Status of the medical physics profession in diagnostic radiology and image-guided interventional procedures in the Asia-Pacific region: initial findings from an IAEA project.

This paper presents the initial findings of an IAEA project aimed at assessing the status of the medical physics profession in diagnostic radiology and image-guided interventional procedures in the Asia-Pacific region. The study involved distributing questionnaires covering ten thematic areas to 15 national project coordinators who had been nominated by IAEA National Representatives as medical physics experts in 15 countries, followed by an online workshop to discuss the responses and validate the data. The results indicate that while high academic qualifications are generally expected for entry into the radiology medical physics sub-specialty in countries where it is active, there are significant gaps in the availability of formal clinical training programs. Professional registration for radiology medical physicists is also limited across the surveyed countries. Most surveyed countries have medical physics professional societies and communication networks, and the majority have legal requirements for medical physics services and quality control of radiological equipment. However, the recognition and scope of practice for medical physicists in radiology vary across the region. The study identified key challenges, including a limited understanding of the profession among clinical staff, as well as opportunities, such as the availability of medical physics academic programs that include radiology physics in their curriculum. This paper also provides a brief overview of the role of the IAEA and the support it can offer to medical physicists in diagnostic and interventional radiology.