MO‐E‐211A‐01: Professional Doctor of Medical Physics

There has been and continues to be a dynamic dialogue concerning the establishment of a professional doctorate in medical physics (DMP). The AAPM created a working group in the spring of 2008 tasked with assessing the impact of a DMP degree on the education, research, and clinical practice of medical physics. This working group submitted their report to the AAPM Board of Directors the summer of 2008 outlining many of the potential ramifications the DMP may have on the profession of medical physics. Among the implications to be considered if the DMP degree becomes a reality are: impact on existing Masters medical physics programs; impact on Ph.D. medical physics programs; impact on post‐doctoral programs; impact on the quality of patient care; impact on medical physics residency programs; and the impact on the professional standing of medical physics. Since 2008 some academic institutions have or are in the process of creating DMP graduate programs. This potential new pathway toward a career in medical physics will also impact credentialing organizations such as CAMPEP (Commission of Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs) and the ABR (American Board of Radiology).