Governance

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine's Guidelines for Ethical Practice for Medical Physicists (1) state, in part: "The health, welfare and life of many patients directly depend upon the skill and dedication with which medical physicists carry out their work. Thus the needs and welfare of the patient are primary in everything we do." Further: "Medical physicists have the obligation to act as faithful agents for their employers or clients and to devote their skills and talents to further the legitimate aims of their employers. In turn, they have the right to expect true professional consideration from their employers or clients." Further: "The primary basis of competition with other medical physicists for employment should be knowledge, training, skill and quality of service rendered."

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine believes that the off-duty professional activity of a government or civilian Qualified Medical Physicist (2) employee does not, by itself, present an unfair advantage with respect to employment opportunities for other medical physicists, nor does it violate the Guidelines for Ethical Practice for Medical Physicists provided the employee fulfills all duties and responsibilities to both the primary employer and the client, and competes primarily on the basis of quality of service rendered.

(1) AAPM Policy PP 8-D titled "Guidelines for Ethical Practice for Medical Physicists"
(2) AAPM Policy PP 1-D titled "Definition of a Qualified Medical Physicist"