Madan Rehani, PhD
President, IOMP
In October 2019 issue of IOMP newsletter we announced a course on Medical Physics teaching to medical students, organized by IOMP in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha Qatar for students of Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar.
The course was held on 22-23 February 2020. Fifty students attended the course, with many being in the early years of the medical college. There were 14 presentations and 2 panel discussion sessions. First day was devoted to pre-medical students some of whom may switch over to medical physics and thus the topics included: What a medical graduate can do and become in professional life: a doctor in individual clinic to a person at decision making position nationally and then providing career paths for a medical doctor and a medical physicist; clinical areas where a medical physicist can help; the journey of a radiation oncologist; how I made success as a medical physicist; should I become a clinical doctor or a clinical medical physicist; and finally, the collaboration between medical physicists and medical doctors in research. On second day, there were subject matter topics introducing radiological sciences, radiation risks, interactions of medical physicists with radiation oncologists, radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians and other clinical areas where medical physicists interact with clinicians besides radiological sciences. There was a visit to radiology and radiation oncology departments with onsite discussions.
Overall there was great enthusiasm noted so much so that many wanted more information on medical physics and two students have already enrolled for short term placement in medical physics and radiation oncology.
It is unfortunate that there is so little coverage of medical physics in a routine medicine curriculum, resulting in hardly any awareness among medical students.
Nevertheless, the feedback from students regarding the short course was very positive.
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