Developing Medical Physics Educators through a Community of Practice: First-Year Insights from the Aapm Educator Club
Abstract
Purpose
Education is a core professional responsibility for medical physicists, yet most receive limited formal training in pedagogy or instructional design. Recognizing this gap, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) established the Community of Medical Physics Educators Subcommittee and launched the Medical Physics Educator Club to support educator development within the profession. This work describes the program’s design framework and early outcomes.
Methods
The Educator Club was developed as a community of practice informed by adult learning theory. Monthly virtual sessions paired concise preparatory materials with interactive, synchronous meetings that emphasized discussion, reflection, and peer exchange. Topics addressed common educational challenges in medical physics training, including active learning, feedback, assessment, curriculum design, and learner engagement. Participation was evaluated using registration and attendance data, and post-session surveys assessed relevance, satisfaction, and intended changes to teaching practice.
Results
In its first year, the Educator Club hosted ten sessions with broad participation from AAPM members representing academic, clinical, and training program roles. Most participants were involved in resident and graduate education. Survey responses demonstrated high perceived value and strong engagement, with participants reporting intentions to incorporate learner-centered strategies into their teaching. Qualitative feedback emphasized the importance of a discipline-specific forum that allows educators to share practical solutions and address challenges unique to medical physics education.
Conclusion
The Medical Physics Educator Club provides a sustainable, low-barrier approach to educator development tailored to the needs of AAPM members. Early outcomes suggest that a community-based model can enhance instructional practice and professional development across medical physics training environments. This initiative supports AAPM’s broader mission to advance excellence in education and may inform future faculty development efforts within the profession.