“Being able to observe Medical Physics professionals in action is a way to inspire us and prepare for the future,” comments Leonardo Perruci, a student from the class of 2022 in the Medical Physics program.
On Tuesday, June 27, 2023, the first joint activity between the two classes of the Medical Physics course, offered through the partnership between the Institute of Physics (IF) at USP and the School of Medicine at USP (FMUSP), took place: a visit to the Institute of Radiology (InRad) at the Hospital das Clínicas (HC), including its Nuclear Medicine Center. Coordinated by faculty members from IFUSP and FMUSP, the students had a unique opportunity to explore key professional areas of future medical physicists, such as radiotherapy, radiodiagnostics, magnetic resonance, cyclotron, nuclear medicine, and the clinic.
Prof. Marcelo Tatit Sapienza, from the Department of Radiology and Oncology at FMUSP, who was responsible for organizing the visit, expressed satisfaction, emphasizing that the activity is beneficial not only for the students but for everyone involved: “The contact with the students is always very enriching,” he pointed out.
On behalf of the students, Francisco Neto, a graduate from the first class, thanked the entire team involved in hosting them, including at least six researchers and section heads, as well as Prof. Elisabeth Yoshimura (IFUSP), one of the course coordinators, who facilitated communication between the institutes. In his message, Francisco stated that the objectives were successfully achieved: welcoming the students and providing them with insights into key professional spaces.
When asked about the uniqueness of a course that offers opportunities for hands-on experiences in professional settings, student Leonardo Perruci reflected: “Such experiences give us the privilege of learning directly from professionals, acquiring knowledge that we would hardly find in any book.”
Regarding the visited spaces, Leonardo further commented: “My favorite part of the visit was undoubtedly touring the pioneering Nuclear Medicine Center at the Institute of Radiology. I feel that the patient-professional relationship in the Center has a special care that is inherent to nuclear medicine, considering that the environment is carefully prepared to receive and treat the patient safely in the smallest details. Moreover, from a physicist’s perspective, it’s a fantastic place where you breathe physics in every inch, from the devices and safety protocols to the particle accelerator installed within the hospital complex itself.”
Beyond the educational benefits, the activity brings significant gains in class integration. “I believe that being a new course with only two classes, we have a sense of closeness that greatly facilitates joint activities. I am sure that the mix of members in the visiting groups allowed a freshman-senior interaction that added a lot to the experience, making it more relaxed,” reflected Leonardo.
Check out some images from the visit here.
Uma publicação compartilhada por Física Médica – USP | SP (@fisicamedica.usp)
At the São Paulo campuses of USP, Medical Physics is an undergraduate program offered jointly by the Institute of Physics and the School of Medicine. This partnership creates an ideal learning environment and is a major highlight of the course, benefiting from the infrastructure support of the Hospital das Clínicas complex, particularly associated with the Institute of Radiology (InRad) and the Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo (ICESP).
