Future of Medical Physics in Future of Medical Physics in KSA KSA

Future of Medical Physics in Future of Medical Physics in KSAKSA

Dr. Nabil MaalejDr. Nabil MaalejPhysics DepartmentPhysics Department

King Fahd University of Petroleum King Fahd University of Petroleum and Mineralsand Minerals

OutlineOutline

Medical Physics

Education Training Career

OutlineOutline

Medical Physics

Education Training Career

What is a Medical Physicist?What is a Medical Physicist?

A A medical physicistmedical physicist is a professional who is a professional who specializes in the application of the specializes in the application of the concepts and methods of physics to the concepts and methods of physics to the diagnosis and treatment of human diagnosis and treatment of human disease.disease.

The Medical PhysicistThe Medical PhysicistBridges Physics and MedicineBridges Physics and Medicine

Physics

Medical Physicist

Medicine

Medical Physics DisciplinesMedical Physics Disciplines

Radiation therapy PhysicsRadiation therapy Physics

Diagnostic Imaging PhysicsDiagnostic Imaging Physics

Medical Nuclear PhysicsMedical Nuclear Physics

Health PhysicsHealth Physics

Medical PhysicistMedical Physicist’’s Primary s Primary Discipline (USA)Discipline (USA)

76%

15%

3% 4% 1%1%

Radiation Therapy

Imaging Physics

Nuclear Medicine

Health Physics

Engineering

Administration

Source: 2002 AAPM Survey

General Areas of Responsibility of General Areas of Responsibility of the Medical Physicistthe Medical Physicist

ClinicalClinicalRegulatory ComplianceRegulatory ComplianceEducationEducationResearchResearch

Medical PhysicistMedical Physicist’’s Primary s Primary ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

78%

8%

5%3% 4% 2%

Clinical

Academic

Research

Administrative

Regulatory

ProductDevelopment

Source: 2002 AAPM Survey

Pathways into Medical PhysicsPathways into Medical Physics

M.S. or Ph.D. in Medical Physics

M.S. or Ph.D. in Physicsor related field

Medical PhysicsResidency Program

Medical PhysicsPostdoctoral Training

Practicing Medical Physicists

B.S. in Physicsor related field

On the Job Clinical Trainingin Medical Physics

On the Job Clinical Trainingin Medical Physics

Medical Physics

Education Training Career

KFUPM MasterKFUPM Master’’s Programs Program

Follows guidelines of the American Follows guidelines of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM Report 79: Academic Program (AAPM Report 79: Academic Program Recommendations for Graduate Degrees Recommendations for Graduate Degrees in Medical Physics).in Medical Physics).

Academic Program RequirementsAcademic Program RequirementsRequirementsRequirements CreditsCredits

Completion of Core CoursesCompletion of Core Courses 1818

Passing the M.S. comprehensive examinationPassing the M.S. comprehensive examination --

Completion of Medical Physics Elective Completion of Medical Physics Elective CoursesCourses

1515

Completion of clinical training (MEPH 590)Completion of clinical training (MEPH 590) 66

Completion of MasterCompletion of Master’’s Projects Project 33

TOTALTOTAL 4242

Core CoursesCore Courses

COURSE # TITLE CR

MEPH 510 Radiobiology 2MEPH 561 Radiological Physics and Dosimetry 3MEPH 563 Radioisotopes in Medicine and Biology 3MEPH 566 Radiotherapy Physics 3MEPH 567 Diagnostic Radiology Physics 3MEPH 569 Health Physics 4

18

Medical Physics Elective CoursesMedical Physics Elective CoursesCOURSE # TITLE CRMEPH 501 Physics for Medicine and Biology 3MEPH 511 Instrumentation for Medical Physics 3MEPH 568 Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) 2MEPH 570 Advanced Brachytherapy Physics 2MEPH 571 Advanced External Radiation Oncology 3MEPH 573 Imaging in Medicine 3MEPH 574 Applications of Digital Imaging: DSA, CT, MRI 2MEPH 575 Diagnostic Ultrasound Physics 3MEPH 581 Laboratory in Radiological Physics – Radiotherapy 1MEPH 582 Laboratory in Radiological Physics – Diagnostic Radiology 1MEPH 583 Laboratory in Radiological Physics – Nuclear Medicine 1MEPH 584 Laboratory in Radiological Physics – Health Physics 1MEPH 585 Laboratory in Radiological Physics – CT, MRI, and DSA 1MEPH 586 Laboratory in Radiological Physics – Medical Ultrasound 1MEPH 591 Selected Topics in Medical Physics 1-3MEPH 592 Independent Reading 1-3

