MP 3.0 - Medical Physics Education: Overview of Challenges

and Future Potential

Dr.ErikaChin,PhD,DABRAdjunctAssistantProfessor,UniversityofVictoria,CanadaMedicalPhysicist,BCCancerAgency–VancouverIsland

Outline1)  MoEvaEondrivingMP3.0ineducaEon2)  MP3.0EducaEonalGoals3)  CurrentchallengesinmedicalphysicseducaEon4)  WhoisalreadytacklingthefutureofMPeducaEon?5)  ExamplesofcurrentiniEaEves6)  PotenEalfutureiniEaEves,idealisEcideas

MoEvaEonforMP3.0inEducaEon1)  It’swhoweare:

§  “Researchandbeingthescien/stintheroomiswhatsetsusapartandhasallowedmedicalphysicstogrow”

§  “Physicistsshouldbethevectorsfortransla/onofscien/ficfundamentalstowardsimprovingopera/onsinthehealthcareenvironment”

§  “Wearenotjustserviceproviders”

MoEvaEonforMP3.0inEducaEon1)  It’swhoweare:Professionalprideandethicalduty:

§  Ensureahighlevelofknowledgeandskillsisachievedtobenefitpa:entcareandsafety

§  Con:nuecontribu:ngtoimprovementsinpa:entcarebykeepingpacewithevolvingscien:ficknowledge

§  Promoteexcellenceintrainingofourfuturecolleaguesinapprecia:onforthosewhotrainedus

MoEvaEonforMP3.0inEducaEon2)  Sustainabilityandgrowthoftheprofession

§  “Historicallybeingatechnicianwasenoughbutitwon’tbeenoughtosustaintheprofessioninthefuture”

§  Financialpressuresinhealthcare²  Bundlingofcostinreimbursements²  Technologycarecanbecommodi:zedandhandedofftolowerpaid

salariedprofessionals²  NotenoughtocommunicateourvalueèAdministratorswills:llcut

Aimtoexpandintonewterritoryratherthanbeingonthedefensive

MP3.0EducaEonGoalsGoal:Balancetheneedsofclinicalspecializa/on,accredita/on,andcer/fica/onwiththeneedtobebroadandfuturereachingastrue leadersand“scien/sts intheroom”inhealthcare.

1.   NeedefficiencyandeffecEvenessinEducaEon2.   NeedexpansionofeducaEonalopportuniEestodiversifytheMPworkforce3.   NeedimprovedintegraEonwithotherhealthcaredecisionmakers

Challenges1.   Whatweareteaching2.   Howweareteaching

ChallengesinMPEducaEon1.   Whatweareteaching:IsCAMPEPcurriculumenough?

§  48%ofpar:cipantsmatchedtoaresidencyin2017

§  SDAMPPsurvey(2015-2016)foundthat²  30%ofmatchapplicantswouldnothaveappliedtomedicalphysicsif

theyhadknownlikelihoodofgeNngintoresidencywassolow²  >50%ofdirectorsbelievethiswillaffectqualityofapplicantpool

§  WorkingGrouptoPromoteNon-ClinicalCareerPaths(2015):²  Over60%ofstudentsdidnotfeelknowledgeableaboutotherop:ons²  55%ofprogramdirectors thinkAAPM/CAMPEPhasresponsibility to

preparestudentsfornon-clinicalcareers

ChallengesinMPEducaEon1.   Whatweareteaching:IsCAMPEPcurriculumenough?

§  Lookingtothepast:² Fearlossofstrongfundamentalphysics&deepscien:ficcompetencies² Noinfusionofnewideas

§  Lookingtothepresent:² Clinicalversa:lity:stronginbothradia:ontherapyandimaging

§  Lookingtofuture:² Immunotherapy,cancer&molecularbiology,biosta:s:cs,neuroscience² Computerscience,bigdataandmachinelearning,virtualreality² Systemsandprocessengineering,safetyengineering² Leadershipskills,businessclasses

ChallengesinMPEducaEon2.   Howweareteaching:Studentsaren’tge_ngit

There’salargegapbetweennaturalapEtudeandcompetencyNaturalap#tudes are the tools in your toolboxbut competency is knowinghowtousethetoolboxtoachievegoodresults.

²  There has been overemphasis on passing exams and not on gainingcompetencies

²  Canexecutetasksbutcan’texplainthewhy²  Can’tproblemsolveorimproviseinnewsitua:ons

LectureonlyformatisnoteffecEve

Whoistacklingthesechallenges?

