| Air Force Officer Job Descriptions & Qualifications | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 43YX - HEALTH PHYSICIST | |||||||||||||||||||||
AFSC
43Y4, Staff Specialty Summary. Develops measures to control radiological hazards;
monitors personnel and facilities to ensure permissible limits of health
hazards are met. Coordinates all health physics activities, and conducts
research and development. Conducts hospital medical physics program for
radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and diagnostic services. Related DoD Occupational
Group: 6H.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Plans and conducts health physics studies. Determines facilities and
operations requiring radiological or nonionizing radiological surveys.
Directs monitoring of such facilities and operations to ensure existing
safety standards and procedures are adequate, and recommends corrective
action.
Coordinates health physics activities. Provides health physics information
and advice to the surgeon of operating units. Makes recommendations on
health physics aspects of disaster preparedness planning and operations.
Acts as Medical Service Consultant in planning, designing, and constructing
facilities for storage of radioactive material or radiation producing
devices. Ensures adherence to prescribed safety standards by inspecting
all procedures used to handle, ship, store, or dispose of nuclear components.
Maintains liaison on health physics matters with representatives of the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission and of other governmental and civilian agencies.
Recommends new or revised instructions, manuals, and technical documents
as required to ensure an adequate Health Physics Program.
Participates in research in the health physics area. Plans and develops
requirements for health physics research and development projects with
directors, technical boards, and committees. Performs research and development
on established projects. Provides for evaluation and distribution of technical
data. Serves as a representative on scientific and technical boards and
committees. Maintains professional currency by reading technical literature
and attending scientific meetings, when possible.
Conducts medical physics activities. Supervises and performs calibration
of equipment used in diagnosing and treating disease, including high-energy
accelerators, Co-60 teletherapy units, x-ray therapy machines, nuclear
medicine imaging system, diagnostic x-ray machines, and ultrasonic devices.
Participates in planning and managing patient treatment and diagnostic
procedures. Participates in actual procedures, such as radiation therapy
set-up, surgical implants of radioactive materials, and special diagnostic,
nuclear medicine, and radiographic procedures. Advises medical specialists
of requirements for, and availability of, new equipment and computer techniques
to improve patient care and treatment. Supervises all phases of acquisition,
from preliminary procurement procedures through operation. Teaches principles
of health physics for care and treatment of patients to resident physicians.
Specialty Qualifications:
Knowledge. The following knowledge is mandatory as indicated:
For award of AFSC 43Y3, health physics principles for the protection
of personnel from hazards associated with electromagnetic and particulate
radiation.
For award of AFSC 43Y3A, principles of physics for care and treatment
of patients.
Education. The following education is mandatory as indicated:
For entry into this specialty, undergraduate academic specialization
in physics, radio biology, radiological physics, radiation biophysics,
or other health physics related subjects acceptable to the Surgeon General,
HQ USAF.
For entry into 43Y1A, a Master’s degree in radio biological, medical,
or health physics.
Training. None.
Experience. The following experience is mandatory as indicated:
For award of AFSC 43Y3, a minimum of 24 months of experience is mandatory
in health physics assignments. Experience must include assignments in
such activities as personnel monitoring; conducting radiological protection
surveys; monitoring the treatment and disposal of radioactive wastes;
or supervision and direction of the Health Physics Program.
For award of AFSC 43Y3A, a minimum of 24 months of experience is mandatory
in medical health physics assignments. Experience must include the physics
aspect of radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and diagnostic radiology.
Other. For award of AFSC 43Y3A, certification
by the American Board of Radiology in Therapeutic Radiological Physics
is mandatory. Specialty Shredouts:
Above Information Derived from AFMAN 36-2105
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Explore US Military
©2012 About.com. All rights reserved.
A part of The New York Times Company.