Famous medical physicists often get more credit for discoveries due to their fame than less prominent scientists who may have contributed as much or earlier to these developments.

Abstract

Medical physics is a rapidly developing, technologically dependent field. New discoveries are being made almost daily, as demonstrated by papers in this and other similar journals. Many of the authors are early in their careers. Some are concerned, however, that more famous medical physicists often get credit for discoveries due to their fame rather than less prominent scientists who may have, in fact, contributed more to the development in question. This is the claim debated in this month’s Point/Counterpoint.