Australiasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine

 High Risk Prostate Cancer Workshop

Henry Jones Art Hotel
Hobart, Tasmania
 9-10 November 2012

The Faculty of Radiation Oncology Genito-Urinary Group (FROGG) is a special interest group under the Faculty in RANZCR, with the aims to promote good radio-therapeutic and oncological practice as part of multidisciplinary patient management.
FROGG is organising a High Risk Prostate Cancer Workshop at Henry Jones Art Hotel in Hobart, Tasmania on 9th and 10th of November 2012, to address the controversies surrounding management of high risk prostate cancer. FROGG would like to extend an invitation to radiation oncology medical physicists, who they believe would benefit from the workshop.

For more information please visit: http://www.frogg2012.com.au

eLearning Platform unavailable on Monday 19^th of March 2012

After recent events affecting our website platforms, we are continuing our work to prevent future disruptions including an attempt to upgrade the ACPSEM e-learning platform, which will result in this system being unavailable on Monday 19 March.

The upgraded version  potentially offers increased flexibility and functionality for members, as well as improved back-up and security features.

Users are able to access the elearning site until 5am EDST on Monday 18 March. All courses, profiles and settings will be backed up before upgrading commences. We would appreciate it if all users refrain from trying to access the site while upgrading and testing is being undertaken. The elearning platform will be available again to all users on Tuesday 20^th of March.

We appreciate your patience and assistance. If you have any questions regarding the upgrade, please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Royal Adelaide Hospital's 4th Modelling of Tumours Meeting

MOT 2012

2nd to 4th August

Hotel Grand Chancellor, Adelaide

If the last 3 meetings were anything to go by, this MOT meeting will be one not to be missed. It will be a dedicated and specific experience in the world of biological and radiobiological modelling. Don’t miss you chance to meet with world renowned names such as Prof Michael Joiner (USA) and A/Prof Robert Stewart (USA). 

• Thursday 2nd August: Evening Reception
• Friday 3rd August: Full Day Meeting and Dinner
• Saturday 4th August: Half Day Meeting

Registration $350 (inc GST) which includes the opening reception and meeting dinner.

Abstract Deadline: 8th June

Registration Deadline: 22nd June

To register your interest or for further information, please visit the website: www.rah.sa.gov.au/cancer/mot.php

On Australia Day, Professor Jagan Mazumdar received the AM in the Order of Australia. The award is in recognition of service to applied mathematics and biomedical engineering as a researcher and education and for services to the Indian community.

Professor Mazumdar is a Retired Fellow of ACPSEM, first joining the College in 1979. He has served on the ACPSEM Council and has been the South Australia Branch Chair.

We congratulate Professor Mazumdar on his well deserved award and recognition.

The Tripartite Committee is the peak group in Radiation Oncology, representing the three key professions involved in radiotherapy:

• The Faculty of Radiation Oncology (FRO), the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR);
• Australian Institute of Radiography (AIR);
• The Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ASPSEM)

In 2008, the Tripartite Committee developed the Radiation Oncology Practice Standards with funding and support from the Department of Health and Ageing. The document presents 16 standards developed for Radiation Oncology Practices, to assist facilities to achieve best practice by providing a framework of requirements. It is expected that radiation oncology facilities will find these standards useful in the establishment and delivery of radiation oncology treatment services. It is also hoped that these standards will allow Australian facilities to be set up in a consistent manner enabling common data collection and participation in national and international trials.

In addition a Supplementary Guide was developed in May-June 2011 for new facilities. The Supplementary Guide incorporates useful information that can assist radiotherapy facilities in implementing and working towards achieving the Standards.

The Tripartite Radiation Oncology Practice Standards and Supplementary Guide were officially launched at the DoHA Quality in Radiation Oncology Symposium held in Melbourne on 10 August 2011.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, the Faculty of Radiation Oncology, Australian Institute of Radiography and the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine, have received Australian Government funding support for the development and publication of the Radiation Oncology Practice Standards and Supplementary Guide.

Please view the Tripartite Radiation Oncology Practice Standards and Tripartite Radiation Oncology Practice Standards Supplementary Guide here. For a hardcopy of these documents please contact the ACPSEM office.

ACPSEM Office Update – July 2011

Aside from receiving membership invoices, have you been wondering how the ACPSEM is going with its large workload of training and education projects, membership commitments and other supporting activities? This monthly update is designed to bring to the ACPSEM membership a snapshot of the issues and activities that are being addressed or progressed on your behalf.
If you would like further information on any of the matters below, or wish to discuss other aspects of membership, training or continuing professional development, please don’t hesitate to contact the General Manager, Gary Disher on 02 9700 8522.

