IAEA Guidance On the Certification of Clinically Qualified Medical Physicists
Presentations
PO-GePV-P-34 (Sunday, 7/25/2021) [Eastern Time (GMT-4)]
Purpose: The global shortage of medical physicists has been highlighted in publications and by professional organizations using different platforms, e.g. IDMP. The International Medical Physics Certification Board (IMPCB) was formed in 2010 and one of their major objectives is to support the practice of medical physics through a certification programme in accordance with the International Organisation for Medical Physics (IOMP) guidelines. In the past decade, the IAEA has also produced consensus guidance to promote the profession.
Methods: The lack of recognition of clinically qualified medical physicists (CQMPs) as health professionals, implies that formal national certification has not been widely adopted. In 2018, the IAEA embarked on a consultation process with professionals, as well as regional and international organizations, in order to produce guidance to encourage the formation of national certification bodies.
Results: In February 2021, the IAEA published the Training Course Series No. 71 Guidance on the Certification of CQMPs (TCS71). The publication, endorsed by the IOMP and IMPCB, was launched through an IAEA press release; and outreach through emails and social media in collaboration with the co-endorsing organizations. Consultations with a focus group of expert medical physicists from different regions, highlighted the need for further practical guidance. Although certification is implemented in some Member States, the framework is applied variably. Medical physics practice is often approved by a radiation regulator or a national professional society, and not a health authority; hospitals accept certification from foreign certification bodies and/or regular re-certification is not based on continuing education.
Conclusion: The IAEA aims to enhance the recognition of CQMPs as health professionals, in alignment with ILO’s International Standard Classification of Occupations. TCS71 provides guidance on the application of best practices in the education of medical physicists, alignment of CQMP competencies to international standards and establishment of national certification bodies to recognize CQMPs.
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