@brianjarvis
I had my proton radiation done at UFHPTI. They have been doing proton radiation since 2006.

UFHPTI was given a 25 million dollar grant to study the long term treatments and outcomes of radiation treatments. There were 2500 patients recruited. I am one of the patients in the study.

As I mentioned before when I was at UFHPT I saw so many children there is was sad. The UFHPTI facility is ultra modern. The entire length of the 5 gatries seemed to me about the length of a football field. Along the other side of the 5 different gantries and treatment rooms were special rooms for children before and after their treatments.

Patients come from all over the U.S. to UFHPTI and many countries also. I think because they have been doing proton radiation since 2006. My R/O has done thousands of radiation treatments. As you mentioned they have a physics department that decides the dosage, type beams, etc.

When I finished my treatments the entire team (you have the same team each time and are identified by colors (My blue team). The entire blue team accompanied me out into lounge area (a huge lounge area with a piano, refreshments, etc.) and a huge 6 foot like long cylintrical chimes. There is a rope and you swing a device that rings the chimes. I did that with my picture and team taken. Everyone in the lounge got up and applauded. I made sure every day I was there to make sure I did the same for others when their turn came to ring the chimes.

I am still going back there now every year for follow ups. And I fill out a questionaire every 3 months for the research study. When I have my follow ups they are twice as long as I am part of the research study and they go over every question on the survey along with the DRE.