From Concept to Practice: An Educational Experience In the Initial Implementation of a Comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) Curriculum for Medical Physicists at the 2024 and 2025 Aapm Specialty Meetings
Abstract
Purpose
Structured education in artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly important for medical physicists as AI tools are integrated into clinical practice. To address this need, the AAPM Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on AI Boot Camps (AHAIBC) was established in October 2022 to develop a structured AI curriculum and build bootcamps through AAPM platforms. This study reports on the development, initial implementation, and updating of the curriculum across the 2024 and 2025 AAPM Specialty Meetings – AI for Clinical Medical Physicists.
Methods
A comprehensive AI curriculum was developed with the assistance of generative AI and organized into three volumes covering fundamentals, applications, and practice. The curriculum comprised eleven modules, subdivided into 52 sections containing 225 topics. Each topic was supported by ten study questions, forming a collection of 2,250 questions. The curriculum and questions were reviewed and refined by subject-matter experts.
Results
The curriculum guided the design and delivery of two consecutive AAPM Specialty Meetings, providing structured coverage of (Volume I) basic concepts in AI, machine learning, and deep learning, as well as data processing techniques; (Volume II) clinical applications across diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy; (Volume III) ethical, regulatory, and educational considerations, information technologies, and practical challenges. Strong attendance in 2024 and continued demand supported repeating the meeting in 2025 and updating the curriculum to include generative AI. The one-day meeting was organized into five sessions: two morning sessions covering fundamentals and practice, a first afternoon session on common applications, and two breakout sessions focused on diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Conclusion
A curriculum-driven approach enabled scalable and adaptable AI education for medical physicists. The combination of structured volumes, modules, sections, and an extensive question bank ensured depth, flexibility, and engagement. This experience demonstrates a practical model for developing, implementing, and updating AI education while accommodating emerging topics.