Author examines the development of medical physics as a true profession

Diagnostic medical physics has changed significantly over the years, according to a new editorial published by the Journal of the American College of Radiology. What was once an activity carried out by trained individuals is now a full-time profession.

This progress, author G. Donald Frey, PhD, explained, has “served to improve the practice of medical imaging and has improved safety for both practitioners and patients.”

For activities to truly be considered their own profession, Frey said, there are certain standards that must be established. For example, professions must have a standardized body of knowledge that aligns the educations those who practice the profession. A standard method of training is also needed, as is a code of ethics and a way to address breaches of those ethics.

For medical physics, that’s where the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, American College of Radiology, Commission for the Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs and the American Board of Radiology (ABR) all come in.

“Documents from these organizations describe standards and methods medical physicists should use to ensure the quality and safety of medical imaging,” Frey wrote. “Within this sphere, medical physicists are expected to provide expert and independent judgement. The recognition that a practitioner can render independent judgement is a key aspect of a profession. Furthermore, medical physicists should expect that recommendations be accepted and acted upon.”

Frey also examined accreditation in medical physics. It is not viewed as one singular event, he noted, but as an ongoing process that can be broken down into six competencies: medical knowledge, patient care and procedural skills, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, practice-based learning, and systems-based practice.

“These competencies form the backbone of a robust program for continuous certification,” Frey wrote.

There is one area where Frey said medical physics has been slower to develop than other professions: state licensure. Licensure ensures an individual’s ability to carry out duties required by their profession while also introducing the possibility of having that licensure removed if necessary.

Florida, Hawaii, New York, and Texas are the only four states that have established licensure for medical physicists, Frey explained. Meanwhile, licensure is much more standard throughout the country for professions such as law.

“Licensure, with a strong ethical component, would enhance the profession of medical physics,” Frey wrote.