform the experiment?  Include the equipment you plan on using.

Materials:

5 glass sheets measuring 500mm x 500mm


1 UV meter to measure UV index


1 wooden box with open top  (approximately 500mm length x 500mm width)


500 ml alcohol
- 250 gram of glycerin


10 gram of Octyl salicylate


5 beakers


1 measuring cylinder


5 sponges


1 spatula


1 digital weighing scale

Procedures: 

1.  Label the 5 sheets of glass & 5 beakers as 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%.

2.  Add 100mg of alcohol in each beaker

3.  Add .50 mg of glycerin to each beach also.

4.  Adding Octyl salicylate or not

·      0% beaker: no Octyl salicylate is added

·      2% beaker:  1 gram is added

·      4% beaker:  2 grams added

·      6% beaker:  3 grams added

·      8% beaker:  4 grams added

·      Mix the solution using the spatula

5. Using separate sponges, spread the soap solution over the glass from the beakers evenly and allowed to dry

6. The wooden box is placed in a location where it receives direct sunlight without any obstruction or shadows. The UV meter is placed inside the box and the UV index reading is taken.  Record your readings.

7. The glass sheet with the 0% marking is placed over the box with the UV meter still inside the box. The new UV index is observed and recorded.

8.  Do the same for 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%.

5. Which category will your project be listed under?  (For a full list of categories, go to the iPoly Physics webpage, then to the Science Fair tab.)

Chemistry

Service Learning Update: El Monte Hospital

Blog 8: What I've Learned So Far

1. What have you learned to do since you started working on your senior project?I've learned how to contact interviewees and interview them with appropriate questions effectively.

2. Post evidence.
Click here

3. What research helped you to do this and how?
Dennis Jarmin, MBA, RCP Assistant Administrator CEO

Mr. Jarmin was able to help me with volunteering in the radiation department and understanding his role in the hospital. He was helpful on giving advice as to how to work in a hospital environment.

Blog 7: Independent Comp. 1 Approval

Description of what you plan to do:
Cal Poly MAT 106 Trigonometry class

30 hrs of work?
MWF 2:15-3:10

Relate to EQ:
To graduate in the medical field, I must reach a certain expectation and meet all requirements of courses within science and math. Thus, taking a Trigonometry class up at Cal Poly, I am obtaining skills and knowledge to better prepare myself later on once I attend a medical school to become a Radiation Therapist.

Blog 6 Define EQ

1. Essential Question: What is most important to being a successful radiation therapist?

2. Define 2 words:

• Successful-I need to talk to Carly's mom
• Radiation therapist-With other physicians and doctors specializing in radiation cancer treatment, radiation therapist provides radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiologist to cancer patient, using a radiation machine to deliver the treatment. 

3. Possible Answers:

• Good communication
• Positive attitude
• Empathize with patients
• Background in different cancer
• Work well with other physicians

4. Most important source and why?
Daren Griffin was my most important source. I had interviewed her previously, and she gave me visuals (a folder of brochures for cancer patients) with a lot of useful info on the overview of radiation therapy. She was very helpful on what she recommends, school-wise and senior project. 

Blog 5: Second Interview Questions

I will be interviewing Mrs. Griffin once again. Since this interview is about background of the interviewee, I feel more confident in interviewing Mrs. Griffin. I do have prior knowledge of some background of Mrs. Grffin, which will allow me to have some kind of foundation to base some of my questions that I will be asking her in the interview. Also, her stories of her background was what that got me interested in Radiation Therapy.

I plan on asking these questions:

1. Why radiation therapy and not something else?
2.  What was your path like to becoming a certified radiation therapist? (School wise)
3. Has your career benefited and/or interfere with your home life?
4. How did you end up working where you work now?
5. What kind of training do you have?
6. What was the most important class you took and why?
7. What other jobs did you have? Did you help you prepare to become a radiation therapist?

Blog 4: Presentation Reflection

In what way did the first interview affect your presentation?  Please explain, be specific and use an example.

