About the Department of Medical Physics

The department of Medical Physics provides scientific expertise and support in radiation therapy, medical imaging and radiation protection in order to ensure accurate and safe application of ionizing radiation for diagnosis and treatment of disease. To achieve the goal of high-quality patient care at the minimal risk of ionizing radiation to the patient, personnel and members of public, the department is actively engaged in periodic quality assurance of diagnostic and therapeutic radiation systems, radiation dosimetry and treatment planning of cancer patients. The department is also responsible for ensuring compliance to the radiation protection rules as laid by the national regulator.

The department of Medical Physics is dedicated to teaching and training aspiring medical physicists, medical postgraduates and paramedical programs through comprehensive educational programs covering wide range of topics, including radiation physics, imaging techniques, radiation safety, treatment planning, and quality assurance. The department is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and advanced equipment to gain hands-on experience. Systematic practical training on radiation safety at workplace are also offered by the department to medical undergraduates, nursing students and other healthcare professionals of the institute.

The department is actively engaged in research and development to explore innovative solutions in medical imaging, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, radiation protection and other related fields. Faculty members of the department conduct intramural and extramural research projects which involve the development of novel techniques to improve patient care and radiological safety.

Highlights

1. Clinical and radiation safety

a. Provide patient-specific treatment planning and radiation dosimetry, verification of treatment plans for optimum, precise and safe delivery of radiation therapy.
b. Develop optimized imaging protocols, evaluate radiation protection devices and systems, personnel radiation monitoring for all radiation workers of the institute.
c. Develop departmental SOPs for radiation practices, implement radiological safety measures and guidelines, provide consultation to radiation personnel.

2. Teaching & training

a. Teach and mentor students and interns of medical physics.
b. Teach and train students of paramedical undergraduates.
c. Teach radiation physics to radiology and radiation oncology residents and mentor their physics related research.
d. Guide PhD (Medical Physics) candidates.
e. Impart training to radiation users and nursing interns.

3. Research

a. Develop treatment mimicking models and tools for verification of treatment plans.
b. Collaborate with radiation oncologists, radiologists, cardiologists and other radiation professionals on different research projects involving experimental dosimetry, image processing and quality control.
c. Evaluate the potential of recent trends and devices in the areas of clinical medical physics and radiation dosimetry.
d. Collaborate with eminent scientist from research institutions like BARC, DRDO and AERB in order to translate the research into clinical practice.

4. Other technical supports

a. Identify technical requirements, prepare equipment specifications, equipment selection, site-planning, commissioning, installation and acceptance of equipment.
b. Ensure calibration of radiation dosimeters, periodic quality assurance and licensing of radiation equipment in compliance with the national regulatory body.

TEACHING METHODOLOGY

In the Department of Medical Physics at Swami Rama Himalayan University, the teaching methodology is aimed to create a dynamic and engaging learning environment, fostering critical thinking, practical skills, and a deep understanding of the principles of medical physics. Here are some key aspects of the teaching methodology:

a. Interactive lectures with the use of multimedia presentations, case studies and real-life examples to explain complex concepts.
b. Hands-on laboratory sessions to allow students to gain practical experience in medical physics and related instrumentation.
c. Problem-based learning involving experiments, data analysis and simulations to reinforce theoretical knowledge, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
d. Collaborative research projects with other healthcare professionals such as radiologists, radiation oncologists, cardiologists etc. to promote teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration.
e. Clinical practicum under the supervision of experienced medical physicists to gain hands-on clinical experience in various clinical procedures, such as treatment planning, quality assurance, and patient safety protocols.
f. Guest lectures by leading experts in the field of medical physics on diverse perspectives and the latest advancements in medical physics research and practice.
g. Technology Integrated teaching methodology using computer simulations, virtual reality, medical imaging software and applications of artificial intelligence in medical physics.
h. Continuous Assessment including quizzes, assignments, and presentations to evaluate students' progress throughout the program.

INFRASTRUCTURE

a. Radiation therapy and imaging modalities: State-of-the-art linear accelerators, HDR brachytherapy, treatment planning system, digital radiography, mammography, fluoroscopy, computed tomography, interventional radiology, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, gamma camera, PET-CT, advanced radio pharmacy laboratory.

b. Phantoms, dosimeters & quality assurance (QA) instruments: IMRT phantom, Octavius 4D QA phantom, CTDI phantom, various dosimetry phantoms, ionization chambers, DAP meter, survey meters, digital pocket dosimeters, radiation field analyzers, contamination monitor, gamma zone monitor, radiotherapy QA tools, diagnostic radiology QA kit, radiochromic film dosimetry system.

Dr. Satish Chandra Uniyal

Qualification: M.Sc. (Physics), Ph.D. (Radiation Physics), D. R. P. (BARC)

Designation: Professor & Head

Teaching Experience: 20 years

Publications: 8

PhD Supervised: 01 (ongoing)

Special Interests: TLD and radiochromic film dosimetry, development of tissue equivalent phantoms, dose reference levels, quality assurance and radiation protection.

Sponsored Research projects: 02 (Completed), 01 (Ongoing)

Awards

IAEA Grant for presenting a research paper in International Symposium on Standards, Applications and Quality Assurance in Medical Radiation Dosimetry Vienna, Austria in 2019.

CSIR Foreign Travel Grant for presenting a research paper in “International Conference on Radiation Protection in Medicine: Achieving Change in Practice" held at IAEA, Vienna, Austria in 2017.