Happy New Year from the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine.

Kevin Hickson has been re-elected as President of ACPSEM for 2024, with Andrew Cousins continuing as Vice President, and Kym Rykers as Head of Specialties. This year we have also welcomed Di Robinson as CEO, following Sharon Flynn’s retirement in December 2023.

EPSM 2024

Events are at the forefront of our mind as we settle into the new year. Preparation is now in full swing for our annual conference, Engineering Physical Sciences in Medicine. For the first time since 2011, we are joining forces with Engineers Australia and their Biomedical Engineering College, to combine our scientific meetings into one joint conference. Engineering and Physical Sciences in Medicine and Australian Biomedical Engineering Conference (EPSM-ABEC 2024) will run from 17 – 20 November at the Grand Hyatt, Melbourne. The program will boast a world-class line up of international and local speakers, and we extend a warm invite to you, our Asian Medical Physics Colleagues, to join us. You can subscribe to the EPSM mailing list via epsm.org.au to receive key updates around abstracts, program and registration.

IUPESM 2025

On behalf of Engineers Australia, the Australian College of Physical and Engineering Scientists in Medicine, the International Union for Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine, the International Organization for Medical Physics and the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering, we are excited to extend this invitation to an event that promises to be a milestone in the realms of Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics. In the ever-evolving landscape of medicine and healthcare, the fusion of leading research and technological innovation is taking towards a future where the boundaries are beyond what any of us may have imagined just a few years ago. The 2025 IUPSEM World Congress, in Adelaide, South Australia, is your gateway to the opportunities with which we are presented. The Congress Theme is aligned with worldwide initiatives of equitable healthcare in a sustainable world: Bridging the Gap: Science, Technology, and Clinical Practice for a Sustainable World.

Join the brightest minds from around the world and network with scientists, engineers, researchers, innovators, and corporations in this fantastic opportunity to expand your endeavours. The conference will provide a unique opportunity to make new acquaintances in an environment where they will be sharing the very latest research, technologies and thinking that stands to collectively shape the future of healthcare delivery.

Mark your calendars and begin your preparations to join us in Adelaide between September 29th and October 4th 2025.

Please visit https://wc2025.org/ to register your interest.

DELIVERY AND DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED CERTIFICATION COURSES

ACPSEM’s second ever MR Safety Expert (MRSE) Course began in October 2023, following a hiatus to refine the content of the 2020 pilot in accordance with participant feedback and trends in best practice online education. Interest was overwhelming and 19 candidates enrolled, including a radiologist and radiographer. The 12-month course combines pre-recorded lectures, live webinars, and assessments ranging from MCQs to practical tasks. This certification is an alternative to the American MRSE course and is the first in Australia.

Work is also underway on an Advanced Brachytherapy Certification, which will be launched in mid-2023. The ACPSEM Particle Therapy Working Group has also just approved the Learning Outcomes for a Level 3 Particle Therapy Certification Course. An online Level 1 Particle Therapy Certification Course, has been running since 2022 and is designed as an entry level course for Medical Physics Trainees and Professional Development tool for qualified Radiation Oncology Medical Physicists.

Our office and volunteers across our education and professional groups are hard at work putting together a calendar of specialty webinars. Keep an eye on our website and social media for these announcements.

Again, we wish all our colleagues a prosperous 2024 and look forward to another year of successful connection and collaboration.