The biological effect of ionizing radiation begins at the atomic scale and therefore impacts cellular processes. The knowledge of cell mechanics is required to understand cellular processes and functions, such as the movement of cells, and the development of tissue engineering in cancer therapy. Even though temperature plays a crucial role in many cellular processes, the impact of temperature changes on cell mechanics is not understood in great detail. Therefore the science of mechanics and biology aims to unravel the mechanism behind unexplored areas of cell structure and function. This month Journal club will be presented by Dr. Kayode Dada from the Centre for Energy Research and Development, Ife, Nigeria. His talk will focus on the influence of temperature on cell mechanobiology. The event is online and hosted on our zoom platform. Registration is free but necessary.
ZOOM LINK DETAILS
Topic: AFRIMEDPHYSICS HUB JOURNAL CLUB 2021 Time: Dec 17, 2021 07:00 PM West Central Africa
#IDMP2020 SPOTLIGHT SPECIAL: DR. TAOFEEQ A. IGE, FAMPO PRESIDENT
“… always pay attention to details and demonstrate empathy and kindness to patients”
How would you define Medical Physics? An applied branch of Physics concerned with the application of the concepts and methods of Physics to the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.
Where do you work? Department of Medical Physics, National Hospital Abuja and Department of Physics, University of Abuja, Nigeria.
Are there other positions you hold if any? Secretary General – Nigerian Association of Medical Physicists (NAMP), Member – Awards and Honours Committee of the IOMP, Member – Health Technology Task Group (HTTG) of IUPESM.
Tell us about your educational background 1975 – 1980 Offa Grammar School, Offa (“O” Level); 1981 – 1982 Kwara State College of Technology, Ilorin (“A” Level); 1982 – 1985 Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (B.Sc. Physics); 1986 – 1993 Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Ph.D. Physics); 1988 – 1989 Institute of Nuclear Technology & Radiation Protection “DEMOKRITOS”, Athens, GREECE; 1996 – 1997 I.A.E.A. Fellowship on Medical Radiation Physics At Hammersmith/Charring Cross Hospitals, London, United Kingdom; 2002 I.A.E.A Fellowship on Medical Physics at Pretoria Academic Hospital, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa (RSA).
How did you get to know about Medical Physics? The quest to help !!!
In what way are you involved in medical physics? Research, Clinical, Academics, and Teaching.
How long have you been involved in Medical Physics? Over 20 years
What is your main area of specialisation in Medical Physics? Radiation Oncology, Diagnostic Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Protection and Education.
What do you love about Medical Physics/your job? The joy of contributing my little quota towards ameliorating the pains that stares the patients in the face daily.
What did you love the most while serving in FAMPO? The camaraderie, enthusiasm and support of my colleagues and compatriots in the Executive Committee and the Council.
Are there challenges you faced as a FAMPO EXCO? The supposed challenges have been overtaken by the response to the previous question.
How would you rate the Medical Physics profession in Africa, Do you think significant progress has been made? (1 being the highest point and 5 the lowest) 2
What do you think should be the major focus of African Medical Physicists or Medical Physics in Africa? Accentuating our competencies and skills to attain great professionalism.
What would you say are the most essential skills needed for anyone interested in becoming a Medical Physicist? Analytical and interpersonal skills which shall engender good team spirit as well as fertile and imaginative thoughts.
What advice would you give aspiring Physicists/Medical Physicists? To always pay attention to details and demonstrate empathy and kindness to patients.
If not Medical Physics what else? Nothing else !!!
#IDMP2020 SPOTLIGHT SPECIAL: DR. CHRIS TRAUERNICHT, FAMPO VICE – PRESIDENT
“Medical Physics in Africa requires committed individuals who take on the responsibility of furthering all aspects of the profession in Africa.”
How would you define Medical Physics? Medical Physics is the application of physics to healthcare. Most medical physicists work either in radiotherapy or in imaging and help to maintain safety and quality of these services. Ideally, medical physicists must register with an applicable registration body after having undergone postgraduate academic medical physics training, followed by clinical training.
Where do you work? Tygerberg Hospital – Director: Medical Physics (Cape Town, South Africa); Stellenbosch University – Senior Lecturer
Are there other positions you hold if any? Current vice president of the South African Association of Physicists in Medicine and Biology; Past president of the South African Radiation Protection Society; and Accreditation board member at the IOMP.
Tell us about your educational background I got a scholarship to study physics at the University of Cape Town. My BSc had Physics and Applied Mathematics as major subjects, before I completed a BSc(Hons) in Theoretical Physics in 1998. I played basketball for a few years, before returning to physics in 2003. I did my clinical training at Tygerberg Hospital, also completing the required academic component that I had not covered yet. I worked in proton and neutron radiotherapy for about two years, before getting a post in nuclear medicine at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. My MSc was done on scatter analysis of a linear accelerator photon beam and completed in 2009. I moved to back to Tygerberg Hospital as head of division in 2017. My PhD graduation was delayed until the end of 2020 because of the Coronavirus. My PhD was on a specific eye applicator for the LDR brachytherapy treatment of retinoblastoma.
How did you get to know about Medical Physics? I kind-of stumbled into medical physics. At the time (~2003) I was looking for options what to do with a physics degree. South Africa has a very strong astronomy programme with the square kilometre array and the South African Large Telescope offering numerous opportunities. However, by chance I came across medical physics, which was completely unknown to me at the time. I immediately took a liking to the field.
In what way are you involved in medical physics? Research, Clinical (not as much as I used to do, fortunately I have a competent team of physicists), Academic and Teaching.
How long have you been involved in Medical Physics? Over 15 years
What is your main area of specialisation in Medical Physics? I have worked in all areas of medical physics, but at this point I am mostly working in radiotherapy.
What do you love about Medical Physics/your job? I like the fact that this is an applied field of physics. The work we do is relevant to many people who came through the doors at the hospital, even though they will often never know.
