Present situation of education of medical physicists in Estonia

42 downloads 0 Views 118KB Size Report
Training Centre of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering (BMTK), .... Tartu University Clinics, Radiation Protection Centre and Society of Radiographers.
Present situation of education of medical physicists in Estonia Kalle Kepler Training Centre of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering (BMTK), University of Tartu, Tähe 4, 51010 Tartu, Estonia E-mail: [email protected] 1. Introduction The first steps and activities for establishing medical physics educational and training schemes in Estonia from early nineties to 2003 were described in Kaunas conference [1]. For present moment (December 2004) there have been made changes in legislation and academic curricula for studying medical physics. A new Radiation Act [2] has been put into force since 1 May 2004, harmonizing more exactly the requirements adapted from EC directives 96/29/Euratom and 97/43/Euratom. The detailed requirements for using ionising radiation in medical radiology will be stated in Social Ministry Regulation which is in preparation stage yet. The situation has been changed also in hospitals, where the technological environment has been quickly developed (new digital radiology systems using phosphor plates, PACS etc), need for establishing quality management system for radiology departments and quality awareness of the leadership and the staff has been grown step by step on all levels. 2. Modified Curricula for Master Studies From the academic year 2002/2003, the University of Tartu (UT) started to apply a new 3+2 study system that embraces a three-year bachelor's program and a two -year master's program. The bachelor's and master's programs are conducted on the basis of curricula, which entail five years of nominal study. The bachelor’s programme is the first level of academic study, whereby the student enhances his/her general educational basis, acquires basic knowledge and skills in the speciality and knowledge and skills necessary for starting the master’s programme and work. The volume of the physics bachelor’s programme is 120 credits and the official standard study period is three years. Medical Technology Master-level study program at the University of Tartu [3] provides thorough and adequate knowledge, especially for development work in particular aspects of medical physics and biomedical engineering, skills to give professional consultations and an ability to do team-work in clinical environment and participate in project-work. The obligatory part of the Medical Technology curriculum (32 CP*) involves subjects for 12 CP common to all narrow fields of Applied Physics and subjects for 20 CP specific to the chosen narrow field, Medical Technology, with special emphasis in Radiation Physics. The curriculum also includes a course in the Methods of Professional Counselling (4 CP), Seminars for Master students (4 CP), Specialist Practical Training (8 CP) – including practice in clinical environment (e.g. in Tartu University Hospital), and Master's thesis (20 credit points). Optional subjects (from the special list of the Faculty of Physic and Chemistry of UT) are to be chosen in the scope of at least 8 CP and free subjects (subjects from other faculties of UT are also eligible) in the scope of 4 CP. A student accepted into a master level program is eligible to receive a Master level degree after the successful completion of approximately 80 Estonian credits, including the completion, defence and acceptance of a master's thesis. The completion of the master level program takes two years (four semesters). The aim of the Master-level study at Tallinn University of Technology [4] is to provide an interdisciplinary education, based mostly on information technology and life sciences, to integrate physical and biological knowledge with the principles of engineering for understanding the processes in human being and for the application of technology in improving health and quality of life. In this curriculum the main trend has been to combine life sciences and information technology. This programme is oriented to Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics - in the field of applying ionising and non-ionising radiation in medicine. The study program is aimed to deliver education at Master's degree level for biomedical engineers and medical physicists within the application areas in the hospitals, industry, academic institutions, medicalenvironmental institutions and others. The education should provide sufficient competence to enter the profession: 1) knowledge: appropriate knowledge of Biology and Medicine; appropriate scientific knowledge of Engineering/Physics; knowledge of application of Engineering/Physics to Medicine and Biology; knowledge of the ethical and regulatory framework; 2) skills: information technology skills; oral/written communication skills; research and development skills; organisational skills; ability to work as

*

CP - credit points, stands for national credits, one national credit corresponds to 1.5 ECTS. The credits used in the following text refer to the national credits.

