Profile for Nishele Lenards
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Nishele Lenards
Clinical Professor
Hlth Professor-Dosimetry
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Nishele Lenards
Clinical Professor
Hlth Professor-Dosimetry
Specialty area(s)
Medical Dosimetry, Radiation Oncology, Distance Learning, Educational Technology
Brief biography
Professional Career: most of my professional career has been working in the field of Radiation Oncology.
Teaching Career: most of my teaching experience has been working with adult learners in didactic and clinical environments as well as in the face-to-face and online learning environments.
Current position at UW-L: I am the Director of the Online Medical Dosimetry Program at UW-La Crosse in the College of Science and Health – Health Professions Department. I developed the first online program at UW-L in 2003-04. I am responsible for the administrative aspect of the program as well as teaching part of the online program curriculum.
Expert Distance Educator: I have been an online learner since the mid-90’s and an online instructor since 2003, therefore I have a special interest in distance learning and educational technology and consider myself an expert in online learning. My master's and doctoral work were in distance learning.
**The best part of teaching online is sharing experiences with people all over the country and having the most diverse group of students possible.
Personal: I am married with two grown children (and two yellow lab dogs). I enjoy crafting & genealogy/genetic genealogy.
Current courses at UWL
Fall Semester
DOS 513 Cross-sectional Anatomy
DOS 514 Physics
DOS 515 Computers & Networking
DOS 518 Professional Issues in Medical Dosimetry
DOS 750 Professional e-Portfolio
DOS 751 Research Methods in Medical Dosimetry III (research advisor)
DOS 783 CMD Seminar III
Spring Semester
DOS 711 Research Methods in Medical Dosimetry I (research advisor)
DOS 523 Treatment Planning & Dose Calculations
DOS 750 Professional e-Portfolio
DOS 781 CMD Seminar I
Summer Semester
DOS 751 Research Methods in Medical Dosimetry II (research advisor)
DOS 741 Protocols & Studies in Radiation Oncology
DOS 782 CMD Seminar II
Education
Northcentral University, Prescott Valley AZ
Doctorate of Philosophy in Education; Specialization: Educational Technology & E-Learning (2017)
Dissertation: Student Perceptions of Asynchronous Multimodal Instructor Feedback: A Multiple Case Study
University of Wisconsin - Stout, Menomonie WI
Master of Science Degree in Education (2007)
Certificate: E-Learning & Online Teaching (2008)
University of St. Francis, Joliet IL
Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Arts (1999)
Aultman Hospital School of Radiation Therapy, Canton OH
Diploma/Registered Radiation Therapist (1991)
University of Akron/Akron City Hospital School of Radiologic Technology, Akron OH
Diploma/Registered Radiologic Technologist (1990)
Certifications/Licensures
E-learning & Online Teaching, 2008
Certified Medical Dosimetrist, 1995 (#1475246)
Registered Radiation Therapist, 1991 (#239154)
Registered Radiographer, 1990 (#239154)
Career
Research and publishing
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Coffey A, Moreno J, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Tobler M. A survey of medical dosimetrists' perceptions of efficiency and consistency of auto-contouring software. Med Dosim. 2022; In Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2022.05.003
Lee J, Huelskamp C, Nappi C, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Cetnar A. A dosimetric comparison of 3D DCAT vs VMAT for palliative and early-stage liver lesions using eclipse TPS. Med Dosim. 2022; In Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2022.04.002
Larsen K, Cimmiyotti J, Momoh R, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Mundy D. Case study of a bolus helmet used to maintain optic chiasm and nerve sparing while improving target coverage using IMPT. Med Dosim. 2022; 47(3):252-257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2022.03.003
Czmielewski C, Gallina V, Tripoli D, Lenards N, Hunzeker A. Analyzing changes in radiotherapy treatment planning error reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Med Dosim. 2022; 47(3):248-251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2022.04.001
Yorio S, Lenards N, Hunzeker A. A case study of DIBH to spare abdominal organs at risk for renal cell carcinoma MR-guided radiotherapy. Med Dosim. 2022; 47(2):e19-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2022.01.002
Inshetski R, Lenards N, Hunzeker A. Robust optimization used to mitigate setup uncertainties in vulvar patients receiving VMAT. Med Dosim. 2022; 47(2):129-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2021.11.003
Hadsell CS, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Tallhamer MJ, Hadsell MJ. The effect of measurement geometry on patient specific QA pass/fail rates for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) plans. Med Dosim. 2021; 46(4): 389-397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2021.05.001
Casto Z, Liu M, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Zoller W, Blakaj DM. Multiple case dosimetric evaluation of VMAT scalp irradiation using 3D milled bolus. Med Dosim. 2021; 46(4): 324-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2021.03.007
