Improving Health Through Medical Physics
Improving Health Through Medical Physics
I had the distinct pleasure of visiting my mentor, Sal Trofi, on a recent trip to Florida. Sal served as AAPM's Executive Director from 1993-2003 and oversaw the HQ move from New York City to the American Center for Physics and the complete staff turnover. He assembled an amazing group of association professionals, the foundation for the crew we have today! I attribute much of the success of AAPM's HQ team to Sal. He established a unique HQ culture that I've strived to continue. His legacy lives on! I am pleased to report that Sal and his wife Ingrid are living very busy and fulfilling lives in Venice, Florida. I think Sal was most excited to hear about the new HQ office and see pictures of the beautiful facility. It was very rewarding to share this with my mentor. He sends his regards to the many AAPM members that he interacted with during his 10-year service to the organization.
At their March 2017 meeting, the AAPM Board of Directors approved the purchase of a new Association Management System (AMS) with integrated Financial Management System (FMS), the main business software for the organization. The recommendation came from TG 285 - Task Group on AAPM Association Management System chaired by AAPM Treasurer Mahadevappa Mahesh. AAPM's current system, IMPAK/APAK, has been in place since 1996. The decision was prompted in part by the sale of the software company to another vendor that was not offering a package that met AAPM's requirements.
The new systems we are installing are Microsoft Dynamics 360 GP (formerly Great Plains) as our FMS, and Abila Netforum Enterprise as our AMS. As I write this article in mid-February, we are almost at 'Go Live' for the FMS with all records converted and training being finalized. The AMS contracts have been signed and implementation has begun. The AMS software is installed, the first round of data conversion has been performed and now work on configuration and customization is about to begin with a "Go Live" scheduled for second week of May. This is a huge investment and undertaking, but I'm very pleased and proud of how the AAPM HQ team has managed this process. The next few months will be very busy, especially for the Information Services and Finance teams as we strive to build out functionality in the new system that meets or exceeds the tools provided by the old system.
This program has been established to recognize and cultivate outstanding researchers at an early stage in their careers, with the goal of promoting a long-term commitment to science within AAPM. The program uses the process of 'shadowing' to integrate the Associates into the scientific activities of the organization. The program will include six Associates, each assigned to shadow one member from the AAPM Science Council, Research Committee, Therapy Physics Committee, Imaging Physics Committee, or Technology Assessment Committee. SC Associates will participate in the program for one year and would be funded for up to $4000 per Associate (to cover travel costs including flight, hotel, and meeting registration) to attend two consecutive AAPM Annual Meetings.
View additional information and access the online application
The AAPM Fellowship for the training of a doctoral candidate in the field of Medical Physics is awarded for the first two years of graduate study leading to a doctoral degree in Medical Physics. Both BSc. and MS holders are eligible to apply. A stipend of $13,000 per year, plus tuition support not exceeding $5,000 per year will be assigned to the recipient.
Graduate study must be undertaken in a Medical Physics Doctoral Degree program accredited by the CAMPEP.
View additional information and access the online application
Three $25,000 grants will be awarded to provide funds to develop exciting investigator-initiated concepts, which will hopefully lead to successful longer term project funding from the NIH or equivalent funding sources.
Funding for grant recipients will begin on July 1 of the award year. Research results will be submitted for presentation at future AAPM meetings.
Applicants must be a member of AAPM at time of application (any membership category).
View additional information and access the online application
Best Medical will provide five fellowships in the amount of $1,000 each, to be used for travel, food and lodging expenses to attend the 2018 AAPM 60th Annual Meeting & Exhibition. AAPM will provide complimentary Annual Meeting registration for each recipient, including social function tickets.
View additional information and access the online application
Mark your calendars for four upcoming AAPM meetings:
The Spring Clinical Meeting program is available online. Also, note that several AAPM groups plan to meet during the 2018 AAPM Spring Clinical Meeting. A list of AAPM activities is available online. Please make time during the meeting to visit the vendors and thank them for their support of AAPM and the Medical Physics profession.
Plan to attend this 1.5-day workshop and consider alternate approaches to the teaching of Medical Physics and the results of research into how people learn. Workshop presenters will be those who have demonstrated what works in the teaching of Medical Physics, and experts in the field of the science of learning and project-based learning.
View program and registration opens April 4!
This 2.5-day course will provide an overview of the state-of-the-art image-guidance techniques employed in radiation therapy. This course is beneficial to medical physicists at different stages in their careers who would like to know about current image guidance techniques and modalities, including non-ionizing-radiation ones. Please take a moment to review the program outline for more details of material to be covered.
This year's program focusing on "Beyond the Future" will be held in the new Music City Center in the heart of downtown Nashville.
Congratulations to Erik and Lisa "G" Schober on the January 19 arrival of their twins Reilly Sophia and Lucas Marshall. The babies are doing fabulous and big brother Gunnar is adjusting well to his new role. Mom and Dad are a bit sleep deprived but are acclimating to being "Schober Party of 5." Lisa G will return to the office on April 16. Yes, I am counting! And, as if she wasn't busy enough over the past year, Lisa G is now a Certified Association Executive (CAE). The CAE designation is offered by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) through a very rigorous process. According to ASAE:
"The CAE credential is the marker of a committed association professional who has demonstrated the wide range of knowledge essential to manage an association in today's challenging environment."
She is now Lisa Schober, CAE! I am so very proud of her accomplishment and her commitment to the association management profession.
Join me in wishing Robert McKoy and his bride, Denise, many happy years as husband and wife. The couple wed on Friday, January 26 with many of the AAPM HQ team in attendance. It was wonderful to share in this special time with Robert and Denise, meet his four children and other family members, including his father.
Who does what on the AAPM HQ Team? See a list with contact information and brief descriptions of responsibilities online. An Organization Chart is also provided.
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