ACPSEM office Update July 2011

The 2011 summer school on functional imaging in radiotherapy will be run just prior to EPSM 2011 in Darwin on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th of August at the Crowne Plaza in Darwin.

While the primary target audience are medical  physic registrars, all ACPSEM members can benefit.

You can also email Amy ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or you have further questions.

Summer School Infomation 2011

Summer School Registration Form 2011

ACPSEM summer school 2011: Functional Imaging in Radiation Oncology Program

The President and Council of the ACPSEM wish to extend their congratulations to Lyn Oliver on his achievement of an Order of Australia announced in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Associate Professor Lynne Douglas OLIVER has been recognised with an award (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia, for service to medical physics in the field of radiation oncology, and through executive roles with the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine, and to professional associations.

Lyn began his association with the College in 1975 when he was part of the steering committee to create the Australasian College of Physical Scientists in Medicine – now ACPSEM, the professional organization for Medical Physicists. This was followed by his being appointed as the Inaugural Honorary Secretary, 1978-1982. It wasn’t long afterwards that Lyn became Vice-President, (2002-2003) followed by President (2004-2005) and then Head of Operations from 2006-2007.

 
Registration is now open for the 36th ARPS Conference
Crown Promenade Hotel, Melbourne from 16 - 19 October 2011.
 

REGISTER NOW AT EARLY BIRD PRICES!
Early Bird Registrations are now open until Friday 5 August 2011.

The committee is currently assembling an excellent technical program.
Each day will include keynote and concurrent sessions incorporating elements
of the conference theme 'Risk Perceptions: Safety & Security'.
The program will also include a pre conference workshop and post conference tour to The Australian Synchrotron and ARPANSA.
Please click here for all registration details
and to access the online registration form.
 

THE CALL FOR ABSTRACTS HAS BEEN EXTENDED!

Abstract submissions have been extended until 24 June 2011.

Please click here for more details and to download the Call for Abstracts
 

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES SELLING FAST!

Limited sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Be quick to secure your package!

Please click here for more information or contact
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for a Sponsorship Prospectus
 

We look forward to receiving your abstract submissions
and welcoming you to the 36th ARPS Conference in Melbourne.

For more information please visit the
36th ARPS Conference Website
 

http://www.arpsconference.com.au/2011/

The final RORIC Communiqués from the RORIC meetings of 12 November 2010 and  8 April 2011, both held in Melbourne are now available for viewing.

RORIC Communique 12 November 2010

RORIC Communique 8 April 2011

ESTRO Endorsed Radiobiology Course
Rotorua
30 October – 3 November 2011
Early registration closes 31 July

The aim of the Basic Clinical Radiobiology Course is to provide an introduction to radiation biology as applied to radiotherapy. It will cover the basic mechanisms of cell death/survival and the radiation response of tumours and normal tissues. Formulas of tissue tolerance will be explained. The biological basis for current approaches to the improvement of radiotherapy will be described including novel fractional schemes, retreatment, conformal radiotherapy, modification of hypoxia and combined radiotherapy/ chemotherapy.

This is a highly regarded course which sold out when it ran in Sydney in 2009.

See http://www.nzradbio2011.org/ for more information

As per the invitation from ARPANSA below, the College and the Specialty Groups are interested in providing a profession wide comment to ARPANSA on the currency of three Safety Guides (Safety Guide for Radiation Protection in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology 2008; Safety Guide for Radiation Protection in Nuclear Medicine 2008; and Safety Guide for Radiation Protection in Radiotherapy 2008) that supplement the Code of Practice for Radiation Protection in the Medical Applications of Ionizing Radiation (RPS 14).

You are invited you to submit comments to the Chair of your Specialty Group. These would then be collated to a College response.

Please provide your comments by Wednesday 15 June to your Specialty Chair:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Radiology)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Nuclear Medicine)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Radiation Oncology)

ARPANSA would like to draw your attention to the current comment period concerning the review of the three Safety Guides (Safety Guide for Radiation Protection in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology 2008; Safety Guide for Radiation Protection in Nuclear Medicine 2008; and Safety Guide for Radiation Protection in Radiotherapy 2008) that supplement the Code of Practice for Radiation Protection in the Medical Applications of Ionizing Radiation (RPS 14).

ARPANSA invites comments on any aspects of these Safety Guides, including the need for improvements in clarity or detail, any provisions that are difficult to put into practice, or instances where better or more up to date advice than that given in the Safety Guides may be more appropriate. Comments should be made via the webpage Review of Safety Guides – Comments before 1 July 2011. ARPANSA also encourages you to let your members know about this request for comment.