What did you love the most while serving in FAMPO? Medical Physics is a profession that is not yet recognized in most African countries. In fact, around 1000 medical physicists cover the need of over 1 billion people. FAMPO is an opportunity to help change this for the better.
Are there challenges you faced as a FAMPO EXCO? Every person helping FAMPO is doing this on a voluntary basis. Sometimes things just take a little longer. Meetings are all online at a time that suits most, but very rarely all. Medical Physics in Africa requires committed individuals who take on the responsibility of furthering all aspects of the profession in Africa.
How would you rate the Medical Physics profession in Africa, Do you think significant progress has been made? (1 being the highest point and 5 the lowest) This is a more complex answer that just 1-5. I think significant progress has been made in some countries over the last few years, and the numbers have seen substantial growth in many countries. For example, Algeria is busy implementing a national cancer plan, which has seen big investments into equipment and human resources, subsequently their medical physics numbers have increased quite dramatically. However, only six countries require the registration of medical physicists with a health professions council. I believe such legislation would give medical physics a major boost in many countries.
What do you think should be the major focus of African Medical Physicists or Medical Physics in Africa? Safe and effective delivery of services at a high quality. Education and training (both academic and clinical). The formation of national associations where they don’t exist yet – this can be used for leverage at national level to improve the regulatory framework and to lobby for the recognition of the profession.
What would you say are the most essential skills needed for anyone interested in becoming a Medical Physicist? A curious mind, good communication skills and to know when you don’t know.
What advice would you give aspiring Physicists/Medical Physicists? Medical Physics is a very rewarding profession on a personal level, I highly recommend it as a career choice.
If not Medical Physics what else? Physicists are quite often very versatile individuals who learn very quickly. This is a quality that comes in very useful in many professions. Say yes – figure out the details afterwards.
#IDMP2020 SPOTLIGHT SPECIAL: DR. FRANCIS HASFORD, FAMPO SECRETARY GENERAL
“Africa has a great future in Medical Physics and it will take Africans to make this dream happen”
How would you define Medical Physics? Medical Physics is the application of physics concepts, theories, and methods to address medical and healthcare conditions.
Where do you work? Ghana Atomic Energy Commission
Are there other positions you hold if any? Head, Department of Medical Physics, School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, University of Ghana
Tell us about your educational background University of Ghana (PhD Medical Physics), 2015; University of Ghana (M.Phil Medical Physics), 2006; Kwame Nkrumah Univ. of Science and Technology (BSc Physics), 2003.
How did you get to know about Medical Physics? I was introduced to Medical Physics in the final year of my undergraduate university education. I had the option to select an optional course and my choice of Medical Physics has turned out to be one of the best decisions I have had to make in life.
In what way are you involved in medical physics? Research, Academic and Teaching.
How long have you been involved in Medical Physics? Over 10 years
What is your main area of specialisation in Medical Physics? Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine.
What do you love about Medical Physics/your job? As researcher, I love it when the contributions of my research outcomes result in improving the health needs of patients. As an academician, I delight in contributing to the development of the next generation medical physicists.
What did you love the most while serving in FAMPO? In the capacity as Secretary General of FAMPO, I was privileged to be the face of the Federation in dealings with the membership as well as with other organizations and institutions. I love the fact the Federation was able to improve tremendously communication among medical physicists within the African region. Also, recognition of Medical Physics within the region has seen much improvement.
Are there challenges you faced as a FAMPO EXCO? Yes, legislative recognition in most of the African countries is still a distant goal.
How would you rate the Medical Physics profession in Africa, Do you think significant progress has been made? (1 being the highest point and 5 the lowest) 2
What do you think should be the major focus of African Medical Physicists or Medical Physics in Africa? Major focus should be legislative recognition of Medical Physics in all African countries and certification of Medical Physicists.
What would you say are the most essential skills needed for anyone interested in becoming a Medical Physicist? Enthusiasm, critical thinking, discipline and commitment.
What advice would you give aspiring Physicists/Medical Physicists? Aspiring Physicists/Medical Physicists must remain focused and work extra hard to be able to realize their dreams.
If not Medical Physics what else? If not Medical Physics, it will still be Medical Physics.
Additional comments Africa has a great future in Medical Physics and it will take Africans to make this dream happen. The profession needs the support of all key stakeholders and the entire membership of FAMPO. Let all hands be on deck!
OUR SPOTLIGHT: MS. MULAPE KANDUZA
“For the African continent, it is so important for us to grow in number with the right skills and knowledge and be able to adopt technology and make it work for us. Or better still create technology for ourselves”
Your full name please Mulape Mutule Kanduza
How would you define Medical Physics? It’s the application of physics principles in medicine for better diagnostic and treatment outcomes. It encompasses the continuum of care in patient management.
Where do you work? University Teaching Hospitals – Cancer Diseases Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. I head the Medical Physics unit.
What other positions do you hold? I am a member of the FAMPO council, I serve on the executive council of the Radiological society of Zambia as well as the Education and Training sub-committee. I am also an honorary medical physics lecturer.
Tell us about your educational background I have a Master of Science Degree in Medical Physics (Radiotherapy), PGCE in Maths/Physics and BSc in Physics/Maths. About to embark on my Phd which will focus on improving our treatment capabilities within our resources in particular for female cancers!
How did you get to know about Medical Physics? I wanted to pursue medicine and when I could not I continued with my BSc physics degree. Then in my last year I came across the field as I was searching for practical applications (other than teaching) that I could utilize my acquired knowledge. I found medical physics while searching for a Masters degree course I would pursue, through the University of Surrey brochures. I even applied to the MSc Medical physics program, was accepted but I could not go there due to lack of funding (the UK fees were astronomical compared to SA). However, University of Pretoria was affordable for my parents to pay for me and that is how I enrolled at the University of Pretoria, South Africa to do my MSc in Medical Physics.
