Education, training and registration of Medical Physics Experts across Europe

Abstract

From its inception, EFOMP has pursued a policy to improve and coordinate education and training of medical physicists across all its participating European countries. Several EFOMP policy statements on education and training have been published and surveys have been held to get an overview of the actual situation. At the beginning of 2020 a new survey was distributed amongst the 36 National Member Organizations (NMOs), in which questions were based on recommendations published in the most recent policy statements. Thirty-three of the NMOs (91%) responded, of which 22 indicated having a National Registration Scheme (NRS) for Medical Physics Experts (MPEs) in place. Another 6 indicated considering such a scheme.Results of the questionnaire showed that there was good correspondence between education and training programmes, i.e. a division between a BSc phase, an MSc phase and a clinical phase after completion of the MSc. Differences between NRSs were primarily seen in the availability and composition of a supervising committee and in the availability of guidelines for handling professional misconduct. In addition, some differences were seen in the topics that were part of the education and training programme.The goal of a universal (registered) MPE accepted by all European countries is still far away despite the progress being made. The new procedure for approving an existing NRS, which fulfils all EFOMP criteria is seen as an important step forward. Exchange of experience, knowledge, ideas and, above all, MPE trainees between European countries is seen as the best approach to achieve this goal.

Education and training in radiation protection in Europe: results from the EURAMED Rocc-n-Roll project survey

“…A large variation in responses regarding undergraduate RP E&T was reported by professionals that practice or research in Medical imaging and radiotherapy . These results are in accordance with the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS) and European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP) reports and recent studies published, that reveal a lack of harmonisation on undergraduate curricula across the Europe, despite the European BSS Directive and existence of guidelines for different professions working with ionising radiation applications in healthcare [ 4 , 5 , 14 , 15 ].…”

Regulation and Certification of (Bio)Medical Engineers: A Case Study on Romania

“…In spite of the success that EQF and other internal (Directive 2005/36/EC [ 37 ]; Council 2018/C 444/01 Recommendation [ 38 ]) or external (the 1997 Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region [ 39 ]; the framework of qualifications of the European Higher Education Area—adopted in 2005 within the larger Bologna Process [ 40 ]) instruments had, there is room for progress regarding the development and reviewing of (inter)national qualification frameworks, the focus on learning outcomes, the connections with the labor market and other stakeholder needs, the support for vocational education and training, the validation of non-formal and informal learning, etc. ([ 41 ]; see, for example, the demand on registering and regulating across Europe the medical physics experts described in [ 42 ]). In this respect, considering the subject of our article, we argue that BME should also be included in the EU Professional Qualifications Directive [ 37 ].…”