Raising awareness of medical physics: The ICTP programme

Abstract

The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), a UNESCO institute, following its mission “ ... develop high-level scientific programmes keeping in mind the needs of developing countries …”, has developed a medical physics programme addressed to developing countries with pillars the Master of advanced studies in MP, the College of MP, the Radiotherapy school and the Joint IAEA/ICTP advanced courses. The Master: ICTP and the Trieste University in 2014 initiated the Master, a two-years training programme designated to provide young graduates in physics, mainly from developing countries, with a post-graduated theoretical and clinical training suitable to be recognised as Clinical Medical Physicist in their countries. The programme is following the IAEA and IOMP relevant recommendations. Presently, the 3 editions have seen 49 participants from 33 Countries: Africa (19), Asia (11), Central and South America (14), and Europe (5), selected from more than 300 applicants per year. The programme is supported by scholarships awarded to candidates from developing countries by IAEA, TWAS, KFAS, IOMP, EFOMP and ICTP. The MP College and the Radiation Oncology School are 2–3 weeks biennial course, aiming to give basic knowledge in these fields to young medical physicists. The School of radiation oncology, at the 3rd edition next 2017, is receiving a substantial support from IOMP, EFOMP and AAPM. ICTP is seeing these initiatives as an answer to the growing demand of high education from developing Countries and is representing an important International and European contribution to the development of medical physics in the developing world.