MedPhys 3.0: A Vision Worth Supporting, If We Can Execute It
By Christopher Overall.
Over the past decade, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) has launched an ambitious initiative to “Redefine and Reinvigorate the Role of Physics in Modern Medicine.” This vision—now known as Medical Physics 3.0—was developed in response to a changing healthcare landscape increasingly driven by value-based, personalized, and evidence-based models of care.
The significance of the project is evident in its dedicated platform: https://mp30.aapm.org/. This resource outlines the initiative’s goals, subcommittees, and strategies to elevate the role of physicists in medicine. It’s a bold vision that highlights four central themes: Expertise, Visibility, Sustainability, and Expansion.
To move from vision to action, the Medical Physics 3.0 Committee formed several SMART subcommittees— each focused on Practice, Practitioners, Tools, Regulations, Advocacy, Grassroots, and Expansion. The term SMART is meant to reflect the initiative’s commitment to intentionality, intelligence, effectiveness, and leanness in pursuing its goals. Each SMART focus area targets specific challenges and proposes new ways to align physics expertise with the evolving needs of the healthcare system.
But while the intent is widely appreciated, the execution so far has left many physicists uncertain. For the average clinical physicist—already juggling regulatory requirements, treatment planning deadlines, and QA schedules—the initiative can feel overwhelming or abstract. The language is aspirational, the website dense, and the connection to daily clinical impact not always clear.
Still, it would be a mistake to dismiss MedPhys 3.0 based on rollout alone. The foundational idea—that medical physicists must grow, adapt, and lead as medicine evolves—is not only valid, it’s essential. Innovation has always been central to the identity of a physicist in medicine. Our profession has never shied away from complexity, and our contributions to imaging, radiation oncology, and nuclear medicine speak for themselves.
The MedPhys 3.0 initiative reminds us that our future depends on more than technical excellence. It calls for curiosity, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and proactive leadership. In short, it invites physicists to apply the same rigor we bring to patient safety and technology to our own professional relevance.
For those looking to engage without diving into a sea of committee charters and acronyms, the FAQ page on the website is a practical starting point. It distills the vision into accessible ideas and actions, making it easier to connect the dots between long-term strategy and clinical reality.
Execution may be a work in progress—but the goals of MedPhys 3.0 are worth pursuing. Learn more at https://mp30.aapm.org/.