Medical physicist

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Medical physicist (also medical physics expert or MPE) is a profession in applied physics that deals with tasks in medical physics . This includes, on the one hand, research into the laws of physics in medicine and the development of new technical processes for clinical use. In this regard, there is close cooperation with the specific engineering sciences . On the other hand, the technical requirements in some subjects of apparatus medicine have meanwhile reached a level that makes the involvement of medical physicists necessary in daily clinical work.

history

The first ever Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1901 “in recognition of the extraordinary merit which he has earned for discovering the rays named after him”. A discovery that was connected with a technical invention for the generation of "X-rays" which he had not patented and which caused a sensation in medicine as early as 1896, the year after the discovery. The clinical application of the rays he discovered, which is still dominant today, allows him to posthumously be called one of the first medical physicists, although he was never clinically active himself.

61 years passed before the first physicists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 for their scientific research . These are Francis Harry Compton Crick and Maurice Wilkins and “their discoveries about the molecular structure of nucleic acids and their importance for the transmission of information in living matter”. Their results were based, among other things, on the X-ray diffraction diagrams of the biochemist Rosalind Franklin, who had died at the time of the nomination .

The first female physicist to receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1977 was Rosalyn Sussman Yalow . She was also a nuclear medicine specialist and received the award for "the development of radioimmunological methods for the determination of peptide hormones"; in particular, she developed the radioimmunoassay and did research in the field of the quantitative determination of the level of insulin in the blood.

Two years later, electrical engineer Godfrey Hounsfield and physicist Allan McLeod Cormack received this award in 1979. At the beginning of the 1960s, Allan Cormack laid out the theoretical foundations of computed tomography , on the basis of which Godfrey Hounsfield developed the first device almost 10 years later.

The so far last Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to a physicist was awarded in 2003 to the physicist Peter Mansfield and the chemist Paul Christian Lauterbur . Both were recognized for “their discoveries about magnetic resonance imaging ”.

Clinical activity

The most common field of work in clinical routine is currently applied radiation physics in the corresponding medical disciplines of radiation therapy , X-ray diagnostics and nuclear medicine . Activities and training in this area are strictly regulated worldwide by corresponding national legislation in radiation protection . The professional title is not yet legally protected in most countries. There are approaches, especially coordinated by the European umbrella organization, the European Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (EFOMP), to standardize training and further education in Europe or at least to achieve mutual recognition between different countries.

In radiation therapy , the medical physicist is responsible for the technical content of the radiation plans as the doctor's partner. In particular, the medical physicist has to ensure that the correct radiation dose is administered within the radiation therapy treatment chain. The area of ​​responsibility also includes the operationally safe condition of the irradiation devices and thus the metrological quality assurance . He approves the devices for therapy operation or shuts them down in the event of defects and eliminates interference.

In German-speaking countries, the medical physicist can be appointed as a radiation protection officer for the physical-technical area with the appropriate specialist certificate . In Germany, the tasks of the medical physicist are defined in the relevant guidelines. According to the Radiation Protection Ordinance, treatment with radioactive substances (nuclear medicine) or ionizing radiation with an individual radiation plan (usual radiation therapy for malignant tumors and special benign diseases) may only be carried out if an MPE is present. The exact meaning of "be present" (in the building, on the clinic premises or reachable in x minutes) is i. d. Usually specified in the respective operating license of the state authorities. In Switzerland, the further training path, the tasks and competencies of a medical physicist are described in several ordinances at the federal level. There is the medical physicist in a less strictly regulated form, but also as an audiology or laser medicine course .

Since they work in a specifically applied field, medical physicists are organized in various, sometimes purely medical, specialist societies. In German-speaking countries, however, they are mainly represented by the German Society for Medical Physics (DGMP), the Swiss Society for Radiation Biology and Medical Physics (SGSMP) and the Austrian Society for Medical Physics (ÖGMP).