Needs For ImprovementNeeds For ImprovementHiring Medical Physics FacultyHiring Medical Physics FacultyStronger collaboration with hospitalsStronger collaboration with hospitalsLaboratory facilitiesLaboratory facilitiesBetter collaboration between KFUPM and UQUBetter collaboration between KFUPM and UQUTarget accreditation by Commission of Medical Target accreditation by Commission of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP)Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP)

Medical Physics

Education Training Career

Clinical Training Collaboration Clinical Training Collaboration with KFSH&RC and RKHwith KFSH&RC and RKH

The student spends 4 months of hospital The student spends 4 months of hospital training to complete a clinical rotation in training to complete a clinical rotation in radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, nuclear radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine and health physicsmedicine and health physicsThe student observes and practices clinical The student observes and practices clinical procedures under the direct supervision of a procedures under the direct supervision of a senior clinical medical physicistsenior clinical medical physicistThe student writes progress reports and a final The student writes progress reports and a final report on the procedures he performedreport on the procedures he performed

Need for Residency Need for Residency

Residency programs are aimed at both educating and providing practical experience so that the medical physicist would be ready to practice in a hospital setting and obtain board certification.

Residency AccreditationResidency AccreditationCommission of Medical Physics Education Programs Commission of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP)(CAMPEP)Compliance with standards of trainingOverall quality of the programNumber and competence of the teaching staffTeaching loadsRigor and breadth of instructional offeringsAdequacy of facilities: Machinery andProceduresSupporting personnelAptitude of studentsPerformance of the graduates

OutlineOutline

Medical Physics

Education Training Career

Medical Physicist RewardsMedical Physicist Rewards

Challenge of applying the principles of Challenge of applying the principles of physics to medicinephysics to medicineSatisfaction of working with the state of the Satisfaction of working with the state of the art medical technologyart medical technologyContributing to the wellContributing to the well--being of patientsbeing of patientsReceiving competitive compensationReceiving competitive compensation

Professional Credentials of Professional Credentials of Medical PhysicistsMedical Physicists

EducationEducation: M.S. : M.S. TrainingTraining: Training vs. Residency : Training vs. Residency CertificationCertification: By specialty : By specialty

Am. Board of Radiology (ABR)Am. Board of Radiology (ABR)Am. Board of Medical Physics (ABMP)Am. Board of Medical Physics (ABMP)Canadian College of Medical Physics (CCMP)Canadian College of Medical Physics (CCMP)OthersOthers

Average Income (MS Degree in USA)Average Income (MS Degree in USA)

020406080

100120140

Sala

ry (T

hous

ands

)

0-2 3-4 5-9 10-14 15-19 20+

Years of Experience

Total Annual Income

No CertificationCertification

Source: 2002 AAPM Survey

Survey• Dr. Al-Jarallah of the Physics Department

surveyed the need for medical physicists in 23 hospitals and medical schools across the Kingdom (May 2000)

• The survey showed an urgent need for 33 clinical medical physicists at those hospitals

The Ministry of Health (MOH)

The Head of Preventive Health estimates MOH future needs at 100 clinical medical physicists over the next 5 years

MOH Statistics (2001)MOH Statistics (2001)

Number of HospitalsNumber of Hospitals 193193

Number of Health CentersNumber of Health Centers 17921792

Number of Hospital BedsNumber of Hospital Beds 1967519675

Number of RadiologistsNumber of Radiologists 300300

Number of XNumber of X--ray ray TechnologistsTechnologists

29582958

Medical PhysicistsMedical Physicists ??

