Start September 2013, for a period of 3 years

http://www.eutempe-rx.eu/

Summary

The core activity of the medical physics expert (MPE) is to ensure ionising radiations are optimally used in patient healthcare and to bring new knowledge and expertise from physics into healthcare. These healthcare professionals should therefore be trained to the highest level, defined as EQF level 8 by the EU funded ‘Guidelines for the MPE’ project . These Guidelines have put forward a harmonized qualification framework for Europe and a curriculum development model linking curriculum content to professional role.

The main objective of the EUTEMPE-RX project is to provide a training scheme that allows the medical physicist in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology to reach EQF level 8. This is necessary because many European countries will lack the financial means to develop local training schemes and no country has all expertise readily available. A European network of partners, with the KU Leuven as principal investigator, was brought together in this new FP7 EC project to ensure sufficient expertise in all fields of study and to create a harmonized courses programme. The learners that are targeted by the project are medical physicists in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (hospitals), in medical devices industry and in regulatory authorities.

A blended learning scheme will combine classical face-to-face teaching with e-learning education and teaching sessions (courses). This will, in particular, help support medical physicists that cannot be released from their duties for long periods, especially those with childcare responsibilities. A business plan will be developed to ensure the sustainable continuation of this programme of courses following the end of the project. While the project will be limited to the area of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, it is recognised that this work should be built upon to extend the training to the work to other areas, such as Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Oncology.

The EUTEMPE-RX project will develop 12 courses at EQF level 8, with radiation safety and efficacy being prevalent subjects. Some of the topics covered will be: developments in professional issues (legal aspects, communication, leadership etc.), quality assurance, advanced performance measurements, CT imaging, breast cancer screening, high dose interventional procedures, phantoms (anthropomorphic), dosimetry (for foetuses, infants and adults), radiation biology and Monte Carlo simulation techniques.