Further training to become a medical physics expert in Germany

In Germany, the term medical physics expert in the Radiation Protection Act ( Section 5, Paragraph 24 of the StrlSchG) and in the corresponding guidelines for the Radiation Protection Ordinance and X-ray Ordinance is essentially defined as a university degree in natural science and technology with advanced training in medical physics .

Expertise

The further training to become a medical physics expert lasts two years, during which a physicist has to work under the guidance of a competent medical physics expert. Subjects for medical physics experts are radiation therapy , nuclear medicine and radiology according to the Radiation Protection Ordinance or X-ray Ordinance . The activity is documented with a certificate of expertise.

Expertise

The acquisition of specialist knowledge as a medical physicist consists of special radiation protection courses, which are offered by training providers in accordance with the requirements of the guidelines, and the specialist period.

Distance learning alone does not replace the specialist time, but often contains the courses necessary for specialist knowledge. Education and training opportunities are offered by various universities and other colleges.

Thereafter, the specialist knowledge in radiation protection can be applied for. This is done by the responsible supervisory authority (state authority: e.g. regional council, state office for the environment, occupational safety, etc.). The specialist knowledge must be refreshed every five years with a twelve-hour state-approved course.

Professional recognition and state recognition as a medical physicist

The professional recognition as a medical physicist of the German Society for Medical Physics is optional and is 3 years professional occupation advance and a development of about 360 hours of instruction. Efforts are being made to pass a so-called medical physicist law in Germany for reasons of a better level of training, for patient protection and within the framework of harmonization with EU regulations. The Radiation Protection Commission recommended state recognition of further training as a medical physicist back in 1998. The professional title of medical physicist is currently only protected in the State of Berlin .

Further training to become a medical physicist in Switzerland

In Switzerland, qualification in medical physics from the Swiss Society for Radiation Biology and Medical Physics (SGSMP) or equivalent training is the legally required further training framework.

Acquisition of the SGSMP certification

The SGSMP's advanced training regulations provide for two disciplines:

  • "Medical radiation physics" with the fields of radio-oncology, nuclear medicine and diagnostic radiology with X-rays
  • "Medical imaging" with the specialties nuclear medicine and diagnostic radiology with and without X-rays

According to the Swiss radiation protection legislation, a medical physicist responsible for radiation therapy must specialize in "medical radiation physics". Radiation therapy companies require at least one medical physicist with SGSMP certification per accelerator. The legal requirements for a medical physicist in the disciplines of radiodiagnostics and nuclear medicine are also met by the representatives of the medical imaging field.

Training procedures

The admission requirements for admission to the advanced training process are a bachelor's degree at university level in physics or an equivalent training and a master’s degree at university level in natural sciences or equivalent training. Continuing education has a practical and a theoretical branch:

  • In practical terms, the candidate must work full-time for at least 3 years in the company of a mentor in a clinical facility in the relevant specialist field.
  • The theoretical includes at least 280 hours of advanced training in various areas of medical physics. For those interested in structured advanced training, ETH Zurich offers a two-year part-time Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Medical Physics. Every two years, 15 to 25 students complete this postgraduate course.

The further training is supplemented by a radiation protection course lasting several weeks and the preparation of a written paper in which in-depth knowledge of the subject is proven.

The conclusion is a compulsory exam with a written and an oral part. The written examination can be waived under certain conditions. The procedure is simplified for candidates who already have a relevant foreign training title. In any case, they must also take an oral examination.

