Md. Mokhlesur Rahman, Tafiqul Islam
The 24th Asia-Oceania Congress of Medical Physics (AOCMP) and the 22nd Southeast Asia Congress of Medical Physics (SEACOMP) were held from October 10 to 13, 2024, in Penang, Malaysia, under the theme “Revolutionizing Patient Care through Medical Physics.” The event, held at The Wembley – A St Giles Hotel, gathered medical physicists, researchers, and healthcare professionals from across the Asia-Oceania region. The congress included keynote lectures, workshops, panel discussions, and poster presentations across areas such as radiology, radiation oncology, nuclear medicine, and advancements in artificial intelligence applications in medical physics. Key highlights included the John Cameron Memorial Lecture by Prof. Larry DeWerd, which emphasized the importance of medical physics in preclinical research, and the Kiyonari Inamura Oration by Prof. Youngyih Han, who shared insights on finding purpose in the field of medical physics. Interactive sessions such as the Presidents’ Symposium also took place, focusing on the challenges and advances in medical physics education, training, and the need for standardization in clinical practices.
The AFOMP Award Ceremony 2024 was conducted by Prof. Dr. Hasin Anupoma Hazaria, Vice President of AFOMP. The awards were presented across six categories. The 14th AOCMP had participants from nine countries who received the AFOMP Travel Award 2024.From Bangladesh, BMPS Secretary, Mr. Jobairul Islam as a proffered paper presenter, Joint Secretary, Md. Mokhlesur Rahman and the 4th members have participated in the AOCMP2024. Md. Mokhlesur Rahman and Sadia Afrin Sarah had the opportunity of AFOMP Travel Award 2024 to present their papers at the conference. Additionally, BMPS member Suresh Poudel from Nepal was awarded the AFOMP Award Certificate 2024, and Professor Sung Sil Chu received the AFOMP Best Student Publication Award. BMPS member Rustam Ali was honored with the MYCEB Travel Award, while BMPS member Tanny Bepari received the IUPAP AOCMP Travel Award 2024.
The AFOMP Council Meeting was held on October 12th at the conference venue, where the annual report was presented to members. As the Joint Secretary of BMPS, it was an excellent experience for me to participate in this meeting. Dr. Kuo Men, Chief of the Medical Physics Division in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, received the Golam Abu Zakaria AFOMP Best Young Leadership Award 2024. Jangwon Byun was awarded the AFOMP Best Journal Paper Award 2024. The AFOMP Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 was presented to Dr. Hossien Mozdarani (IAMP). Dr. Ashleigh Hull (ACPSEM) received the AFOMP Best PhD Award 2024, and Dr. Balbir Singh (AMPI) was honored with the AFOMP Best PhD Award in Radiobiology 2024.
This year’s AOCMP-SEACOMP not only provided a platform for professional networking and knowledge-sharing but also highlighted the evolving role of medical physics in enhancing patient care and safety, reflecting the spirit of innovation driving the medical physics community in the Asia-Oceania region. I gained valuable insights from expert presentations and explored innovative products at various booths, such as Al contouring, image deformation technologies and SGRT systems. Connecting with my old batch mates and making new friends was a highlight of the experience.
I am thankful for the opportunity to participate in this conference, as well as the insights and connections we gained throughout the event!