Professional Council Symposium: In Memory of George Sherouse-Transforming Human Health Through Clinical Practice
J Clements1*, M Kessler2*, D Pavord3*, P Halvorsen4*, J Clements5*, (1) Kaiser Permanente, Pasadena, CA, (2) The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, (3) Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, (4) Beth Israel - Lahey Health, Burlington, MA, (5) Kaiser Permanente, Pasadena, CA
Presentations
SU-D-BRB-0 (Sunday, 7/10/2022) 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM [Eastern Time (GMT-4)]
Ballroom B
Dr. George W. Sherouse often referred to himself as a simple country physicist, but he was not simple. His contributions to the profession were significant, and his skills as a clinical medical physicist were exceptional. Dr. Sherouse was passionate about many elements of the discipline of medical physics. This memorial session will highlight three specific topics near and dear to Dr. Sherouse.
The early days of Dr. Sherouse's career in medical physics perfectly aligned with the growing availability of 3D imaging data and the necessary computing power to manipulate these data in real time. As a natural tool builder, Dr. Sherouse grasped the potential to leverage and merge these technologies to improve the management of cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. Never one to "color within the lines," Dr. Sherouse learned about and incorporated emerging technologies in formal software development and interactive computer graphics to provide new and powerful tools not only to clinicians but also to other tool builders through his distribution of GRATIS™, greatly amplifying the impact and reach of his work. This presentation will highlight the seminal role that Dr. Sherouse played in the design and evolution of some of the most fundamental tools of our trade.
Dr. Sherouse was a firm believer in understanding every aspect of your job as a medical physicist. As you will see in the presentations in this symposium, that covered many areas. He viewed medical physics not as just a job, and even the word professional did not seem to describe his view of how to embrace the role fully. He often used the words craft and mastery when discussing the topic. He felt that to master the craft of medical physics, you need to explore each topic with great attention to the details to really get into the inner workings rather than just obtaining a superficial understanding. The process by which this is achieved involves a mindset of continual questioning and learning. This presentation focuses on how he viewed education and mastering the craft of medical physics and how to pass that on to the next generation of medical physicists.
Dr. Sherouse had a gift for explaining complex or abstract concepts with clarity and eloquence. In his own words: "How you understand your role in the workplace directory informs how you act. Make a personal connection to patients. Remember, you are professional leadership, not one of the guys." A different perspective: "You are empowered to cause great harm. If you never disagree, then they didn't need you. Do not compromise ethics, quality or safety" This presentation reflects Dr. Sherouse's firm conviction that we must explore and understand our role to best serve the clinical mission.
Learning Objectives:
1. To understand Dr. Sherouse's contributions and impact on many essential tools for modern treatment planning.
2. To understand Dr. Sherouse's view on becoming a medical physicist and how to train a medical physicist.
3. To understand Dr. Sherouse's view of the medical physicist's role in patient care.
Handouts
- 175-66843-16361659-190057-298859639.pdf (Daniel Pavord)
- 175-66844-16361659-182970-862434778.pdf (Per Halvorsen)
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