In what way are you involved in medical physics? Research, Clinical, Academics, and Teaching.
How long have you been involved in Medical Physics? Between 10 to 20 years
What is your main area of specialisation in Medical Physics? Radiation Oncology
What do you love about Medical Physics/your job? I love dosimetry. Doing hands on measurements, calculations and getting it right is absolute joy for me. I love that even with so much pressure on me to do the right dosimetry calculations, getting it right will certainly save a lot of lives, potentially cure a good number and give others a good quality of life, and that for me is number one. I should be of sound mind, happy and love to do what I do as I wake up every day and do my job right. It’s a blessing from God!
Are there any challenges you face at your job? Yes there are. Sometimes equipment fails and getting round to sort the problem can take days and weeks sometimes. The few number of physicists that we are may mean I overwork myself and this may limit other important things I should be doing. Administrative work can get a little too much. So balancing all this can be daunting.
How would you rate the Medical Physics profession in Africa, Do you think significant progress has been made? (1 being the highest point and 5 the lowest) 2
What do you think should be the major focus of African Medical Physicists or Medical Physics in Africa? Increasing capacity through establishment of training programs. Exchange of knowledge and skills in a formal manner. Research that is Africa focused.
What would you say are the most essential skills needed for anyone interested in becoming a Medical Physicist? Physics and mathematical skills and with the digital world now, computer knowledge. Other skills can be learnt on the job.
What advice would you give aspiring Physicists/Medical Physicists? Go for it! It’s an amazing field and it is growing. It is the science in humanity and you learn to know that human life is important and if God can use you to improve humanity, I think it is the best gift. For the African continent, it is so important for us to grow in number with the right skills and knowledge and be able to adopt technology and make it work for us. Or better still create technology for ourselves (this is my secret little prayer)
If not Medical Physics what else? Nothing else. I am happy in my space. I am a medical physicist. But if you insist on the what else, I love to bake, I can be a baker.
Additional Comments I have the privilege of leading 4 vibrant and excellent medical physicists of which one is a male (he is our brother, friend and we love him). It is not easy to lead and especially from inception. I am happy that I can count on my fellow medical physicists who work so hard and diligently. I am nothing without them more so I am nothing without my God. I would like to emphasize the strength in teamwork! it just cannot work if you work alone. I am also grateful for the leadership of my hospital in particular our oncologists who support our work and understand the importance of medical physics in the medical field.
OUR SPOTLIGHT: DR. SAMUEL TAGOE
“Let us work together to strengthen medical physics practices in Africa”
Your full name please Samuel Nii Adu Tagoe
How would you define Medical Physics? It is the science that deals with the application of physics principles to solve health and medical issues.
Where do you work? Head of Medical Physics, National Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. I am a member of the FAMPO education committee.
Tell us about your educational background Master of Philosophy in Medical Physics (UG, Ghana) and Doctor of psychology in Physics (UCC, Ghana).
How did you get to know about Medical Physics? My last year at the undergraduate level.
In what way are you involved in medical physics? Research, Clinical, Academics, Teaching, and Industry.
How long have you been involved in Medical Physics? Almost 20 years
What is your main area of specialisation in Medical Physics? Radiation Oncology and Diagnostic Radiology
What do you love about Medical Physics/your job? The challenges the job brings and the need for us to do more for the subregion for African Medical Physicists to gain the needed recognition.
Are there any challenges you face at your job? Lack of recognition.
How would you rate the Medical Physics profession in Africa, Do you think significant progress has been made? (1 being the highest point and 5 the lowest) 3
What do you think should be the major focus of African Medical Physicists or Medical Physics in Africa? Training and harmonisation of medical physics practices in Africa
What would you say are the most essential skills needed for anyone interested in becoming a Medical Physicist? Academic qualification and clinical mentoring.
What advice would you give aspiring Physicists/Medical Physicists? They should not look at the present predicaments of Physicists to discourage them as Africa needs lots of qualified Medical Physicists to fill up positions which are being created by the expansion of diagnostic and therapy facilities across African countries. I am very hopeful Medical Physicists will receive or will be accorded the needed recognition.
If not Medical Physics what else? Engineering or biomedical engineering.
Additional Comments Let us work together to strengthen medical physics practices in Africa.
My choice of Medical Physics
“medical physics is on the vanguard of fighting cancer, one of the deadliest diseases in the world”
Growing up as a young child in Nigeria, I often found myself reflecting on the consequences of my interactions with people and asking, “Does my contact with them make them worse or better?” Naturally, my desire was for the latter, so I began to make conscious effort at making every connection count. What I didn’t know was that my resolution would frame in me a worldview where every little gracious action has a role in making the world a better place.
After secondary school, I got admission into the university to study Physics with Electronics. To be honest, before writing the qualifying exams, I had no idea of the course to exactly go for. I had gone from daydreaming about becoming a doctor, to a lawyer, a civil engineer and even a soccer player at one point in time. I ended up choosing to study Physics even though I had no clue of what I would be doing after that.
But with a firm belief that I am the master of my fate, I channeled my energy into finding out practical ways in which my course of study can be applied besides all its abstract concepts and theories. It may interest you to know that a common belief in Nigeria is that the best outlook in life for a Physics major, is to end up as a classroom teacher in the secondary school. It’s not that it is bad being a teacher and a vehicle for making the world a better place, but that is not the only end in sight for a graduate of Physics.
My short tale took on a new twist in my sophomore year at the Federal University of Technology Akure when my Dad came back from work one day and recounted an encounter with a friend. They had both discussed the opportunities that laid ahead of me in the world of Physics and, among the many suggestions made, my Dad could vivdly remember medical physics. It was the first time I was hearing of the term and so I decided to check it out. I began by finding out who a medical physicist is and what they do. Oh my! The joy I had, when I found out that it was all about helping people and giving them a better chance at living, was beyond belief.