• It gave me a better description of radiation therapy. It wasn't just a text book explanation that was hard to comprehend, let alone explaining it to an entire room full of students. Thus, I was able to describe radiation therapy successfully to the students.
• It gave a brief outline of what I want to present in my presentation, following the format of how Mrs. Griffin presented her info to me during our interview.
• It allowed me to see what was "useless" info when I was interviewing Mrs. Griffin. She had a lot of info that was too much for an overview interview of radiation therapy. Thus, I had a better understanding of what was useful info to use for the first presentation.

What you say stood out about your presentation performance and why?

• The use of my vusual (skin cancer picture) and my connection from radiation therapy, chemo, and surgery. 
• Calling on random students to encourage participation.

What challenges did you faced and why?

• During the presentation, it was difficult to move around due to the projector. Standing in one place makes it difficult for the audience to stay engaged.
• Trying to pick a topic to discuss that would be "easy" to present within 5 minutes, while keeping the audience engaged and understanding to your topic.

Blog 3 Senior Presentation 1

Objective: Students will learn the career aspect of a radiation therapist.

Procedure:

1. Ask questions to encourage involvement and engagement from the students/audience. Such as: "who here knows someone with cancer?", "How do you know that they have cancer? Did they tell you themselves, or was it obvious?"
2. Give a brief description of radiation therapy.
3. List the responsibility of a radiation therapy: Follow prescription from doctor prescribing the patient, working with a group of physicians and such to determine the treatment, practice the treatment on the patients, and assist to every need the patients may have.
4. A brief overview of the education and income of a radiation therapist.
5. Where are some of the radiation therapy clinic found.
6. Interpret how relevant radiation therapy has become.
7. Conclusion: Summarize essential points and end goal of my project. (To help me pick my major)

Check for Understanding: Call on students with specific questions (avoiding yes or no questions)

Resource/Material: 1 main picture or pamphlet

Blog 2: Interview Check

Who am I interviewing: Daren Griffin RTT

Why Daren Griffin?
Before even choosing my senior project topic (Radiation Therapy), Mrs. Griffin has always offered to provide help for me with my senior project. Since she is a certified radiation therapist, Mrs. Griffin was my very first choice of candidate to be interview for my topic. She is currently an active radiation therapist who has many years of experience in her field of practice. Her schedule seems to vary depending on the week, but still very flexible. Thus, she's very willing to participate in the interview if I can manage to keep it within her schedule.

What questions will I ask Mrs. Griffin?
In addition to the 5 required questions, I will ask Mrs. Griffin:

• Why Radiation Therapy and not something else?
• What do you think makes a good radiation therapist?
• What should I focus on first as I begin studying on this topic?
• What was your path like (school wise) to becoming a certified radiation therapist?
• Has your career interfere with your home life?
• Any recommendations/suggestions on how I should approach studying this topic?
• What was one thing you wish you knew about radiation therapy that no one told you until you realized it yourself after you were a radiation therapist?

Blog 1: Senior Project Topic

Topic: Radiation Therapy - a form of cancer treatment that uses radiation (strong beams of energy) to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing and dividing.

Why Radiation Therapy?
My reason is not because I have family members who has cancer, nor does any of my friends. I simply see the personal satisfaction of being able to help patients who may be going through the toughest battle of their life. Cancer specifically because the fight seems and feels more realistic and surreal (sort of like watching sports and seeing the players go through pain and sweat to reach the championship and the glory) when I see patients go through their treatments.


What do you hope to accomplish after studying this topic all year?
1. A satisfying yet sufficient career
2. Hopefully I can start opening doors for myself within this field (Radiation therapy)
3. To truly see if this is the career that I want to spend the rest of my life studying and working for
4. The best way to approach to becoming a radiation therapist
5. To see what else is out there that is similar to radiation therapy if I decided to change my path of career

I hope to have a better understanding about radiation therapy and the process of the treatment for patients with cancer. Hopefully, I can find foundations throughout senior year that helps the research of cancer to participate in/with as I continue to study radiation therapy. While I strive to not only obtain a good grade to my senior project, I can also prove to myself that I am very much capable of setting a goal and step-by-step reaching it.