SLU Radiation Therapy Students Excel at CART Conference

Saint Louis University (SLU) Radiation Therapy students Emily Cornett and Nicole Joergens won first and second place, respectively, in the Scientific Display competition at the Chicago Area Radiation Therapy (CART) conference in May 2021. Cornett’s research was titled How Smoking Impacts the Health and Survival of Women with Cervical Cancer Treated with Radiation/Chemotherapy and Joergens’s research was titled An Analysis on the Prevalence of Burnout in Radiation Therapists Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic. Cornett and Joergens both earned a cash prize for their achievements.

SLU Radiation Therapy students Mohammed Alshahrani, Carter Inion and Logan Jokisch all also competed in the scientific display poster competition. This year, the conference was held as a virtual event.

Cornett was thrilled to learn her research poster earned the top prize at the CART conference – a testament to her effort on the project.

“I was very excited to find out I won first place for my poster at the CART Scientific Display competition,” Cornett said. “I dedicated a lot of time to the research and development of my poster, so knowing that my hard work paid off was truly a rewarding feeling.”

After years of study, Joergens was pleased her and her classmates could put their knowledge on display for the CART Conference attendees.

“I was extremely excited to hear that I received 2nd place at the CART Scientific Display competition. I knew before I decided to enter my poster that students from many different schools enter the competition each year,” Joergens said. “I was proud of all of the work my classmates and I put into our posters this year. I was happy to represent SLU and my class at the competition.”

Joergens initially wanted to get involved in the CART Conference because she thought her topic, involving burnout among radiation therapists before and after COVID-19, was especially relevant at this time.

“Radiation therapists work in an environment that has many technological and emotional challenges. The pandemic has been especially challenging in this field as cancer patients are immunosuppressed and have a greater risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19,” Joergens said. “I wanted to bring to light the challenges radiation therapists face and how COVID-19 has impacted their daily job responsibilities.”

CART was founded in 1976 to provide radiation therapists with continuing education, leadership, legislative support and development of future radiation therapy professionals. The annual conference allows radiation therapists and students from the region to come together and learn, network and advance the profession of radiation therapy. The CART annual conference features a professional program for current radiation therapy professionals and a student program for students enrolled in a radiation therapy education program.

Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit institution that values academic excellence, life-changing research, compassionate health care, and a strong commitment to faith and service. Founded in 1818, the University fosters the intellectual and character development of nearly 13,000 students on two campuses in St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Building on a legacy of more than 200 years, Saint Louis University continues to move forward with an unwavering commitment to a higher purpose, a greater good.