Other jobs give an opportunity to meet and help people on the ‘surface’ but, with Physics, we can probe deep inside them with the aid of non-invasive techniques and diagnostic imaging to check for diseases and to ascertain their medical fitness. Also, Physics is on the vanguard of fighting cancer, one of the deadliest diseases in the world, using high energy photon beams and ensuring radiation safety for workers in the sector and the general public as well. What more could I ask for!
The icing on the top is that as one of the natural sciences, which keeps evolving owing to research and technological advancement, the opportunities in the field are boundless. My goal is not to limit myself to either the research or clinical practice of medical physics but to combine both. This way, I can keep abreast of latest developments and immediately bring them to bear upon my practice in the hospital setting. So, here I am today fully engrossed studying Medical Physics and fully motivated to contribute my quota to an exciting field in the service of humanity.
Oluyemi B. Aboyewa Graduate Student, Medical Physics Creighton University, Omaha, NE. USA
The Little Questions
… at times while trying to get a handle on all these we forget the “little but very important details”
The outcome of a job interview most
times will determine who gets picked and who gets to try again. Oral and written interviews
have become acceptable ways of verifying the employability of candidates vying
for job placements.
Preparing to be interviewed for the position of a Medical Physicist
can be a challenging task, especially if the job description requires ample
clinical experience. This write up hopes to share
some tips that may help interviewees prepare adequately before an interview and
land that next job.
First,
you must be knowledgeable about every aspect of Medical Physics
including radiotherapy, radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation protection etc. Having adequate knowledge of your subject matter will help boost the
candidate’s confidence before and during the interview. A show of confidence
backed by the right answers can be easily detected by the interviewers and can
be a great determinant when it comes to who the employer selects.
Secondly, remember to delve into the administrative arm of the institution you are interviewing for: its policies, goals, vision and mission statements. It is important that you get to familiarize yourself with the organization you intend to work with. This will further show the interviewers you are really truly interested in their organization.
Thirdly, at times while trying to get a handle on all these we forget the “little but very important details” – I am talking about those fundamental principles of Medical Physics. It could be something as basic as ‘Who discovered the X-ray? Simple as this question may seem we might be unable to answer during the interview but fast forward a few minutes after the interview, just as you step out the door, the answer comes flooding in like someone just turned on the tap and then you wish you could run back and just inform the interview panel the answer is Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen.
In my experience, most times it is not the ‘big-hard things’ that make us look ‘unintelligent’ before the interview panel; it is mostly the ‘small-simple piece of information’. This sudden mental block can be traced to anxiety, a lack of confidence, fear or low level of preparedness. This situation can be embarrassing but it is also avoidable. It is my opinion that we can avoid this embarrassing situation through adequate practice.
Taking
adequate time to practice and prepare before an interview is very important.
Having adequate time preferably daily to go through the important facts needed
by every Medical Physicist will help improve your
ability to recall this information when needed.
Beyond just reading, this can also be accomplished by having discussions with
colleagues and fellow Medical Physicists
Teach, share and mentor
Furthermore we can prepare if we teach, share and mentor. You can’t give what you don’t have, so also you cannot teach what you don’t know. What you teach you will rarely forget. Sharing knowledge and experience will always enhance our understanding of that subject matter. Whatever you give out to the universe will attract itself back to you.
More
so, I have always been an advocate of ‘internalized
learning’ rather than mere ‘cramming’. Cramming can aid in passing
examinations and in getting good grades but I strongly doubt it will help
in sustaining the knowledge acquired and turning it into practice. Therefore,
seek to not just learn at the superficial level but fall in love with what you
are learning such that it can be ‘committed to heart’, but don’t stop here, go
further until what you have learnt becomes a part of you
Lastly, PRAY. Pray about your interview and commit it to God’s hands. The holy books admonish us to commit our ways to God and He will direct our paths.
I have shared a few of my tips, I am looking forward to learning from your ideas on how to ace interviews and secure that dream position. Kindly share your own tips in the comment section below. Thanks.
Ibrahim Mark
Seven Tips to Improve your Research Productivity During COVID-19 Lockdown
“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstance” – Bruce Barton
We
are facing an unprecedented situation as regards the impact of COVID-19 on our
lives. Nevertheless, this article is targeted towards medical physics graduate
students and by extension individuals that are seeking to enrol in a graduate
school post-COVID-19.
Apart from leadership, moral and emotional skills, the ability to investigate theories and hypotheses thereby performing interesting experiments are some of the things you will learn in a graduate school. However, significant portions of medical physics-related research are carried out in the university laboratories and hospitals, but due to the lockdown, it might be difficult to continue with the research plan especially if the experiment is laboratory-based and can’t be conducted remotely. In this article are seven tips that may help to improve your research productivity during COVID-19 lockdown.
1)Accept the change
As
a graduate student, you need to understand that no one can avoid change because
it is inevitable. However, the ability to acknowledge and accept change
prepares us for what is to come. The first step in improving your research
productivity is to accept that your research environment will change, pending
when the lockdown is lifted. Some of the challenges that you will experience
include delayed experiments, inability to go for seminars, and the inability to
physically meet with your supervisor for guidance. However, if you accept this
change, it will propel you to develop creative ideas for solving the challenges
stated above. In Brian Tracy’ quotes, he advised that we should resolve to be a
master of change rather than a victim of change.
2)
Create a work plan or daily routine.
Once you have accepted the change caused by
COVID-19, the next step is to create a viable work plan that will keep you
engaged during the lockdown. For example, create a list of laboratory-based
experiments versus home-based activities. This will enable you to switch plans
such as data analysis, thesis/article writing, experiment design and
conceptualization to home activities. In this case, you will be more focused on
finding novel ways to analyze your results using varieties of computational
tools, hereby creating a cross-comparison study. To stay dedicated to this
daily routine, I recommend that you should create a study area at home by setting
up a comfortable reading table and chair. Also, make every effort to wake up as
you would normally do before COVID-19 and assume that the study area you’ve
created is the same workbench in your laboratory.
