Medical physics workforce in the United States

• Published in: Journal of applied clinical medical physics Vol. 23; no. S1; pp. e13762 - n/a
• Main Authors: Newhauser, Wayne D., Gress, Dustin A., Mills, Michael D., Jordan, David W., Sutlief, Steven G., Martin, Melissa C., Jackson, Edward
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-12-2022; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Baby boomers; Clinical medicine; Dosimetry; Drug dosages; Health Physics; Humans; medical physics; Nuclear medicine; Oncology; Patients; Physics; Professions; Quality control; R&D; Radiation therapy; Radiology; Research & development; Responsibilities; Review; Science education; Teaching; United States; Workforce; United States; United States > US; medical physics; workforce
• ISSN: 1526-9914; 1526-9914
• DOI: 10.1002/acm2.13762

Incumbent within this responsibility is as follows: protection of the patient and others from potentially harmful or excessive radiation, establishment of adequate protocols to ensure accurate patient dosimetry, the measurement and characterization of radiation; determination of delivered dose, advancement of procedures necessary to ensure image quality; development and direction of quality assurance programs, assistance to other health-care professionals in optimizing the balance between the beneficial and deleterious effects of radiation, and compliance with applicable federal and state regulations. The typical pathway involves participation in a Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP)-accredited education program (master of science or doctoral degrees, or a postdoctoral training certificate), followed by a 2-year medical physics residency training program. [...]the AAPM and the Society of Directors of Academic Medical Physics Programs (SDAMPP) are expanding activities to promote and facilitate nonclinical career options. 7 3.1.3.1 Organizations involved in education Several professional societies play important roles in medical physics education. In light of the “complexity of interests and areas of potential overlap,” the AAPM, CAMPEP, ABR, and SDAMPP have articulated consensus guidelines to clarify their respective roles in medical physics education, with particular relevance to workforce supply. 8 3.1.3.2 Undergraduate education Currently, in the United States, medical physicists typically earn an undergraduate degree in physics, engineering, or other physical science, with several universities offering a BS in medical physics or a concentration in medical physics as an optional component of a traditional BS degree.