Education Council: Establishing the Next Generation of Medical Physicists
Description
Abstract: Our workforce is currently experiencing a substantial shortage of qualified medical physicists. Solutions to this shortage must include expansion of our education and training infrastructure and, ideally, improvements in this infrastructure as well. The widespread implementation of AI and automation presents new challenges in education and training as well as uncertainty in the nature of the future role of the medical physicist. Deliberate action is necessary to identify and recruit the students and trainees who will become the future of our profession. We must also determine the most successful education and training methods to maximize their utility to the field of medicine. Finally, we must address challenges in the education and training pipeline as well as regional disparities in order to provide adequate medical physics services to all communities. This session will address the various aspects of establishing the next generation of medical physicist, from identification to education to training to placement. Learning Objectives: 1.