PURPOSE: ESTRO-EFOMP intend to update the core curriculum (CC) for education and training of medical physicists in radiotherapy in line with the European Commission (EC) guidelines on Medical Physics Experts (MPE), the CanMEDS methodology and recent developments in radiotherapy. As input, a survey of the current structure of radiotherapy MPE national training schemes (NTS) in Europe was carried out. METHODS: A 35-question survey was sent to all European medical physics national societies (NS) with a focus on existence of an NTS, its format and duration, required entry-level education, and financial support for trainees. RESULTS: Twenty-six of 36 NS responded. Twenty had an NTS. Minimum required pre-training education varied from BSc in physics or related sciences (5/2) to MSc in medical physics, physics or related sciences (6/5/2) with 50-210 ECTS in fundamental physics and mathematics. The training period varied from 1 to 5 years (median 3 years with 50% dedicated to radiotherapy). The ratio of time spent on university lectures versus hospital training was most commonly 25%/75%. In 14 of 20 countries with an NTS, a research project was mandatory. Residents were paid in 17 of 20 countries. The recognition was mostly obtained by examination. Medical physics is recognised as a healthcare profession in 19 of 26 countries. CONCLUSIONS: The NTS entrance level, duration and curriculum showed significant variations. This survey serves to inform the design of the updated CC to define a realistic minimum training level for safe and effective practice aiming at further harmonization in line with EC guidelines.

Department of Electroradiology Poznan University of Medical Sciences and Department of Medical Physics Greater Poland Cancer Centre Garbary 15 st 61 866 Poznan Poland

Department of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering University Hospital Galway Newcastle Road Galway H91 YR71 Ireland

Department of Medical Physics and Instrumentation Institute Verbeeten Tilburg The Netherlands

Department of Medical Physics Hygeia Hospital Athens Greece

Department of Physics Faculty of Sciences University of Novi Sad Novi Sad Serbia; Radiotherapy Department Oncology Institute Vojvodina Sremska Kamenica Serbia

Department of Radiotherapy Physics University College London Hospital London UK; Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering University College London London UK; Medical Physics department National Physical Laboratory Teddington UK

Division of Medical Physics Department of Radiation Oncology Erasmus MC Cancer Institute Erasmus University Rotterdam The Netherlands

Division of Medical Radiation Physics Department of Radiation Oncology Inselspital Bern University Hospital University of Bern CH 3010 Bern Switzerland

Formerly Department of Medical Information and Communication Technology Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis 's Hertogenbosch The Netherlands

Institute of Radiation Physics Lausanne University Hospital and Lausanne University Lausanne Switzerland

Medical Physics Department Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre Nicosia Cyprus

Medical Physics Department Galaria Hospital do Meixoeiro Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo Vigo Spain

Section of Medical Exposures Department of Radiation Protection in Radiotherapy National Radiation Protection Institute Prague Czech Republic

Servei de Radiofisica i Radioprotecció Hospital de la Santa Creu 1 Sant Pau Barcelona Spain

SFPM Department of Medical Physics Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest 44805 Saint Herblain France

Unit of Radiation Research IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS Milano Italy

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