That's a wrap: RTi3 Conference 2017
There’s No “i” in M.R.T.(T.), but 3 “i’s” in RTi3: Inquire, Inspire and Innovate, The pillars of a Profession
Story by Kieng Tan and Brian Liszewski
Radiation Therapy in Canada is no longer a fledgling field – this is evidenced by the rich body of research and practice innovation that was presented at this year’s RTi3 Conference. From sessions such as “Dosimetric Inquiry” that highlight the highly technical nature of radiation medicine to the CPQR Patient Engagement and Practice CALM-RT workshops emphasizing the human-patient aspect of our practice; there was a balance between the impact of technology and the human touch.
RTi3 is an annual conference for the global radiation therapy community. The conference celebrated its 13th year in March 2017. With the goal of merging continuing education, research, and practice initiatives, RTi3 Conference has established itself internationally as a leading conference in radiation therapy.
RTi3 brings together a radiation medicine community that goes beyond institutional walls and extends provincially, nationally and internationally. It encourages collaboration and allows us to collectively drive the advancement of the profession through showcasing of recent innovations and best practices.
The top ranked abstracts highlight these very aspects:
- Looking Forward: Co-designing a cancer survivorship program for patients completing active treatment – Christian Boisvert-Huneault from Montreal, Quebec
- Certifiable: Development and piloting of a national advanced practice certification process for radiation therapists in Canada – Nicole Harnett (on behalf of Caitlin Gillan) from Toronto, Ontario
- The Implementation of the Active Breathing Coordinator (Gating/Response) System at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre – Gulaid Mohamoud from Newmarket, Ontario
The co-chairs of this year’s conference were Kieng Tan, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Radiation Oncology, and Brian Liszewski, Radiation Therapist at the Odette Cancer Centre. Along with a committee of radiation therapists representing various cancer centres in Ontario, they created an engaging program for the 140 delegates who attended the two-day conference and participated in engaging conversations and online discussions around the topics being presented.
Some key take-aways from this year’s keynote speakers, Kathryn Moran and Ruby Bola are to “think outside the bunker” and to "get on the dance floor”, because opportunities for inquiry and innovation do not dance with wallflowers.
As well, keeping innovations simple is critical to its success was a message shared by the RTi3 Conference innovate and interprofessional keynote speakers Jenny Soo and Dr. Christopher Charles.
Delegates, voting for their favourite poster presentation and oral presentation, selected the following winners:
- Delegate's Choice for Best Podium Presentation - Alannah Flockton
- Delegate's Choice for Best Poster Presentation - Zainab Zaheer
To encourage networking, the RTi3 planning committee distributed a ‘passport’ that required delegates to complete a list of tasks. Completed passports were entered into a draw and presented with prizes:
- Free registration to Target Insight - Grace Ho
- Free registration to RTi3 2018 - Chung Yip
- Research for the Radiation Therapist textbook - Jackson Chan
- Research for the Radiation Therapist textbook - Fionna Li
If you missed this year’s conference, don’t worry, below are some highlights from the two day conference and half day post-conference workshop. And mark your calendars, the next RTi3 Conference will take place on March 2-3, 2018.