3)
Increase fundamental knowledge of the research topic
One
of the myths of doing a Ph.D. or a master’s in medical physics is that you should
have the prerequisite knowledge of the hypothesis. This is not always true,
although it helps. However, this is the best possible time to improve your literature
review proficiency and understand some of the underlying principles of your
research. The overall goal of the research is to solve a problem and to tackle
this problem, you will need to understand the existing data. During this
lockdown, identify the specific areas of your limitation and search for
journals or textbooks that can further enlighten you on the technical subjects.
4)
Increase supervisor-student relationship
I
think that this is one of the best ways to improve your research productivity by
constantly keeping your supervisor informed about the progress you have made.
Specifically, you can create a report by extracting ideas from articles related
to your research and forward it to your supervisor for implementation. It is important
to note that your supervisor or course advisor is also going through the same
challenge, so this might be an opportunity to constantly check up on your
supervisor to offer words of hope or inspiration. Beyond the need to graduate
and have a degree, the student-supervisor relationship should be a
mutualistic-symbiotic relationship. Also, you can offer to help your supervisor
with grant writing or manuscript editing.
5)
Leverage on the ongoing webinar and online conferences.
This step is quite pertinent because organizations such as IAEA, EFOMP, ASTRO, AAPM, IOMP, ICTP, ESTRO, COMP, COURSERA, and several top-notched academic institutions around the world are currently organizing e-conferences, webinars and free online courses that provide valuable insights on the role of medical physics in fighting COVID-19 and other technical courses for professional development. Most of these courses are hosted on Cisco-Webex, Zoom, Google-hangout, Youtube e.t.c
6) Seek out opportunities
There
is a tendency to be discouraged during these times, especially if you are
preparing to graduate or still trying to figure out your research plan.
COVID-19 should not stop you from seeking opportunities that will advance your
career. For doctoral students, this perhaps is the best time to plan for your
postdoctoral activities by getting in touch with Professors, Principal
Investigators, Industry Captains on the services you can offer post-COVID-19.
Also, for students enrolled in the Master’s course, you should plan for post-graduation
activities. This will enable you to decide on the next steps to take in your
career. Lastly, the COVID-19 lockdown stage is also the best time to prepare
for professional certifications such as the IMPCB or the ABR.
7)
Offer value and services.
Just
like I mentioned in the opening statement, we are currently living in an
unprecedented situation because the last time the world faced this type of
pandemic was about a century ago. To stay relevant especially during this
lockdown, an efficient way to improve your overall productivity is to offer
value and services. As a graduate student, you can either create a platform for
encouraging several students or write for scientific blogs and magazines. With
this, you will be able to give back to the community, enhance personal
productiveness and impact value to humanity.
Conclusively, every graduate student involved in medical physics related-research should take a clue from COVID-19 lockdown and begin to develop an affinity for machine learning because the next phase of our research will be largely dependent on this.
Abayomi is a doctoral student at Hokkaido University, Japan and is currently involved in radiobiological studies.
OUR SPOTLIGHT: DR. MAGATTE DIAGNE
“Medical Physics is a noble profession. A job that allows you to do extraordinary things.”
Your full name please Magatte Diagne
How would you define Medical Physics? Medical physics can be generally defined as a field in which applied physics techniques are used in medicine. Traditionally, medical physics deals chiefly with the use of ionizing or non-ionizing radiation in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
Where do you work? Hospital Aristide Le Dantec: Institute Joliot Curie Dakar, Senegal
What other positions do you hold? President, Radiation Protection Association, Senegal
Tell us about your educational background PhD in Physics, 2005 and Masters in Medical Physics, 2007.
How did you get to know about Medical Physics? After my PhD when my father died of cancer, I decided to be involved in cancer care. I got a scholarship from the IAEA to be trained in Medical Physics.
In what way are you involved in medical physics? Research, Clinical, and Teaching
How long have you been involved in Medical Physics? Less than 20 years
What is your main area of specialisation in Medical Physics? Radiation Oncology
What do you love about Medical Physics/your job? Saving lives and giving hope to our patients
Are there any challenges you face at your job? Lack of Masters degree Programs in Medical Physics needed to train more students in this field.
How would you rate the Medical Physics profession in Africa, Do you think significant progress has been made? (1 being the highest point and 5 the lowest) 3
What do you think should be the major focus of African Medical Physicists or Medical Physics in Africa? Improvement of the status and recognition of Medical Physicists as well as the consideration of Medical Physicists as health professionals
What would you say are the most essential skills needed for anyone interested in becoming a Medical Physicist? Medical physicists must be able to carefully evaluate their own work and the work of others. They must determine whether results and conclusions are accurate and based on sound science. Medical physicists work in fields that are on the cutting edge of technology and therefore should possess a high level of curiosity.
What advice would you give aspiring Physicists/Medical Physicists? Be focused and hardworking! Medical Physics is a noble profession. A job that allows you to do extraordinary things, involving service to patients, research and development activities using ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.
If not Medical Physics what else? Radiation Protection and developer.
Additional Comments None
Inhibiting the Propensity of Spread and Developing Novel Mechanism for COVID-19 Detection
It is no longer breaking news that coronavirus has spread to more than 70% of the countries on planet earth. Also, we are not oblivious of the damaging impact on healthcare, economic welfare, and survival. Therefore, it behooves us to develop strategic means of limiting the propensity of the spread and to also invent mechanisms for COVID-19 detection. From a Medical Physics perspective, there are specific ways that we can contribute to enhancing the global agenda in combating the virus. Medical Physicists have a unique advantage of complementing the efforts of allied healthcare professionals by combining the knowledge of physical and biological sciences with computing skills in the areas of active research, diagnosis and therapy.
