Purpose: The Global Medical Physics Training and Development Program (GMPTDP) is a novel initiative that provides United States (US)-based graduate students in medical physics with structured, immersive clinical training in Ghana.
Methods: The five-week program begins with a cultural and clinical orientation in the US, followed by 4 weeks of clinical rotations across leading Ghanaian medical institutions. During rotations, students gain experience with teletherapy (LINACs and cobalt-60), brachytherapy, treatment planning, imaging, and more. Trainees participate in clinical activities, conduct collaborative projects, and engage in community outreach and cultural immersion. The program culminates in a symposium highlighting student experiences and future directions with speakers including physicists, oncologists, engineers, and policymakers.
Results: The pilot year of the program was successfully completed by three students from May 28 2024-July 2 2024. This article outlines the development, structure, and implementation of GMPTDP as a replicable model for global health training in medical physics, emphasizing sustainable partnerships between high-income and low- and middle-income countries. Educational objectives include demonstrating effective cross-border training models, fostering collaborative research, and expanding global clinical experience in the field of medical physics.
Conclusions: A model for a global medical physics training program was developed and successfully implemented.
Keywords: collaboration; education; global.
© 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of The American Association of Physicists in Medicine.