The Continuous Biomedical Education (CBIE), Department of Biomedical Imaging & the Medical Physics Unit of the University of Malaya Medical Centre with the Radiation Protection Services Unit, University of Malaya organised a course in Radiation Protection: Concept & Application, in association with the College of Radiology, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia (CoR) in Hilton Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan on 19 May 2007.

The course was well attended with about 180 participants from various sectors including medical physicists, radiographers, radiologists, nuclear medicine physicians, clinicians from other disciplines, and the industry which utilises radiation, plus officers from the relevant divisions of the Ministry of Health. Congratulations to the organising team chaired by Mr Muhammad Shahrun Nizam for a successful programme. This course was a follow up of the 2005 programme on “The Future of Radiation Protection: Challenges and Opportunities”.

The faculty of speakers included foreign experts - David Dowsett, PhD, currently an independent medical physics consultant in the UK; David Sutton, PhD, Head of Radiation Physics at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee in Scotland and Roger Price, PhD, Head, Department of Medical Technology & Physics and Radiopharmaceutical Production & Development Facility, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Australia. The local faculty was Kwan-Hoong Ng, PhD, Professor of Medical physics, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Senior Consultant, University of Malaya Medical Centre; Yang Faridah Abdul Aziz, Associate Professor of Radiology in the Department of Biomedical Imaging, University of Malaya Medical Centre; Dr Evelyn Lai-Ming Ho, President, CoR; Nik Marzukee Nik Ibrahim, Senior Research Officer at the Waste Management Centre, Malaysian Nuclear Agency; Ahmad Abu Bakar, Deputy Director, Enforcement Division of the Atomic Energy Licensing Board; Mohd Azhar Musa, Principal Assistant Director, Radiation Health and Safety Section, Ministry of Health.

The programme got off to a good start after a short welcome from the Organising Chairman, Muhammad Shahrun Nizam. Professor KH Ng’s “A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Radiation Protection”, a potentially dry and factual topic was presented in an entertaining fashion. That set the tone for the day and kept the audience interested. David Sutton followed with an exposition of practical methods for clinical dose audit and use of diagnostic reference levels. After a short morning tea break, the programme resumed with vigour on Act and Regulations for the Supervision of the Use of Atomic Energy in Malaysia by Ahmad Abu Bakar; Experience in the Management and Disposal of Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste in Malaysia by Nik Marzukee Nik Ibrahim followed by a highly interesting talk by Roger Price on Radiation Protection Issues in Setting up and Running a Cyclotron and Radiopharmacy Centre. This was of particular importance with Malaysia getting in on the scene with the setting up of cyclotrons and Positron Emission Tomography centres. Dr Evelyn Ho then gave the audience food for thought with a spirited talk on “Doc, Do I Really Need an X-ray?”

The first forum of the day moderated by David Sutton was energetic with debates from the floor and comments from the panel. The topic was “Are Radiation Protection Regulations Overkill?” The afternoon forum on “ To Screen or Not to Screen?” was moderated by Prof Dr Basri JJ Abdullah, senior consultant radiologist from the Department of Biomedical Imaging, University of Malaya Medical Centre. Discussion was lively with thought provoking ethical issues as well as hypothetical scenarios that literally moved from the stage to the floor!

Despite a good lunch, the audience remained attentive for the afternoon lectures on Risks from Medical Exposures by David Dowsett; Update on the Ministry of Health QA programmes by Mohd Azhar Musa as well as CT Scans: Can We do More with Less? by Assoc Prof Dr Yang Faridah. The evening was closed by Assoc Professor Dr Norlisah Ramli, Head, Department of Biomedical Imaging, University of Malaya Medical Centre.

Naturally tea followed before the crowd dispersed. Medecin Pharma and Delta Advantech were sponsors of the course. The general consensus from the participants of the course was a Saturday well spent!