IDMP 2021 Promotional Activities from Malaysia

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple online events run concurrently, our association decided to publish a newspaper article introducing the IDMP and roles of medical physicists to the public. The article was published on the day of IDMP in a local Chinese newspaper, attached with a cartoon sketched by a medical physics colleague. A copy of the article and its English version is attached below.

保健

国际医学物理节知多少？

2021年11月07日

整理|游燕燕

今天是国际医学物理节，对于所有医学物理领域的工作者来说是一个神圣的日子。

2013年，国际医学物理组织将每年的11月7日定为国际医学物理节，为的是要提升医学物理学家对于病人福祉所扮演角色的体认。今年的主题设定为 “向公众宣传医学物理学家的角色”。

为什么是11月7日？因为1867年11月7日，这个国际节的主角诞生了。她就是对放射性进行开拓性研究的玛丽居里（Marie Sklodowska-Curie）。诞生于波兰的她，对于放射性的研究为医学物理奠定了基础，在她的指导下，人们第一次将放射性同位素用于治疗肿瘤。

默默在幕后工作

大部分人对医学物理学家感到陌生是情有可原的，因为他们通常不直接与患者互动，而是默默地在幕后工作。

医学物理学家是放射医学综合医疗团队的成员，他们拥有相关的专业知识和技术，可安全和准确地使用辐射，以实现诊断或治疗的规定医疗程序的最佳结果。他们评估辐射剂量与患者的相关风险，尤其是孕妇和儿童。此外，他们在辐射防护教育和培训中也发挥着重要作用，并参与研究和开发以改善患者护理。

暴露辐射危险中

如果没有合格的医学物理学家负责实施医学放射程序，可能会导致以下事件：

• 患者可能接受不正确的剂量，这可能会危及医疗的成功或诊断的质量。
• 医务人员和公众可能处于无意或不必要的辐射暴露危险中。

Healthcare

How much do you know about the International Day of Medical Physics?

November 07, 2021

Journalist | You Yanyan

Today is the International Day of Medical Physics, a sacred day for all workers in the field of medical physics.

In 2013, the International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP) designated November 7^th of every year as the International Day of Medical Physics (IDMP), in order to enhance the understanding of the roles played by a medical physicist. This year’s theme is set to “promote the role of medical physicists to the public.”

Why is it November 7^th? Because on November 7, 1867, the protagonist of this international festival was born. She is Madam Marie Sklodowska-Curie, who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. Born in Poland, her research on radioactivity laid the foundation for medical physics. Under her guidance, people used radioisotopes to treat tumors for the first time.

Work Silently Behind the Scenes

Most people are forgiven for being unfamiliar with medical physicists, because they usually do not interact directly with patients, but work silently behind the scenes.

Medical physicists are members of the comprehensive medical team of diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy. They have the relevant expertise and knowledge in using radiation safely and accurately to achieve the best results of the prescribed medical procedures for diagnosis or treatment. They assess radiation doses and associated risks to patients and personnel, especially for pregnant women and children. In addition, they also play an important role in radiation protection education and training, and participate in research and development to improve patient care.

Exposure to Radiation Hazards

Without a clinically qualified medical physicist, the implementation of medical radiation procedures can lead to the following events:

• the patient may receive an incorrect dose which can jeopardize the success of the medical treatment or the quality of diagnosis.
• the medical staff and the public might be in danger of inadvertent or unnecessary radiation exposure.