Arun Chougule, PhD
Chair, IOMP Accreditation Board

Catholic University of Korea, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Yonsei University

The IOMP Accreditation Board (AB) has been set up to ensure that accredited medical physics programs satisfy the highest standards established by the IOMP in collaboration with other international organizations. The IOMP accreditation board accredits medical physics degree/Postgraduate programs, residency programs, medical physics education and training institutions/centers and education and training events.

Some of the important benefits of the IOMP accreditation are:

• Reputation of accredited programs and courses, which will result in a higher demand for these education and training activities
• Provision of an international dimension to an education event that will attract participants from other countries
• Evidence of highest teaching standards and best preparation of medical physicists for the work environment
• Publication of accredited programs and courses on the IOMP website

Medical Physics Postgraduate Courses at

1. Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences
2. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering
3. Yonsei University, Department of Radiation Convergence Engineering

were accredited by the IOMP AB in July 2019 for 3 years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic-imposed travel restrictions, the re-accreditation visits to the three postgraduate medical physics education programs from the Republic of Korea were performed during 5 – 8 December, 2022. The re-accreditation assessment team consisted of Prof Arun Chougule, Prof Golam Zakaria and Prof Christoph Trauernicht.

1. Catholic University, Seoul

The Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences offers a Master’s degree program, a Ph.D. program, as well as a Joint (Master’s and Ph.D.) degree program. The course aims to train competent medical physicists with creative and teaching capabilities. The Master’s program is spread over two years (full time) and its aim is to develop universal standards and reasonable thinking ability. The course content is aligned with the IAEA/IOMP recommendations. The clinical training is performed at St. Mary’s Hospital in the Radiation Oncology, Radiology, Medical Physics and Nuclear Medicine facilities, with modern equipment and experienced staff.

2. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon

The medical physics course is hosted in the Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, which has 16 faculty members. The department offers a Master’s degree (two years, full time), as well as a Ph.D. degree (four years, full time). The aim of the program is to train medical physicists, who can become international leaders and will contribute to society with their knowledge, professional skills, and research capabilities. The practical placements are done at the Asan Medical Center. The facilities include 11 Linear Accelerators and 2 Tomotherapy units, while a Cyberknife and a Gamma Knife are placed at the neurosurgery department. The hospital has a Radiation Oncology, Medical Physics, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine facility so that students get ample opportunity to learn and practice their skills.

3. Yonsei University, Wonju

The Department of Radiation Convergence Engineering at Yonsei University is conducting the medical physics education program. The Department offers a Master’s degree, a Ph.D. degree, as well as a Joint (Master’s and Ph.D) degree program. The practical training is performed at the Severance Christian Hospital in Wonju, which has Radiation Oncology, Nuclear Medicine, and Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology facilities for training of the students.

All courses are well-run with appropriate content that complies with the IAEA/IOMP recommendations. All three centers have significant collaborations with international partners or industry.

Based on the report of the IOMP AB, the re-accreditation of the three programs is granted by IOMP for 5 years [1 January 2023- 31 December 2027].

Further details about the IOMP accreditation program are available at https://www.iomp.org/accreditation/