Afua A. Yorke

Empowering young minds through STEM education: Engaging high schoolers in Ghana through medical physics

PURPOSE: To promote diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), an educational presentation and hands-on session was organised to raise awareness of STEM career opportunities among high school girls to introduce the students to the field of medical physics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 65 first-year Senior High School girls, aged 13-16, pursuing general science in Accra, Ghana. This initiative, organised by the Girls Excellence Movement (GEM) in collaboration with a United States (US) institution, implemented the "heroes in radiation oncology" program, which included a relatable presentation and hands-on experience in simulation to treatment planning activities. The program's effectiveness was assessed through pre-and post-assessment surveys, and a thematic analysis of student feedback. RESULTS: Participants' awareness of career fields showed an interest in traditional healthcare professions (92%) and engineering (73.8%), with minimal medical physics awareness (12.3%). Post-presentation survey showed a significant change in participants' perception of medical physics 87.3%. Thematic analysis revealed increased awareness, understanding, and interest, dispelled misconceptions about radiation safety, and highlighted the interdisciplinary nature and career opportunities. The presentation was successful in inspiring participants and expanding their perspectives on medical physics. CONCLUSION: The program raised awareness of medical physics among participants, many of whom were previously unfamiliar with the field. Participants reported a newfound understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of medical physics, its connections to biology, mathematics, and engineering.This program can easily be reproduced in community and school outreaches.

Radiation Therapy Physics Quality Assurance and Management Practices in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Initial Pilot Survey in Six Countries and Validation Through a Site Visit

Purpose: Our purpose was to assess physics quality assurance (QA) practices in less resourced radiation therapy (RT) centers to improve quality of care. Methods and Materials: A preliminary study was conducted in 2020 of 13 select RT centers in 6 countries, and in 2021, our team conducted onsite visits to all the RT centers in Ghana, one of the countries from the initial survey. The RT centers included 1 private and 2 public institutions (denoted as Public-1 and Public-2). Follow-up surveys were sent to 17 medical physicists from the site visit. Questions centered on the topics of equipment, institutional practice, physics quality assurance, management, and safety practices. Qualitative and descriptive methods were used for data analysis. Questions regarding operational challenges (machine downtime, patient-related issues, power outages, and staffing) were asked on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: The preliminary survey from 2020 had a 92% response rate. One key result showed that for RT centers in lower gross national income per capita countries there was a direct correlation between QA needs and the gross national income per capita of the country. The needs identified included film/array detectors, independent dose calculation software, calibration of ion chambers, diodes, thermoluminiscence diodes (TLDs), phantoms for verification, Treatment Planning System (TPS) test phantoms, imaging test phantoms and film dosimeters, education, and training. For the post survey after the site visit in 2021, we received a 100% response rate. The private and the Public-1 institutions each have computed tomography simulators located in their RT center. The average daily patient external beam workload for each clinic on a linear accelerator was: private = 25, Public-1 = 55, Public-2 = 40. The Co-60 workload was: Public-1 = 45, Public-2 = 25 (there was no Co-60 at the private hospital). Public-1 and -2 lacked the equipment necessary to conform to best practices in Task Group reports (TG) 142 and 198. Public-2 reported significant operational challenges. Notably, Public-1 and -2 have peer review chart rounds, which are attended by clinical oncologists, medical physicists, physicians, and physics trainees. All 17 physicists who responded to the post site visit survey indicated they had a system of documenting, tracking, and trending patient-related safety incidents, but only 1 physicist reported using International Atomic Energy Agency Safety in Radiation Oncology. Conclusions: The preliminary study showed a direct correlation between QA needs and the development index of a country, and the follow-up survey examines operational and physics QA practices in the RT clinics in Ghana, one of the initial countries surveyed. This will form the basis of a planned continent-wide survey in Africa intended to spotlight QA practices in low- and middle-income countries, the challenges faced, and lessons learned to help understand the gaps and needs to support local physics QA and management programs. Audits during the site visit show education and training remain the most important needs in operating successful QA programs.

The State of Clinical Medical Physics and Education in Ghana