Physicist

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY:

Medical Physicists are responsible for management of all physical aspects of patients’ treatment so as to enable the accurate delivery of radiotherapy treatments in a safe, cost effective and expedient manner, management of all radiation sources and comprehensive radiation safety programming, assessment of new radiation oncology treatment planning and delivery techniques and assessment of equipment for clinical efficacy and planning for programmatic/clinical resourcing in collaboration with radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, and administrators. Medical Physicists are active within inter-disciplinary working groups and have ongoing involvement in clinical and/or academic research and development. Medical Physicists report to the Director, Medical Physics.

Medical Physicists collaborate with other Medical Physicists, Physicians, Engineers, Medical Dosimetrists, Radiation Therapists, Radiologic Technologists, Nurses, Information Technology Professionals, and Administrative Staff. Successful integration as a member of the healthcare team requires that a Medical Physicist have comprehensive knowledge of many aspects of patient care, even if the specific task is typically performed by another professional team member. Medical Physicists have a detailed knowledge of how fundamental physical principles are applied to medicine and leverage that knowledge to develop protocols to optimize both quality of care and operational efficiencies. 

Radiation includes both ionizing and nonionizing radiation such as electromagnetic radiation, particulate radiation, and ultrasound. In the clinical setting, this involves the use of ionizing or nonionizing radiation in the delivery of radiation oncology treatments, simulation, diagnostic medical imaging, nuclear medicine, or MRI examinations and procedures.

The following Specific Accountabilities and Key Responsibilities are based on the “Scope of Practice for Canadian Certified Medical Physicists” document published by the Professional Affairs Committee of the Canadian Organization of Medical Physicist (www.comp-ocpm.ca, 2015) and the “AAPM medical physics practice guideline 10.a.: Scope of practice for clinical medical physics” document (American Association of Medical Physicists (AAPM), 2018). 

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

Degrees, Licensure, and/or Certification:

• M.Sc.*(C) with two year Medical Physics Residency (C), OR 
• Ph.D.*(C) with two year Medical Physics Residency (C), OR 
• M.Sc.*(C) with three years clinical experience following degree, OR 
• Ph.D.*(C) with three years clinical experience following degree, OR 
• M.Sc. with two year Medical Physics Residency (C), OR 
• Ph.D. with two year Medical Physics Residency (C)
• Membership in the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine an asset.
• A combination of education and experience will be considered.

Skills

• Experience in machine commissioning, 3-D, IMRT and VMAT treatment planning, HDR brachytherapy, radiation safety and project management.
• Critical thinker, able to build and implement clinical projects based on departmental priorities.
• Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication including the ability to manage time, change and conflict.
• Knowledge of culturally responsive care for First Nations and Métis people.
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently toward goals in a complex, diverse environment with multiple and changing demands.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with staff, students, and the general public.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to lead or actively participate. 
• Ability to be designated as Nuclear Energy Worker as per Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulations.

*(C) CAMPEP accredited program or equivalent.