Hospital Statistics (2001)Hospital Statistics (2001)

Total Number of HospitalsTotal Number of Hospitals 331331

Total Number of BedsTotal Number of Beds 4701847018

Recommended Staffing LevelRecommended Staffing Level

The InterThe Inter--Society Council for Radiation Oncology Society Council for Radiation Oncology recommends one full time Oncology Medical recommends one full time Oncology Medical Physicist for every 400 treated cancer patients per Physicist for every 400 treated cancer patients per year (Radiation Oncology in Integrated Cancer year (Radiation Oncology in Integrated Cancer Management, Management, ““Blue BookBlue Book””, 1991), 1991)The AAPM recommends one Diagnostic Imaging The AAPM recommends one Diagnostic Imaging Medical Physicist for a 300 bed hospital (report # 33: Medical Physicist for a 300 bed hospital (report # 33: Staffing levels and responsibilities in diagnostic Staffing levels and responsibilities in diagnostic radiology, 1991 )radiology, 1991 )

Estimate of the NeedEstimate of the Need

Based on the staffing recommendation and the Based on the staffing recommendation and the number of hospitals, the Kingdom is in need of number of hospitals, the Kingdom is in need of approximately 150 Medical Physicists to have approximately 150 Medical Physicists to have one medical physicist for every 300 bedsone medical physicist for every 300 beds

Number of Medical PhysicistsNumber of Medical Physicists

According to a 2001 survey, there are 18 According to a 2001 survey, there are 18 Medical Physicists in 11 radiotherapy centers Medical Physicists in 11 radiotherapy centers (Collaborative Quality Assurance Program for (Collaborative Quality Assurance Program for Dosimetry of Radiation Therapy Equipment in Dosimetry of Radiation Therapy Equipment in KSA, Dr Jazi AlKSA, Dr Jazi Al--Mokhlef et al ).Mokhlef et al ).

Reality of The job MarketReality of The job Market

Most hospitals do not have a Medical Most hospitals do not have a Medical PhysicistsPhysicistsMost hospital administrators do no know what Most hospital administrators do no know what is the role of a Medical Physicistis the role of a Medical PhysicistMany hospitals have no quality management Many hospitals have no quality management program and rely on the supplier of their program and rely on the supplier of their equipment to do yearly maintenance (conflict equipment to do yearly maintenance (conflict of interest)of interest)

Reality of The job MarketReality of The job Market

There are no regulations that require hospitals There are no regulations that require hospitals to hire medical physiciststo hire medical physicistsThere is no association for Medical Physicists There is no association for Medical Physicists to promote the profession in the Kingdomto promote the profession in the KingdomThere is no medical physics job announcement There is no medical physics job announcement bulletin bulletin

ConclusionConclusion

Medical Physics

Education Training Career

Conclusion: EducationConclusion: Education

We have promising BS (Umm AlWe have promising BS (Umm Al--Qura Qura University) and MS programs in Medical University) and MS programs in Medical Physics (King Fahd University of Petroleum Physics (King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals)and Minerals)There is need for support and stronger There is need for support and stronger collaboration with hospitals collaboration with hospitals To maintain high standards aim for To maintain high standards aim for accreditationaccreditation

Conclusion: TrainingConclusion: Training

There are limited opportunities for the training There are limited opportunities for the training of Medical Physicists in the Kingdomof Medical Physicists in the KingdomThere is an urgent need for a residency There is an urgent need for a residency program to prepare Medical Physicists for their program to prepare Medical Physicists for their clinical jobs and for board certificationclinical jobs and for board certification

Conclusion: CarrierConclusion: CarrierThere is a need for medical physicists to There is a need for medical physicists to insure quality health care insure quality health care This need is not evident for most hospital This need is not evident for most hospital administrators and government institutionsadministrators and government institutionsThere is an urgent need for a Medical There is an urgent need for a Medical Physics Association that will promote the Physics Association that will promote the profession, facilitate employment, and lobby profession, facilitate employment, and lobby for government regulations to insure quality for government regulations to insure quality health care health care