In a move that acknowledges the key role imaging physics plays in today's radiology departments, RSNA has increased its support of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) to create a total of eight new residencies in imaging physics.
The residencies, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs (CAMPEP), will be funded over the next six years in partnership with AAPM, which will contribute $560,000 to be matched by the same amount from RSNA. The money will go to four institutions to pay for two residencies each, at $35,000 per institution, per year over four years, RSNA said.
Medical physicists will soon be required to complete an accredited two-year residency program in order to take board exams and achieve the designation of qualified medical physicist (QMP), according to the organization.
Qualified medical physicists are crucial to radiology's growth as they are tasked with understanding the growing complexity and quality focus of diagnostic imaging, including the ability to evaluate modern imaging systems and optimize imaging parameters, RSNA said.