On limiting the spread: Medical Physicists can join forces with other medical practitioners to disseminate accurate information about mandatory hygienic practices. This will help to decrease the exponential spread of the pandemic situation by a significant amount. Also, due to the recent social distancing recommendation, majority will tend to gravitate towards social-media-platforms and news channels to stay abreast of information on developing trends, hence the reason why we must leverage on the media to increase the supply of accurate information to the public. The World Health Organization and allied disease control centres have established platforms where the appropriate information can be acquired and disseminated.
On a specialized level, Medical Physicists in radio-diagnostic facilities can collaborate with radiologists to develop dose-imaging protocols specific to COVID-19 patients since x-ray/CT imaging is one of the quick modalities to evaluate differential symptoms between a pneumonia patient and a COVID-19 patient. Since high temperature and respiratory anomalies are some of the current indications in persons suspected with the virus, algorithms can be developed to detect precise respiratory responses specific to COVID-19 patients using available data from either clinical statistics or CT-DICOM. Specifically, radiomics can be used to complement the efforts of qPCR and other testing kits currently in use. Radiomics extracts features from radiographic images using the principle of DCA to predict clinical outcomes, hence it can be deployed to identify respiratory signals specific to COVID-19 and distinguish between the pneumonia symptoms which have been reported to imitate the symptoms of this novel virus. In the conventional molecular testing kits, results can be obtained within few hours to 48hrs depending on the protocol used for analysis, however, in the case of radiomics, efficient protocols can be developed to establish unique features by accelerating image acquisition, segmentation and quantification, thereby ultimately improving the prediction of clinical outcomes. It is important to state that the use of artificial intelligence and computational methods are complementary efforts in detecting coronavirus disease.
Medical Physicists in active research can collaborate with virologists and radiobiologists to investigate the impact of UV and ionizing radiation on COVID-19. Due to the nature of the spike proteins that surround the viral envelop, studies can be conducted to firstly determine the response of the virus to radiation and to also ascertain if the potency of the spike proteins can be denatured. These findings may help to prevent replication and transmission of COVID-19 to mucus surfaces and ultimately to humans. Most of the deaths associated with COVID-19 have come from patients with underlying symptoms and diseases. Precisely, a significant portion of the death cases have been reported among the elderly, largely due to failing immune systems. It is therefore imperative for Medical Physicists working in radiotherapy facilities to prepare for an unprecedented situation in the case that cancer patients might be affected. While I do not wish that cancer patients will be carriers of the virus, futuristic plans must be developed by the radiation oncology team to prioritize treatment for such cases. This will require adequate staffing, personal protective equipment , and experts’ opinions.
Lastly, the propensity of the spread is quite unusual, therefore beyond our medical physics duties, we should all strive in our humanity to observe impeccable hygiene practices and extend the courtesy to others.
Abayomi Opadele is a doctoral student at Hokkaido University, Japan and is currently involved in radiobiological studies.
OUR SPOTLIGHT: PROF. AWEDA, MOSES ADEBAYO (Recipient of 2019 IDMP Award for Africa)
Your full name please? AWEDA Moses Adebayo
How would you define Medical Physics? The subject on Application of concepts and principles of Physics in the different specialties of Medicine.
Where do you work? Department of Radiation Biology, Radiotherapy and Radiodiagnosis, College of Medicine, University of Lagos.
What other positions do you hold? President, Nigerian Association of Medical Physicists.
Tell us about your educational background? My first and second University degrees are in Nuclear, Atomic and Molecular Physics.
How did you get to know about Medical Physics? From a Library in France while searching for PhD. Research topic.
In what way are you involved in medical physics? Research, Clinical, Academic, Teaching
How long have you been involved in Medical Physics? For over 20 years.
What is your main area of Specialisation in Medical Physics? Radiation Oncology
What do you love about Medical Physics/your job? Service to humanity, especially patients
Are there any challenges you face at your job? Limitations in terms of infrastructural and technical facilities.
How would you rate the Medical Physics profession in Africa, Do you think significant progress has been made? 1 being the highest point and 5 the lowest? 2
What do you think should be the major focus of African Medical Physicists or Medical Physics in Africa? Efforts on self and professional development to catch up with the rest of the globe.
What would you say are the most essential skills needed for anyone interested in becoming a Medical Physicist? Sound background knowledge in all specialties of Physics.
What advice would you give aspiring Physicists/Medical Physicists? Embark on qualitative education to become the best possible professional in the field.
If not Medical Physics what else? Nothing
Additional Comments Medical Physicists in Africa should rise up passionately and patriotically to the numerous challenges confronting the educational development and practice of the profession.
The significance of training and fellowships for graduate research in medical physics: A personal experience
My name is Mary-Ann E. Ekpo, a Ph.D. student in Medical Physics from Nigeria studying at the prestigious University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. I began my Ph.D. journey in 2012 soon after the completion of my M.Sc degree which was the motivation to further my graduate studies at the doctorate level. At the initial stage, I didn’t quite seem to have a full grasp of my doctoral research plan due to the limitations in the background knowledge/scope of the research area at the master’s level. I spent the first two years of the Ph.D. still trying to figure out exactly what I was supposed to do. My supervisor (Dr. Rachel Obed) tried to put me through at every stage I experienced set-backs and we were able to come up with the research proposal clearly setting out the aim and objectives of the research. We were able to conduct a pilot study around the country during that period.
In 2013, my department signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for research collaboration with the International Centre of Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Italy under the Federation Scheme; a partnership that allows research students to attend any workshop/training relevant to student’s research area for a brief period. I was privileged to be selected as the only doctoral in my department to participate in the training program and was scheduled to attend two ICTP-IAEA joint training programs – Workshop on Nuclear data for Science and Technology: Medical Applications and also the Training in Radiation Protection of Patients. The training opened the door for my research!