Wilson A, Keefe J, Habibulla H, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Tobler M, Zeiler S, Fellows A. Incidence of work related musculoskeletal disorders in medical dosimetry. Med Dosim. 2021; 46(4): 377-381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2021.04.003
Wilson L, Rohe R, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Tobler M, Zeiler S, Fellows A. Minimizing clearance issues with prone breast patients on Varian linear accelerators through isocenter placement. Med Dosim. 2021; 46(4): 319-323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2021.03.004
Yiga T, Lin T, Williamson B, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Tobler M, Zeiler S, Fellows A. A case study of evaluating bilateral lung dose for VMAT treatment planning using a partial sagittal arc. Med Dosim. 2021; 46(3): 236-239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2020.12.004
Lenards N. A Quantitative Comparative Study of Medical Dosimetry Graduates With and Without Prior Radiation Therapy Certification. Med Dosim. 2020; 45(4):374-381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2020.05.005
Deiter N, Chu F, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Lang K, Mundy D. Evaluation of Replanning in Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy for Oropharyngeal Cancer: Factors Influencing Plan Robustness. Med Dosim. 2020; 45(4):384-392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2020.06.002
Eskens M, Nguyen H, Deere W, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Tobler M. A Retrospective Evaluation of Mixed Energy Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy for Anal Cancers with Lymph Node Involvement. Med Dosim. 2020; 45(4):339-345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2020.04.002
Keil J, Carda J, Reihart J, Seidel M, Lenards N, Hunzeker A. A dosimetric study using split x-jaw planning technique for the treatment of endometrial carcinoma. Med Dosim. 2020; 45(3):278-283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2020.02.001
Lang K, Loritz B, Schwartz A, Hunzeker A, Lenards N, Culp L, Finley R, Corbin K. Dosimetric comparison between volumetric-modulated arc therapy and field-in-field technique for postmastectomy chest wall and regional lymph node irradiation. Med Dosim. 2019;45(2):121-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2019.08.001
Gustafson N, Burrier T, Butler B, Hunzeker A, Lenards N, Culp L. Correlation of hot spot to breast separation in patients treated with postlumpectomy tangent 3D-CRT using field-in-field technique and mixed photon energies. Med Dosim. 2019; 45(2):134-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2019.08.004
Stauch Z, Zoller W, Tedrick A, Walston S, Christ D, Hunzeker A, Lenards N, Culp L, Gamez M, Blakaj D. An evaluation of adaptive planning by assessing the dosimetric impact of weight loss throughout the course of radiotherapy in bilateral treatment of head and neck cancer patients. Med Dosim. 2019; 45(1):52-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2019.05.003
Rice A, Zoller I, Kocos K, Weller D, DiCostanzo D, Hunzeker A, Lenards N. The implementation of RapidPlan in predicting deep inspiration breath-hold candidates with left-sided breast cancer. Med Dosim. 2019;44(3):210-218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2018.06.007
Olson A, Phillips K, Eng T, Lenards N, Hunzeker A, Lewis D, Baumann D. Assessing dose variance from immobilization devices in VMAT head and neck treatment planning: A retrospective case study analysis. Med Dosim. 2017;43(1):39-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2017.08.001
Coffey A, Renucci L, Hunzeker A, Lenards N. Whole breast nodal irradiation using supine VMAT and prone 3D planning: A case study. Med Dosim. 2017;42(3):185-189. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2017.02.007
McCall R, MacLennan G, Taylor M, Lenards N, Nelms B E, Koshy M, Lemons J, Hunzeker A. Anatomical contouring variability in thoracic organs at risk. Med Dosim. 41(4):242-247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2016.08.004
Apinorasethkul O, Lenards N, Hunzeker, A. Urethral dose sparing in squamous cell carcinoma of anal canal using proton therapy matching electrons with prior brachytherapy for prostate cancer: A case study. Med Dosim. 2016; 41(3):242-247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2016.05.003
Lee K, Lenards N., Holson J. Whole brain hippocampal sparing radiation therapy: VMAT vs IMRT case study. Med Dosim. 2016;41(1):15-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2015.06.003
Sponseller P; Lenards N; Kusano A; Patel P. Radiation treatment for newly diagnosed esophageal cancer with prior radiation to the thoracic cavity. Med Dosim. 2014;39(3):251-255. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2014.03.004
Lenards N. Student Perceptions of an Online Medical Dosimetry Program. Med Dosim. 2011;36(2):178-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meddos.2010.03.001
Professional Publications
Lenards, N (2005) Distance Lends Enlightenment: Medical Dosimetrists in Training are Benefiting from a New Distance Learning Program. Advance for Imaging and Oncology Administrators
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