Cristina Garibaldi1, Marion Essers2, Ben Heijmen3, Jenny Bertholet4, Efi Koutsouveli5, Ad J J Maas6, Margaret Moore7, Borislava Petrovic8, Irena Koniarova9, Albert Lisbona10, Tomasz Piotrowski11, Raphaël Moeckli12, Antonio López Medina13, Erato Stylianou Markidou14, Catharine H Clark15, Nuria Jornet16. 1. Unit of Radiation Research, IEO European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: cristina.garibaldi@ieo.it. 2. Department of Medical Physics and Instrumentation, Institute Verbeeten, Tilburg, the Netherlands. 3. Division of Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 4. Division of Medical Radiation Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, CH 3010 Bern, Switzerland. 5. Department of Medical Physics, Hygeia Hospital, Athens, Greece. 6. Formerly Department of Medical, Information and Communication Technology, Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis, 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. 7. Department of Medical Physics & Clinical Engineering, University Hospital Galway, Newcastle Road, Galway H91, YR71, Ireland. 8. Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia. 9. Radiotherapy Department, Oncology Institute Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia. 10. Section of Medical Exposures, Department of Radiation Protection in Radiotherapy, National Radiation Protection Institute, Prague, Czech Republic. 11. SFPM, Department of Medical Physics, Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest 44805 Saint-Herblain, France. 12. Department of Electroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences and Department of Medical Physics, Greater Poland Cancer Centre, Garbary 15 st, 61-866 Poznan, Poland. 13. Institute of Radiation Physics, Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University, Lausanne, Switzerland. 14. Medical Physics Department, Galaria, Hospital do Meixoeiro, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Vigo, Spain. 15. Medical Physics Department, Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre Nicosia, Cyprus Department of Radiotherapy Physics, University College London Hospital Medical Physics Department, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK. 16. Servei de Radiofisica i Radioprotecció, Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract
PURPOSE: ESTRO-EFOMP intend to update the core curriculum (CC) for education and training of medical physicists in radiotherapy in line with the European Commission (EC) guidelines on Medical Physics Experts (MPE), the CanMEDS methodology and recent developments in radiotherapy. As input, a survey of the current structure of radiotherapy MPE national training schemes (NTS) in Europe was carried out. METHODS: A 35-question survey was sent to all European medical physics national societies (NS) with a focus on existence of an NTS, its format and duration, required entry-level education, and financial support for trainees. RESULTS: Twenty-six of 36 NS responded. Twenty had an NTS. Minimum required pre-training education varied from BSc in physics or related sciences (5/2) to MSc in medical physics, physics or related sciences (6/5/2) with 50-210 ECTS in fundamental physics and mathematics. The training period varied from 1 to 5 years (median 3 years with 50% dedicated to radiotherapy). The ratio of time spent on university lectures versus hospital training was most commonly 25%/75%. In 14 of 20 countries with an NTS, a research project was mandatory. Residents were paid in 17 of 20 countries. The recognition was mostly obtained by examination. Medical physics is recognised as a healthcare profession in 19 of 26 countries. CONCLUSIONS: The NTS entrance level, duration and curriculum showed significant variations. This survey serves to inform the design of the updated CC to define a realistic minimum training level for safe and effective practice aiming at further harmonization in line with EC guidelines.
PURPOSE: ESTRO-EFOMP intend to update the core curriculum (CC) for education and training of medical physicists in radiotherapy in line with the European Commission (EC) guidelines on Medical Physics Experts (MPE), the CanMEDS methodology and recent developments in radiotherapy. As input, a survey of the current structure of radiotherapy MPE national training schemes (NTS) in Europe was carried out. METHODS: A 35-question survey was sent to all European medical physics national societies (NS) with a focus on existence of an NTS, its format and duration, required entry-level education, and financial support for trainees. RESULTS: Twenty-six of 36 NS responded. Twenty had an NTS. Minimum required pre-training education varied from BSc in physics or related sciences (5/2) to MSc in medical physics, physics or related sciences (6/5/2) with 50-210 ECTS in fundamental physics and mathematics. The training period varied from 1 to 5 years (median 3 years with 50% dedicated to radiotherapy). The ratio of time spent on university lectures versus hospital training was most commonly 25%/75%. In 14 of 20 countries with an NTS, a research project was mandatory. Residents were paid in 17 of 20 countries. The recognition was mostly obtained by examination. Medical physics is recognised as a healthcare profession in 19 of 26 countries. CONCLUSIONS: The NTS entrance level, duration and curriculum showed significant variations. This survey serves to inform the design of the updated CC to define a realistic minimum training level for safe and effective practice aiming at further harmonization in line with EC guidelines.
Authors: Tomasz Piotrowski; Slav Yartsev; Jaroslaw Krawczyk; Marta Adamczyk; Agata Jodda; Julian Malicki; Piotr Milecki Journal: Life (Basel) Date: 2022-03-09