part of a multidisciplinary team; 3) attitudes: professional attitude in a multidisciplinary environment; research principles and ethics; understanding of biomedical ethics. 3. Research Students can choose topics for Master or Doctoral thesis in the field of medical physic or biomedical engineering. Most recently (October 2004) a PhD thesis “Continuous non-invasive blood pressure measurement: comparative and methodological studies of differential servo-oscillometric method” was defended in this field by Jaak Talts at the University of Tartu. In the course of the SSI training project for Estonian medical physicists in 2003-2004 ten trainees were able to participate in clinical practice at Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge. The home-works of the trainees (in patient dosimetry in radiography, in methods for estimation of SNR of MRI, in CTDI and CT phantom interlaboratory comparisons etc) gave new ideas for completing their research for degree studies in the field of medical physics. BMTK of the University of Tartu is a participant in the European FP6 CA project SENTINEL (DIMOND III) “Safety and efficacy of diagnostic imaging techniques”. 4. Training Courses Two one-day retraining courses, both for more than 90 participants, for radiographers and medical physicists, “Patient dosimetry – advanced requirement and good practice in medical radiology” and “Radiation doses to patient in radiography and fluoroscopy”, respectively in October 2003 and November 2004, were organised by Radexpert Ltd in Tartu, where specialists from Training Centre of Medical Physics of UT, STUK, Tartu University Clinics, Radiation Protection Centre and Society of Radiographers held lectures, discussions and practical sessions. For next spring (May 2005) an advanced theoretical and practical training course in dose optimisation in digital radiology is planned for medical physicists and radiographers. 5. Future prospects EFOMP has issued guidelines for medical physics education and training [5] and development of national CPD and registration schemes. A helpful material and recommendations for developing our curricula for medical physics experts education is given in the European TEMPERE report [6]. A broad cooperation is foreseen from both sides in the framework of common Nordic-Baltic CPD scheme for hospital physicists. Closer contacts and cooperation is expected also between the universities, hospitals and relevant governmental bodies - the Ministry of Environment, Environmental Inspection Body, Radiation Protection Centre and Social Ministry - for ensuring adequate theoretical and practical training for the purpose of radiological practices, as well as relevant competence in radiation protection [7]. In the course of the international cooperation much practical experience has been collected Estonian universities and hospitals to improve their common task to prepare good specialists in the field of medical physics and radiation protection in clinical environment. 6. References 1. K. Kepler, K. Meigas, Education and training of medical physicists in Estonia, presentation at international conference “Education and training of medical physicists”, Kaunas, 7-8 April 2003. 2. Kiirgusseadus, RTI, 16.04.2004, 26, 173. 3. Studies Information Database, University of Tartu, http://www.ut.ee/orb.aw/class=file/action=preview/id=55265/%F5ppekavad.htm 4. Curricular register, Tallinn University of Technology, http://ar.va.ttu.ee/v/v/p/ois.akava_02r.nimekiri?TKOND=94 5. Radiation Protection of the Patient in Europe: The Training of the Medical Physics Expert in Radiation Physics or Radiation Technology, The European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics, Policy Statement Nr. 9, Physica Medica XV (1999), 149-153. 6. Towards a European Framework for Education and Training in Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Editor Z. Kolitsi, Studies in Health Technologies and Informatics, Volume 82, IOS Press, Amsterdam, 2001.

7. CEC, Guidelines on education and training in radiation protection for medical exposures,

Radiation Protection 116, Environment Directorate-General, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg, 2000.

Appendix 1

University of Tartu Master Studies Curriculum in Medical Technology (Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering) Obligatory subjects (32 CP) Joint subjects for all branches of Applied Physics (12 CP) Theoretical Physics (a review course) (4 CP) Master Course in Experimental Physics (4 CP) Micro-world physics II (4 CP) Subjects for Medical Technology branch (20 CP) Human Physiology (3 CP) Fundamentals of Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics (3 CP) Methods and Instrumentation for Medical Diagnostics and Therapy (3 CP) Radiations in Medicine (2 CP) Medical Technology Management (1 CP) Introduction to Medical Imaging (2 CP) Fundamentals of Signals and Systems I (2 CP) Computer-aided Measurements (2 CP) Principles of Electrical Engineering (2 CP) Methods of counselling (4 CP) Methodology of Consultative Work (4 CP) Optional subjects (at least 8 CP) Photoactive Materials (2 CP) Interaction of Ionising Radiation with Matter (2 CP) Optoelectronics of Solid Materials (4 CP) Applications of Solid State Electronics (2 CP) Signal Processing (4 CP) Microprocessors (4 CP) Technology of Telecommunications (4 CP) Computer Networks Hardware Practical (2 CP) Myometry (2 CP) Multimedia (3 CP) Magnetic Resonance Methods in Materials Science (2 CP) Free subjects (at least 4 CP) Master Seminar in Applied Physics (4 CP) Practical specialist training (8 CP) Master's thesis (20 CP) -------------------------------Total: 80 CP Degree to be awarded: Master of Science in Applied Physics

Appendix 2

Tallinn University of Technology Master Studies Curriculum in Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics General studies (2 CP ) Compulsory courses (2 CP ) Foreign Language for Science and Research Basic studies (7 CP ) Compulsory courses 7 CP Electromagnetic Fields and Waves Digital Signal and Image Processing Core studies (17 CP ) Compulsory courses 9,5 CP Anatomy and Physiology Mathematical Modelling Microwave and Optical Engineering Optional courses (at least 7,5 CP) Circuits, Systems, Signals Main Course of Programming Molecular and Cell Biology Systems Programming in C Operating Systems and Network Administrating Gene Technology I Biophysics Special studies (27 CP ) Specialization: 1 biomedical engineering and medical physics Compulsory courses 16 CP Biological Effects of Radiation Biomedical Instrumentation Physiological Signal Processing Physics of Medical Imaging Optional courses (at least 11 CP) Physiological Control and Adaptation Bioelectromagnetism Basic Neuroscience Professional Workshops and Presentations Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics - Project Quality Assurance in Radiology

2 CP

3,5 CP 3,5 CP

3 CP 3 CP 3,5 CP 3,5 CP 3,5 CP 6 CP 3,5 CP 3,5 CP 2,5 CP 1,5 CP

4 CP 4 CP 4 CP 4 CP 2 CP 5 CP 2,5 CP 3 CP 5 CP 4 CP

Practice (3 CP ) Compulsory courses 3 CP Practical Work 3 CP Graduation thesis (20 CP) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total: 80 CP Degree to be awarded: Master of Science in Natural Sciences