Everyone interested in contemporary radiotherapy physics is welcome to get involved in the newly launched Radiotherapy Physics Special Interest group (SIG) at the BIR, says Professor Andy Beavis
This new SIG has evolved from the Radiation Physics and Dosimetry Committee, which has refocused its activity to concentrate on the physics, dosimetry, imaging and service issues and research activities associated with contemporary radiotherapy. In the spirit of the BIR, the SIG will strive to further the multidisciplinary nature of clinical radiotherapy. Therefore, we welcome radiotherapists, radiographers, radiologists, physicists and nurses.
The main activity of the SIG is the production and running of scientific meetings that meet the developmental/educational needs and the interests of the radiotherapy workforce. Given the multidisciplinary remit of the group, the SIG ensures that the physics aspects remain accessible to all attendees and members. In recent years, the meetings organised by the group have aimed to run alongside the contemporary workstreams and service development themes of UK radiotherapy and, as such, are relevant and valuable continuing professional development resources for the workforce. These have included meetings on image-guided radiation therapy, expanding intensity-modulated radiation therapy services and pre-treatment imaging, which boasted invited speakers with national and international reputations and many excellent proffered papers.
On 12 December 2013, an exciting one-day educational event is being held on stereotactic body radiation therapy/stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, which will offer in-depth and innovative presentations on all aspects of this modality. See more details here: https://membersarea.bir.org.uk/multievents/displayEvent.asp?Code=5182
For this meeting, the SIG is working on an associated BJR paper to introduce and summarise the meeting, in order to leave some associated educational material for posterity. Planning for two further meetings in 2014 is underway: one that will cover biological optimisation for treatment planning and one that will be designed specifically for the radiotherapy technologist workforce.
This active and forward-thinking SIG welcomes expressions of interest from BIR members.
For those who would like to take a more active part in the management group, the following posts are open:
• Webpage/IT lead and forum modulator (2 members)
• Education lead
• Conference/scientific meeting facilitator
• Publications/journal lead
• Trainee member
To get involved at either level, please complete the online form here.
We look forward to meeting you at one of our forthcoming events. For more information about the Radiotherapy Physics SIG, click here.