EducaEonCouncil,ScienceCouncil,andProfessionalCouncil§  ImprovingEducaEon

²  Commi`eeonMedicalPhysicistsasEducators² WorkingGrouponMedicalPhysicsGraduateEduca:onProgramCurriculum

§  ImprovingWorkforcediversity² WorkingGrouptoPromoteNon-ClinicalCareerPathsforMedicalPhysicists²  TaskGroup298:Alterna:vePathwayCandidateEduca:onandTraining

§  ImprovingProfessionalismtraining² MedicalPhysicsLeadershipAcademyWorkingGroup(TG295,TG296,TG297)²  Con:nuingProfessionalDevelopment

§  ImprovingResearchtraining² WorkingGrouponStudentandTraineeResearch²  TaskGroup278:CombinedResidencyandResearchTraininginMedicalPhysics² WorkingGrouponFutureResearchandAcademicMedicalPhysics

AAPMCommiaeesforeducaEon&training

EducaEonalCouncil:HowweareteachingCommiaeeonMedicalPhysicistsasEducators1. Wikipage(h`p://wikifull.aapm.org/index.php/MPESC)

§  Educatorresources§  Teachingmodelsandprac:ces§  Innova:onsinMedicalPhysicsEduca:onsession§  2016EducaEonCouncilSymposium

1.  Implemen:ngproject-basedandflippedlearning2.  Incorpora:ngac:velearning

2.  2018Educa:onWorkshop:“Becomingabe`ermedicalphysicsteacher”

Whoistacklingthesechallenges?

AAPMRPT249(2013):EssenEalGuidelinesforClinicalMedicalPhysicsResidencyTrainingPrograms

§  Leadershiptraining,professionalliability§  Administra:on(staffingmodels,budge:ng,andbilling)§  Develop knowledge of capital equipment procurement process(businessplans,tenderdocuments)

§  Partnering with managers and providers to assess, coordinate, andimprovehealthcare

§  Assimilatescien:ficevidencetoimprovepa:entcare§  Applyradia:onbiologyandepidemiologytoclinicalsitua:ons

Whoistacklingthesechallenges?

ChallengesinMPResidencyHowweareteaching

Timepressure-Treatresidentsascheaplabourandworkhorsesofthedept.

1.  Survivalmode,takeshortcuts,trainbadhabits,makeitpassmentality2.  No:metoanalyzethereasonforthetest3.  Trainingtechniciansratherthanscien:st.4.  Overemphasisonmachinesandtechnology,notonpa:entcare

Timepressure-Pushasideresidentsanddotheworkthemselves1.  Lackproblemsolvingopportuni:es/experience

ChallengesinMPResidencyHowweareteaching

Timepressure-Treatresidentsascheaplabourandworkhorsesofthedept.

1.  Survivalmode,takeshortcuts,trainbadhabits,makeitpassmentality2.  No:metoanalyzethereasonforthetest3.  Trainingtechniciansratherthanscien:st.4.  Overemphasisonmachinesandtechnology,notonpa:entcare

Timepressure-Pushasideresidentsanddotheworkthemselves1.  Lackproblemsolvingopportuni:es/experience

ExampleEducaEonalIniEaEvesIncreasedclinicalintegraEonduringresidencytraining§  MedPhysandROresidents:

² Sharesameofficespace² Presentatsameclinicalcaseconference(reverseroles)² Elec:veinterna:onalresidencyrota:on(Africa,Asia,CentralAmerica)

1)  ROandphysicstraveltogether,fostermul:-disciplinaryworkingrela:onships2)  Improvesproblemsolving,dealwithlimitedresources3)  Fostersinterestincaringforunderservedpopula:onsandglobalhealth

§  PhysicspaEentconsult:²  Formaltrainingonpa:entinterac:onandcommunica:on²  Simulatedscenarios

ProfessionalismandadministraEvetraining1)  Chairofdepartmentleadsclassesonthebusinessofradia:ononcology

2)  Chiefofphysicsleadssessionsonreviewingpapers,ethics,applyingforjobs,reallifesitua:ons

3)  Agreementwithbusinessschoolwheregraduatescantakeclasses

4)  Administratorscouldgetteachingcredittoenhancetheirresume:§  Runsimula:onsandcasestudies§  Cri:quephysicist’sbusinesscaseandbriefingnotesforprojects

