MEDICAL PHYSICS INTERNATIONAL Journal, vol.1, No.1, 2013EDITORIALPerry SprawlsAtlanta, USA, Co-Editor <strong>Medical</strong> Physics InternationalOne <strong>of</strong> the dynamics that has a major effect on the<strong>medical</strong> <strong>physics</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>ession is the rapid development <strong>of</strong>both <strong>medical</strong> imaging and therapeutic technology andmethods and the growing deployment in virtually everycountry in the world.The <strong>medical</strong> <strong>physics</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>ession is rapidly becoming aconnected global community and this journal, <strong>Medical</strong>Physics International, will be serving as a very activenode in that network. There are many issues andactivities relating to <strong>medical</strong> <strong>physics</strong> that benefit fromcommunicating and sharing. Many other journals andconferences provide for the publication and presentation<strong>of</strong> research reports and results, and that will not be anactivity <strong>of</strong> this journal.In principle we will be filling some <strong>of</strong> the voidsespecially relating to pr<strong>of</strong>essional development, educationmethodology and resources, practical applied <strong>physics</strong>,and the preservation <strong>of</strong> our history and heritage.This is creating a special need for <strong>physics</strong> educationspecificallythe <strong>physics</strong> knowledge and experience tosupport clinical procedures in both diagnostic imagingand therapy. This is not the <strong>physics</strong> knowledge recordedin textbooks and provided in traditional <strong>medical</strong> <strong>physics</strong>educational programs. It is the knowledge derived frompresent-day experience with the new technologies andmethods.<strong>Medical</strong> physicists and our clinical colleagues around theworld will benefit when this experience and knowledge isshared. For us as a pr<strong>of</strong>ession that is not only a challengebut an opportunity.A specific goal <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medical</strong> Physics International is toconnect our global community especially with the sharing<strong>of</strong> experience and educational resources.8
MEDICAL PHYSICS INTERNATIONAL Journal, vol.1, No.1, 2013EDITORIALSlavik D TabakovDept. <strong>Medical</strong> Engineering and Physics, King’s College London, UK, Vice-President IOMP, Co-Editor <strong>Medical</strong> Physics Internationalthe Editorial Board, specially mentioning the web sitecreated by the Technical Editors. The fact that this firstissue was compiled only for 3 months shows also theappreciation <strong>of</strong> the <strong>medical</strong> <strong>physics</strong> community.During the last 15 years the number <strong>of</strong> <strong>medical</strong> physicistsglobally increased with some 40%. This is directly linkedwith the increased attention to <strong>medical</strong> <strong>physics</strong> educationand training. Alongside with the established educationand new training schemes <strong>of</strong> USA and UK, many othercountries opened new educational activities in the field.Following the first International Conference on <strong>Medical</strong>Physics Education (Budapest 1994) <strong>medical</strong> <strong>physics</strong>courses in Europe doubled, especially in Eastern Europe;the rapid development <strong>of</strong> such courses in Asia is clearlyseen in the myriad <strong>of</strong> regional Conferences; ALFIM inLatin America puts its emphasis in education; IOMP isnow helping FAMPO to start a program for pr<strong>of</strong>essionaldevelopment in Africa, etc.Several EU projects, supported also by EFOMP andIOMP, developed new e-learning materials, now used inmany countries, as well as the first e-Encyclopaedia <strong>of</strong><strong>Medical</strong> Physics with Multilingual Dictionary <strong>of</strong> terms,used currently by almost 9000 colleagues per month. Thecollaboration between IOMP and the publisher Taylor &Francis opened a new book Series in <strong>Medical</strong> Physics andBio<strong>medical</strong> Engineering.All these activities show a growing emphasis onpr<strong>of</strong>essional and education activities and this way thecreation <strong>of</strong> the new pr<strong>of</strong>essional Journal <strong>of</strong> the IOMP<strong>Medical</strong> Physics International (MPI) was a logicalconsequence <strong>of</strong> this line <strong>of</strong> events, triggered at the WorldCongress in Beijing (WC2012).The quick start <strong>of</strong> the Journal was possible with the fullsupport <strong>of</strong> the IOMP Executive Committee and thePresident Pr<strong>of</strong>. KY Cheung, and with the hard work <strong>of</strong><strong>Medical</strong> Physics is a very dynamic pr<strong>of</strong>ession. Its rapidgrowth is supported by the need <strong>of</strong> healthcare, but at thesame time this creates tension for the workforce toconstantly follow the new developments. MPI Journalwill invite educational papers describing new methodsand equipment in a way useful for teaching. Theeducational resources will also include publications fromleading Laboratories and industry about their newestdevelopments.<strong>Medical</strong> Physics is both innovative and practicalpr<strong>of</strong>ession. A number <strong>of</strong> very useful methods with directpractical application are being constantly developed. TheMPI Journal will present a forum for sharing suchexpertise, which can also be very useful for the practicaltraining <strong>of</strong> young <strong>medical</strong> physicists.Support for the pr<strong>of</strong>essional development <strong>of</strong> existing andnew <strong>medical</strong> <strong>physics</strong> societies is another MPI focus. Thecurrent IOMP achievement in this field – the inclusion <strong>of</strong><strong>medical</strong> physicists in the International Classification forStandard Occupations – is a milestone for thepr<strong>of</strong>essional recognition in many countries. MPI willshare information and provide guidance in the field aswell.Alongside pr<strong>of</strong>essional and educational information, MPIwill also publish PhD abstracts, and Conferenceproceedings, thus creating an information hub for quickorientation in the leading trends <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>ession. Thesecond issue <strong>of</strong> the MPI will include the abstracts <strong>of</strong> theInternational Conference on <strong>Medical</strong> Physics ICMP2013,Brighton, UK, celebrating the 50th anniversary <strong>of</strong> theIOMP.All MPI information will be available free on Internet andwe believe that the new Journal will soon become notonly the voice <strong>of</strong> the IOMP, but also a global media for<strong>medical</strong> physicists.9
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