Comments from Previous Students

Here are a few of the comments made by students from the course in past years.

"My background and education is in communications and public relations -- not an area that concentrates much on science or math! For my job with the state radiation control agency, I need knowledge of health physics in order to respond to public inquiries and emergencies relating to radiation. The A&M Health Physics Short Course gave me the basic information I needed, and built on that basic information to give me a deeper understanding of the science and math involved in health physics. I was very skeptical of my ability to handle the math -- but I should not have worried. The course instructors and graduate students, along with the student study groups, were all available to help. It was a great experience and I can use the knowledge and information I gained from the course every day." - Marilyn Kelso, Texas Department of State Health Services

"I live in Wisconsin and, I admit, was a bit hesitant about spending a few weeks in Texas in the summertime. But the instructors and my classmates showed great hospitality in welcoming me south! The 'Principles of Health Physics' course has been a big help in my job and it was a convenient way to get a solid overview of the field in a short period of time." - Megan Shober, State of Wisconsin Radiation Protection Section

"Drs. Hamilton and Poston have done a wonderful job in designing and teaching the Principles of Health Physics course. They were able to simultaneously teach at different experience levels in the class without the novice getting lost nor the more experienced/knowledgeable person being bored. I have had several nuclear engineering classes in college but still learned a lot throughout the class. The chance to ask questions to these two Health Physics experts one-on-one was an excellent opportunity."

"The course actually exceeded any expectations I may have had. In particular, the quality of instructors has been genuinely outstanding. The fact that each and every instructor is/was competent and confident is a welcome change compared to other programs I have experienced. It is evident each instructor is well prepared. As a result, each comes across as a subject matter expert; a very important factor when sharing knowledge with a class of potential "ringers." Again, the overall course was excellent because of these points."

"Other 5-week Health Physics courses, as explained by co-workers who attended them, were a very general overview of the profession of Health Physics. In my opinion, the 5-week Health Physics course at Texas A&M University was so much more than a general overview. I could easily compare, without bias, the useful information obtained at this short course with the information obtained through 6 months of Naval Nuclear Power School (in the area of Health Physics). The instructors, namely Dr. Hamilton and Dr. Poston, were learned enough in their profession to explain highly complex subject matter to not so highly-complex-minded individuals. [Highest Recommendations]"

"I can now explain to the RSOs why their structures and shielding thicknesses are needed to protect the public and the worker. I feel extremely competent in revealing this new information to members of the public and the occupationally exposed worker. Everyone's patience and adjustment to us was above and beyond. Nonetheless sincerely appreciated. I would certainly recommend this course to the technical review staff of the BRC and hospital RSO and a sprinkle of CEO's"

"The presentations on Dose Assessment, External by Dr. Hamilton and Internal by Dr. Poston, I found most helpful; as a materials inspector, I have never learned the complexity of accurate dose assessment until now. I can now, with this valuable education, accurately determine these doses, without question, something I could not have done before. In my opinion, the state benefited ten-fold by the education received as compared to the funds dispensed."

"The dose and shielding information were excellent. All the professors were full of information and were able to help me understand it."