ExampleEducaEonalIniEaEves

Expandingthefieldofmedicalphysics

1.  IntegratedBiologyandPhysicsofRadia:onOncology

2.  MedicalPhysicsandSta:s:calScience–ExploringInterfacesandBuildingCollabora:ons

3.  RapidResearchRounds

ExampleEducaEonalIniEaEves

Expandingthefieldofmedicalphysics

1.   IntegratedBiologyandPhysicsofRadiaEonOncology

ExampleEducaEonalIniEaEves

§  WayneStateUniversity§  FundedbyNIH/NCIR25grant§  Uniqueemphasisoneduca:onand

fosteringmul:-disciplinarycollabora:on

§  Medphys,radbio,clinicaloncology§  Virtualhospital,protocol

development,breakoutsessions

Expandingthefieldofmedicalphysics

2.   MedicalPhysicsandStaEsEcalScience–ExploringInterfacesandBuildingCollaboraEons

ExampleEducaEonalIniEaEves

§  Reducecostofclinicaltrials§  Methodstoshortennewpa:entrecruitment§  Quan:fydirect&indirectcostsof

misdiagnosisandmistreatments§  Sta:s:calprocesscontroltoimproveRT§  Implemen:ngnewtechnologyand

maintainingpa:entsafety

FuturefundingBanffInterna:onalResearchSta:on?

Expandingthefieldofmedicalphysics

3.   RapidResearchRounds

§  3-4min,1slide,judgesandprizes

§  Medphysics,nutri:ononcology,cancerimmunology§  Future:

² CancerControlResearch² ExperimentalTherapeu:cs² MolecularOncology² GenomicSciencesCentre² Integra:veOncology(radia:onbiology,imaging,gene:cs)

ExampleEducaEonalIniEaEves

Howtoelevateeveryoneinthenext5years?

PotenEalFutureIniEaEves&IdealisEcIdeas

Howtoelevateeveryoneinthenext5years?1)  ModernizeAAPMtechnologyservices

WeareverybehindontechnologyasacommunicaEontool!a)  Organiza:onofcontentb)  Deliveryofcontent

2)  InvestinAAPMVolunteerServicesa)  Underu:lizingourmembershipresourcesb)  Acceleratedevelopmentofleadershippool

PotenEalFutureIniEaEves&IdealisEcIdeas

1)  ModernizeAAPMtechnologyservicesa)OrganizaEonofContent§  InvestinthedisseminaEonofknowledge

Youdon’tknowwhatyoudon’tknow²  Virtuallibrary:tagwithkeywords²  Simulatededuca:ontools(wikipagehardtofind)²  Miscellaneousthrownintolinksofinterest

§  GoogleanalyEcs²  Understandtrafficflow,#users/page,flowofclicks²  Wantbe`erusability,strongdesireforeduca:on,

PotenEalFutureIniEaEves&IdealisEcIdeas

1)  ModernizeAAPMtechnologyservicesb)DeliveryofContent§  YouTubechannelof“HowToVideos”

² E.g.Watertankleveling,Pa:entimmobiliza:on§  DevelopApps:e.g.Radiobiology,FMEA

² Outsource:e.g.UK,US,Canada,Australia,Phillipines,Ukraineo  Design:99designs.ca,designcrowd.cao  Coding:Freelancer.com,upwork.como  Miscellaneous:h`ps://www.fiverr.com/(e.g.Video&Anima:on,

Infographics)

PotenEalFutureIniEaEves&IdealisEcIdeas

2)  InvestinAAPMvolunteerservices§  Hireavolunteercoordinator

²  Actuallyansweremails²  Iden:fyneedsanddesignvolunteerroles²  Triagehelprequests²  Matchvolunteerstotheirstrengths²  Buildlocalmentorships²  Buildleadershipexperience

PotenEalFutureIniEaEves&IdealisEcIdeas

2)  InvestinAAPMvolunteerservices§  Largerexperiencedandskilledvolunteerpool§  Buildthecapacity/bandwidth

²  Moveawayfrom100%lectureformatatmee:ngs²  Incorporatemoreworkshops,debates²  Haveunconferences²  Moreoutreachac:vi:es

PotenEalFutureIniEaEves&IdealisEcIdeas

ConclusionTaketheini:a:vewhetheryou’reateacherortraineetomakeimprovementsinyoureduca:onalenvironment.Comebyourboothandtellusyourideas!Ortakesurveyath`ps://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mp302