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Improving Health Through Medical Physics

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Mission Statement/Objectives

Adopted by the AAPM Board of Directors ~ July 31, 1997

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Association is to advance the practice of physics in medicine and biology by encouraging innovative research and development, disseminating scientific and technical information, fostering the education and professional development of medical physicists, and promoting the highest quality medical services for patients.

PROPOSED OBJECTIVES FOR ACCOMPLISHING THE MISSION

A. Research and Development
  • Actively work to ensure that adequate federal funding is provided for research and development in the applications of physics in medicine.
  • Actively work with medical equipment suppliers to encourage research collaborations with physicists to develop new technologies.
  • Work with physicians, institutions and medical societies to ensure that time and resources are provided for physicists to investigate new ideas and technologies.
  • Provide information and assistance to physicists about resources of, and techniques for, obtaining research and development funding.
  • Provide forums for the exchange of information and discussion of new ideas.
  • Support and promote a research component in academic medical physics programs.
  • Provide research awards for medical physicists.
B. Dissemination of Information
  • Organize, conduct and sponsor national and regional meetings with scientific and educational sessions and publish the proceedings as appropriate.
  • Sponsor journal publications to disseminate information on clinical and basic science research in medical physics.
  • Promote and sponsor the publication of text books and reports to act as guides for standards and as primers for new subfields and specialties related to medical physics.
  • Disseminate objective evaluations of new modalities and equipment.
  • Develop and distribute through electronic media (e.g., internet bulletin boards, video tapes and compact disks) information concerned with scientific and educational medical physics endeavors and the activities of the AAPM.
  • Disseminate material appropriate for educating the public about the practice of medical physics.
C. Education of Medical Physicists
  • Recommend standards for medical physics educational program curricula and promote graduate program accreditation.
  • Maintain a comprehensive database of graduate programs in medical physics.
  • Promote the establishment and accreditation of clinical residencies in medical physics to ensure a satisfactory level of clinical competence among entry level physicists.
  • Hold education courses at annual meetings and at joint meetings with other societies.
  • Organize and sponsor local and regional workshops and symposia on medical physics topics, including implementation of new techniques.
  • Compile databases containing sources of educational and technical material.
D. Professional Development of Medical Physicists
  • Address socioeconomic issues pertinent to the clinical practice of medical physics and work with related societies in representing the professional interests of medical physicists.
  • Promote good relations and the exchange of information with other related organizations.
  • Develop materials for educating the public regarding the practice of medical physics.
  • Address legislative and regulatory issues as they relate to the professional development of medical physicists.
  • Develop ethical guidelines for the practice of medical physics.
  • Promote professional certification of medical physicists.
E. Promotion of High-Quality Medical Services
  • Promote accreditation and periodic review of clinical practices.
  • Promote licensure of medical physicists as a means of assuring the quality of services.
  • Promote Continuing Medical Physics Education requirements for physicists in clinical practice.
  • Promote the development of professional practice standards.
  • Promote and participate in the development of procedures and guidelines for the safe, efficacious implementation and utilization of new technologies.
  • Collaborate with government and accrediting agencies to effect reasonable and effective regulations governing the clinical use of new and existing modalities
  • Promote medical physics involvement in the training and continuing education of physicians, physics assistants, dosimetrists and technologists.
  • Promote the timely implementation of new technology and encourage the use of state-of-the-art equipment and procedures in clinical practice.