Prior to my departure from Nigeria for this training, my supervisor introduced the ICTP-STEP (Sandwich Training Education Programme) program to me and she emphasized the need to look out for a host/partner supervisor from the list of facilitators for the training, which is a major requirement for the STEP fellowship. As a matter of emphasis, my supervisor has been an ICTP fellow over the years for different partnership programs and is currently an Associate fellow of the ICTP. Her exposure and regular visits to the Institute helped my orientation which shaped my expectations and aligned my priorities accordingly. The Sandwich Training Education Programme of the ICTP is like any other sandwich program for doctoral research that enables Ph.D. fellows to conduct part of their research in a host institute in Italy under a host supervisor in collaboration with the home supervisor. The STEP program is reserved for fellows from developing countries that are known to have specific limitations in different areas of research. The STEP fellowship is sponsored by different organizations to mention but a few: IAEA, OFID, ICTP for different areas of research. During the training, I met with one of the facilitators, a diagnostic medical physicist who offered to be the host supervisor. This enabled me to submit the application and later resulted in my nomination and selection for the ICTP-STEP fellowship.
The STEP contract was for 3months in each of 2015, 2016 and 2017 making it a total of 9months. I departed for my first visit in April 2016 and stayed for 6months to cover for 2015 and 2016. It was a whole new experience, exposure, knowledge garnered whose memories I will always refer to, through my career. I resumed at ICTP with a mindset that I knew absolutely nothing and was ready to unlearn, learn and relearn and I presented myself as thus to my host supervisor. My host supervisor (Dr. Paola Bregant), an amazing personality was ever ready to answer all my questions, taught me from her wealth of experience and proffered practical solutions to the technical-challenges I encountered during the training. The mindset I had on arrival gave me the opportunity to join the Advanced Master’s in Medical Physics (MMP) students to learn some theoretical courses which I didn’t get during my master’s degree program. I attended these classes for the first six weeks of my stay. Meanwhile, documentation, registration, and signing of all contract forms were already organized and accomplished within the first few days of my arrival. I hadn’t any difficulties in settling in. As soon as the six weeks of classes were over, I had to resume at the hospital (Ospedale Maggiore) with my supervisor and we had a plan of action drawn out immediately. During my stay, I was scheduled to attend two IAEA training that was related to my area of research. I learned so much, met several global experts in the field, built research networks, some of which are still of immense help to me to date. I was scheduled to attend the “College on Medical Physics’’ and also the “Workshop on Computed Tomography: Quality control and Dosimetry”. I participated in the college on medical physics program with other Nigerians including my home supervisor making a total of five participants. We partook in a poster presentation alongside other countries and we were awarded the best poster presentation award.
On my return to Nigeria after the 2016 visit, I was able to redefine my research objectives, thus I returned to the field, this time with clarity of purpose. I could practically sit with a radiographer in a CT suite and understand exactly the scan process and could perform a diagnostic quality assurance process. I also understood clearly the functions of a diagnostic medical physicist, the radiographer, and radiologist without conflict of interest. The 2017 visit was the ‘icing on the cake’ as it gave me the opportunity to fine-tune all I learned and exposed me to a lot more professionals within and outside the profession. ICTP is a center for physicists, mathematicians, nuclear chemists and other areas of related life sciences, so one can always meet world-class scientists doing so much around the world.
I have been recognized as an IAEA-ICTP STEP fellow who will always be referenced all through my career pursuit. My passion/zeal for the profession grew with each passing day as I continued to delve into more subjects in diagnostic imaging and putting to practice everything, I have learned so far. This has led me to more opportunities for local and foreign training from 2017 to date. I have become passionate about educating young research fellows to look out for opportunities for training/fellowships/sandwich programs. Our unique limitations in Africa to research has created a wide range of opportunities for research collaboration with developed societies. Any opportunity for foreign research collaboration literally takes the research to a whole new horizon, opens more partnership opportunity and oftentimes build a strong foundation for post-doctoral studies. I would encourage my younger colleagues not to give up trying, as much as I understand how rigorous some of the application processes can be and at the same time the frustration/discouragement in the rejection mails, there are still many more opportunities out there.
I would like to use this opportunity to especially thank my home supervisor DR (MRS) RACHEL OBED who showed me the way, opened my eyes to the world of research to improve quality and become a better research fellow. I appreciate her deeply for her recommendations and counsels whenever the need arose, and above all career mentoring. I thank ICTP-IAEA for the privilege granted me to be a beneficiary of the STEP fellowship program and for many others from other developing countries. This noble act has indeed helped a lot of research fellows around the world, opened bigger opportunities for the fellows and above all build a strong intellectual knowledge base for medical physics in Africa. I equally thank my host supervisor DR (MRS) PAOLA BREGANT for the opportunity to work with her, everything she taught me, her patience in answering all my questions even at odd hours irrespective of the frequency with which I asked. I also thank a host of other staff, colleagues, and friends I met at ICTP who all made my research visits a memorable one. The colleagues I have met and become friends with here in Nigeria, I appreciate you all. Let’s keep the networks active and together we will achieve greatness in the world of medical physics.
-Mary-Ann E. Ekpo
Physics meets Medicine
When an individual gets admitted to the university to study Physics, the next thing that comes to people’s mind is that such a person will end up as a class teacher – well at least this is what most Africa believe. In fact, such an individual is advised to add a Postgraduate Diploma in Education to reinforce his Physics certificate.
Teaching is not a terrible career, after all behind every excellent professional is a teacher – formal or informal starting with parents. However, the journey of a Physicist does not always have to end up in a classroom as a teacher; neither does it always mean such a graduate must necessarily abandon the hard earned Physics certificate to navigate an entirely different field because of the limited opportunities in Physics.
