Aims and Objectives
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The Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) was formed in 1977 to promote and further the development of the physical sciences and engineering as applied to medicine in Australia and New Zealand. The College is based upon, and has similar entrance criteria in terms of academic qualifications and years of appropriate experience to, the various medical colleges. The primary objectives of the College are:
The College comprises six branches and 370 members (3 Life Members, 20 Fellows, 130 Ordinary Members, 168 Associates, 19 Company Associates, 22 Affiliates, and 4 Other); 76% of members are from Australia, 17% from New Zealand, and 7% from overseas. A majority of members are employed in public hospitals with most of these in departments of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering or similar. Remaining members are employed in univerities, national health organizations, industry, etc. Similarly, the majority of members hold positions as medical physicists or biomedical engineers. In general, medical physicists have tertiary qualifications in physics whereas biomedical engineers have tertiary qualifications in engineering, but not exclusively so. The roles of medical physicists tend to be occupied in diagnostic and treatment departments involving the use of ionizing radiation (e.g., radiology, radiotherapy, and nuclear medicine) or non-ionizing radiation (e.g., lasers, UV) while biomedical engineers tend to be occupied in diagnostic and treatment departments involving the detection and processing of physiological signals, and computer-based diagnosis (e.g., neurology, ophthalmology, cardiology, urology, intensive care, paediatics). It is important to note, however, that there is a considerable overlap, blurring, and interchange between the clinical areas covered by the two professions, particularly with respect to medical imaging. In summary, the College represents scientists and engineers providing a broad range of professional services to the medical community of which the central components are:
Entry to ordinary membership of the College requires applicants have an appropriate Bachelors degree (e.g., physics, electrical engineering) and at least five years experience as a physical scientist or engineer in a hospital or other approved institution. In the case where applicants have an approved Masters degree or Doctorate, the length of experience required is reduced to four years and three years respectively. In assessing applicants for membership, the Board of Examiners look for evidence not only of competence in the provision of services but also in an innovative search for enhancement in those services. Benefits at all levels of membership are many and include:
Annual Australasian Conferences on Engineering and Physical Sciences in Medicine. Annual Branch Conferences. Membership list: Location (address, phone/fax, e-mail) and work profiles (clinical areas; areas of expertise and/or interest) of members. Information on job vacancies, non-EPSM conferences, etc. Attainment of Ordinary Membership confers further important benefits:
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