THE five students sponsored by Port Moresby General Hospital to study at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka are progressing well in their training.
Medical Physicist student, Luwis Gabriel who is doing his second year undertaking a Master's degree in Medical Physics has completed his course.
He is into the second component of his program, focusing on research and is expected to complete studies by the end of the year.
In an arrangement between the university and the Sri Lankan Health Ministry, Mr Gabriel has had the opportunity to do a one-year clinical internship with the Sri Lankan National Cancer Research Institute Margahma.
The institute has three cobalt and five Linear Accelerator (LINAC) machines, a HDR Brachytherapy, CT Simulator, Iodine Therapy and a fully equipped Diagnostic & Nuclear Medicine Department.
As part of his training, Mr. Gabriel has done three commissioning of the Elekata machines and different types of radiotherapy planning for cancer patients and quality assurance for radiotherapy machines.
Last month, the PMGH sponsored another four students to the same institute, which included three radiation therapists Firman Dunstan, Richie Pumi and Tonny Sula and medical physicist Sanja Ipu.
Since enrolment, they have begun their clinical lectures before progressing to a more advanced training.
Radiotherapy is a real time treatment and dealing with sophisticated machines is very complex process, hence the trainees will need to gain an advanced theoretically based knowledge before they can progress to the practical work.
Of the three radiation therapists, two are expected to be sent to a private hospital Asiri Cancer Centre, while another will go the National Cancer Research Institute by October 21, for further training.
They will learn and be exposed to the latest Linear Accelerator, a medical device most commonly used for external beam radiation treatments for patients with cancer, which have image guided components.
After completing the advanced clinical training for 10 months, they will be PNG's first radiation therapists to be exposed with Linear Accelerators with advanced Radiotherapy Treatment skills.