Most individuals that are admitted into the Physics department of most universities in Africa never dreamt of studying Physics, their goal in most instances was to rather study Medicine, Pharmacy, and Engineering. So an offer to study Physics always appears to such students to be a dream cut short. I am happy to debunk this narrative.
To this group of students, students like me (Yes ME!!! I wanted to become a medical doctor) I bring great news. Let me put it this way; why study “just” medicine, especially when you are inundated with a world of exciting equations to explore, when you can be a part of something as interesting as Medical Physics?
Medical Physics is simply the application of Physics concepts in Medicine. There cannot be Medicine without Physics, surprised ehn…lol. Please, don’t be surprised. The application of Physics abounds in different aspects of Medicine from the operation of the syringe, to the flow of fluid from your IV infusion at a suspended height. Put that same IV infusion at a horizontal level to your body and observe the difference… Oh!, you’re getting it now… Lol.
Physics is a course that has it application in different fields, it is commonly referred to as the “Father of Science”. It is not a standalone course. Without physics there can be no radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, radiology, MRI, ultrasound etc. That’s why we say “It’s a Medical Physics world” – our theme for the year 2019 International Day of Medical Physics (IDMP).
Medical Physics is a budding field in Africa with a great future. A lot of Africans are still oblivious of its existence, many of whom have even benefitted from the expertise of a medical physicist in one form or the other – during radiotherapy, medical imaging, in industries just to mention but a few.
We apply the knowledge of Physics in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Medical Physicists work with other health professionals like oncologists, radiologists, urologists, radiographers, nurses, engineers etc. to provide the needed solution for patient care. Medical Physicists offer clinical and consultancy services, teach and train other health professionals on the principles of Physics behind what they do. Now it’s getting more interesting: so you see those that said you will teach didn’t actually get it wrong, they only ignorantly limited your teaching indispensability to the conventional classroom. Little wonder why postgraduate education in medical physics (at least a masters degree) is just a prerequisite for a career in medical physics since training of other health professionals requires an academic and research depth.
Furthermore, Medical Physicists are responsible for dosimetry measurements, image processing, treatment planning, radiation protection and safety, risk management as well as regulation of the use of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. In low and medium income countries (LMIC) as in other parts of the world, Medical Physicists are actively involved in radiation cancer treatment; the aim of which is to kill cancer cells and save lives. Medical Physicists carry out acceptance tests, QA, QC and commissioning of all the equipment used in radiation medicine. Scientific problem solving and innovation are not left out of our many exciting roles.
So if you had wanted Medicine but found yourself in Physics, or you wanted Medicine but can’t just imagine your physics no longer in the conversation; then Medical Physics is that big thing that can happen to you. Take your undergraduate Physics courses seriously, though they appear abstract, you will surely find their applications in the medical world.
Currently the number of female Physicists is quite few and even fewer female Medical Physicists can be found worldwide. This is an indication that more women are needed in this field. Still not convinced about Medical Physics, imagine the pure joy and fulfillment that comes knowing that a patient survived because of the important role you played. Medical care today is a multidisciplinary effort, and no one discipline can do it all alone.
So my fellow indispensable Physicists I gladly say “Welcome to this Physics World” as Physics meets Medicine transforming healthcare and saving lives.
Excerpts from a lecture delivered by a Medical Physicist of the University College Hospital (UCH) at the University of Ibadan Physics Department in commemoration of the the 2019 International Day of Medical Physics (IDMP).
Compiled by Temitope Adenuga MSc Student, Department of Physics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
OUR SPOTLIGHT: DR. BIDEMI I. AKINLADE
Your full name please Akinlade, Bidemi I.
How would you define Medical Physics? It is the application of the principles and concepts of Physics for effective and safe use of certain devices (ionising & non-ionising) for diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.
Where do you work? Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, University College Hospital, Ibadan. I am also the treasurer of the Nigerian Association of Medical Physicists (NAMP).
What other positions do you hold? I am the treasurer of the Nigerian Association of Medical Physicists
Tell us about your educational background? I hold a BSc Physics, MSc Physics and PhD Physics (Medical Physics research). I am also an IAEA fellow.
How did you get to know about Medical Physics? I got to know about Medical Physics after my master’s degree while seeking for employment at the University College Hospital, Ibadan
In what way are you involved in Medical Physics? Research, Clinical, Academic, and Teaching
How long have you been involved in Medical Physics? For over 20 yrs
What is your main area of Specialisation in Medical Physics? Radiation Oncology, Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine
What do you love about Medical Physics/your job? I love that my job gives me the opportunity to touch lives. It is also a stepping stone to fulfilling my divine purpose.
Are there any challenges you face at your job? I would say none. Every challenge is an opportunity for me to advance. I apply my skills and knowledge to overcome them.
What do you think should be the major focus of Medical Physicists in your country or Medical Physics in Africa? To ensure recognition of the profession by the government, passage of the Medical physics bill in respective countries, promotion of comprehensive clinical training and certification of members.
How would you rate the Medical Physics profession in Africa, Do you think significant progress has been made? 1 being the highest point and 5 the lowest. 3
What would you say is the most essential skill needed for anyone interested in becoming a Medical Physicist? Communication, leadership, mathematical, technological, analytical and problem-solving skills are needed. Also, don’t be radiophobic.
What advice would you give aspiring Physicists/Medical Physicists? Be focused and consistently keep the flag flying until the desired goal is reached. Have a very good knowledge and understanding of physics in general. Don’t take shortcuts to success! Study and work hard.
If not Medical Physics what else? I cannot think of anything else. I initially wanted to be a computer scientist but since I discovered the field of medical physics, I have had no regrets.
Additional comments Thanks to the team for this noble idea which would help to improve and promote the profession. God bless you.
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