The Radiation Health Committee will review comments received and determine whether revision of the Safety Guides is necessary.

 Summer School registration is now open.

To register please return the Summer School Registration Form 2011 to the ACPSEM office.

For more infomation please see Summer School Infomation 2011

On 18 September 2009, the Commonwealth engaged The Allen Consulting Group to provide consultancy services to undertake a review of the Training, Education and Accreditation Program (TEAP) for Radiation Oncology Medical Physicists (ROMPs).

The objective of this consultancy was to inform the Commonwealth, states and territories and the profession on the operation of TEAP since its commencement in 2003 in order to determine whether the current arrangements meet the training needs of the profession. The consultancy also provided advice to potentially assist the preparation of TEAP for accreditation by relevant jurisdictional bodies and other relevant government agencies.

The consultancy has now been completed and the Department has taken delivery of the Final Report from Allen Consulting which provides recommendations for improvement to TEAP and strategies for future development.

For further infomation please see http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-ro-teap-finalreport

The 6th Japan-Korean Joint Meeting on Medical Physics (JKMP)
The 11th Asia-Oceania Congress of Medical Physics (AOCMP)

http://www.jkmp-aocmp2011.org/index.html
September 29 to October 1, 2011 in Fukuoka, Japan
Deadline for abstract/proceeding submission: June 12, 2011

Dear Colleague,
On behalf of Japan Society of Medical Physics, we would like to express our sincere compassion to the victims of the Great Tohoku Earthquake, and we would like to recognize the warm concerns sent from medical physics societies overseas to our society. In spite of the terrible damages the northern region of Japan has suffered, we would like to announce that we have decided to host the 6th Japan-Korea Joint Meeting on Medical Physics and the 11th Asia-Oceania Congress of Medical Physics in the City of Fukuoka, where fortunately there has been no damage from the earthquake. We genuinely hope these meetings will be successful and will become a step to reconstruction.

In the Pre-Congress Course, prominent speakers from all over the world will give educational lectures and special lectures. In the main congress, researchers from Japan, Korea and other Asian countries will discuss about the rapidly progressing field of medical physics. The main topic of the main congress is the recent Fukushima nuclear power plant explosion and radiation in Japan. Experts in nuclear engineering and medical physics will describe the accident that led to damage at the nuclear plant and what the risks are to public health of radiation releases. Themes of the main congress are radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, radiation protection the related topics.

Please be reminded that the deadline for the Joint Congress of 6th JKMP and 11th AOCMP abstract and paper submission is June 12, 2011.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Fukuoka.

Sincerely yours,

Masahiro Endo, Ph.D.
President,
The 6th Japan-Korean Joint Meeting on Medical Physics

Fukai Toyofuku, Ph.D.
Congress Chair, The
11th Asia-Oceania Congress of Medical Physics

Expressions of interest are being sought from medical physics seeking to become accredited in Radiological Physics.

 
EOI will be received up until 5:00pm Sunday 1st May 2011.

Expressions must be accompanied by a non refundable deposit of $55 which will be deducted from the accreditation fee should the application be successful.

Please see the Radiology Physics Accreditation - Candidate's Kit 2011

For further infomation please see https://www.acpsem.org.au/index.php/psb-mainmenu/accreditation-about/radiology-about

This report provides a high level overview of the workforce supply and demand for Victorian medical radiation services over the next 20 years. The medical radiation workforce demand estimates are mainly derived from population ratios, service utilisation and effective infrastructure methods. The projection of workforce supply is based on various data sources and applies a ‘stocks and flows’ methodology. The supply and demand modelling is produced for three streams of medical radiations: radiation oncology, medical imaging and nuclear medicine. Within these streams, nine medical radiation professions are modelled, applying the common assumption of ‘business as usual’ during the projection period (2010–2030). Data regarding current supply and workforce characteristics were collected from a number of sources, including surveys. These were combined with demand data to project required supply.

The modelling also identifies the number of workforce entrants required each year in order to achieve the required supply.

For the full article please read Victorian Medical Radiations Workforce Supply and Demand Projections (2010-2030)

Call for Expressions of Interest for the 2011 Summer School on Functional Imaging

This year the 2011 Summer School will be held in Darwin on the 12th and 13th August. The topic will be Functional Imagining. Places are strictly limited to maintain an interactive atmosphere. Medical physics registrars (of all disciplines) will be given priority but anyone interested in attending should register their interest NOW with This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it