An initial EFOMP position on the tuning process for masters programs in medical physics in Europe

Abstract

The EFOMP (European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics) Council at its September 2008 meeting in Krakow set in motion the 'Tuning Educational Structures in Europe’ process for Masters' programmes in Medical Physics in Europe. For the medical physics profession a fundamental component of Tuning would be the setting up of an inventory of agreed pan-European learning outcome competences for such programs. This would represent the minimum set of competences that a student should acquire at the exit point of the program. An initial form of this inventory is presented. The inventory was set up on the basis of a thorough analysis of Tuning documentation, lists of medical physics competences used by universities in the various EU states and other competence inventories such as those of ESTRO (European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology) for radiotherapy physicists. Best-practice elements of these inventories were identified and used as inputs for the inventory. The final form of the inventory must be acceptable for the medical physics profession and associated stakeholders on a European scale. It is important to ensure that this inventory dovetails seamlessly with any EFOMP policy statements regarding the competences of the Qualified Medical Physicist (QMP) and Specialized Medical Physicist (SMP). It is also suggested that in future EFOMP would use the inventory to propose a system of accreditation for programs in Europe similar to that used by CAMPEP (Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs) in the US.