Receipt of professional recognition and training

Around 200 medical physicists currently hold the SGSMP certification in medical physics. It must be renewed every five years by providing evidence of sufficient further training activity.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://www.efomp.org/index.php website of the European Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (EFOMP), EFOMP, accessed on June 5, 2020
  2. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ed.): Radiation protection in medicine. , November 30, 2011, Annex A2 2
  3. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ed.): Expertise and knowledge of radiation protection in the operation of X-ray equipment in medicine or dentistry , December 22, 2005, Paragraph 3.2
  4. ↑ Sections 131, 132 StrlSchV
  5. ↑ Art. 36 and 182 of the Radiation Protection Ordinance (StSV) in the version of February 1, 2019, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed on June 4, 2020
  6. ↑ Entry MP1 and MP2 in Appendix 2 Table 1 of the EDI Ordinance on Basic and Advanced Training and Permitted Activities in Radiation Protection (Radiation Protection Training Ordinance) in the version of June 12, 2018, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed on June 4, 2020
  7. ↑ Art. 11, 15, 18, 20, 21 and Appendix 5 of the EDI Ordinance on Radiation Protection in Medical Particle Accelerator Systems (Accelerator Ordinance, BeV) in the version of January 1, 2018, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed on June 4, 2020
  8. ↑ Art. 6 and 31 of the EDI Ordinance on the Handling of Closed Radioactive Sources in Medicine (MeQV) in the version of January 1, 2018, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed on June 4, 2020
  9. ↑ Art. 6, 27, 28, 29 and 30 of the EDI Ordinance on Radiation Protection in Medical X-ray Systems (Roentgen Ordinance, RöV) in the version of January 1, 2018, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed on June 4, 2020
  10. ↑ Art. 65 of the Ordinance of the FDHA on the Handling of Radioactive Material (UraM) in the version of January 30, 2018, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed on June 4, 2020
  11. ↑ https://www.oegmp.at/ , website of the ÖGMP, ÖGMP, accessed on March 29, 2020
  12. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ed.): Radiation protection in medicine. , November 17, 2011, paragraph 3.1.3
  13. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ed.): Expertise and knowledge of radiation protection in the operation of X-ray equipment in medicine or dentistry , December 22, 2005 Section 4.1
  14. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ed.): Radiation protection in medicine. , November 30, 2011, Annex A2 1
  15. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ed.): Expertise and knowledge of radiation protection in the operation of X-ray equipment in medicine or dentistry , December 22, 2005, paragraph 4.6.1
  16. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ed.): Radiation protection in medicine. , November 30, 2011, Annex A2 1.2
  17. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ed.): Expertise and knowledge of radiation protection in the operation of X-ray equipment in medicine or dentistry , December 22, 2005 Annex 13
  18. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ed.): Radiation protection in medicine. , November 30, 2011, Annex A3 2.1 and 2.2
  19. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Ed.): Expertise and knowledge of radiation protection in the operation of X-ray equipment in medicine or dentistry , December 22, 2005, Annexes 1, 4 and 5
  20. ^ German Society for Medical Physics (ed.): Further and advanced training regulations. February 9, 2015
  21. ↑ Radiation Protection Commission (ed.): Training and further education as a medical physicist. Federal Gazette No. 38, Feb. 25, 1998
  22. ↑ Art. 36 and 182 of the Radiation Protection Ordinance (StSV) in the version of February 1, 2019, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed on June 4, 2020
  23. ↑ Entry MP1 and MP2 in Appendix 2 Table 1 of the EDI Ordinance on Basic and Advanced Training and Permitted Activities in Radiation Protection (Radiation Protection Training Ordinance) in the version of June 12, 2018, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed on June 4, 2020
  24. ↑ Art. 18 of the EDI Ordinance on Radiation Protection in Medical Particle Accelerator Systems (Accelerator Ordinance, BeV) in the version of January 1, 2018, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed on June 4, 2020
  25. ↑ Art. 36 of the Radiation Protection Ordinance (StSV) in the version of February 1, 2019, Federal Office of Public Health, accessed on June 4, 2020
  26. ↑ Website on Recognition in Medical Physics, SGSMP, accessed on June 4, 2020
  27. ↑ https://ssrpm.ch/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Stoffkataloge_Vorstand_2015-11-13.pdf Annex II of the guidelines for obtaining specialist recognition SGSMP for Medical Physics, SGSMP, accessed on June 4, 2020
  28. ^ Website of the MAS program Medical Physics, ETH Zurich, accessed on June 4, 2020
  29. ↑ Website on Recognition in Medical Physics, SGSMP, accessed on June 4, 2020

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