International Links 

The international scene in medical physics and bioengineering is a feast of acronyms so it is perhaps worth a reminder of who they are and what they represent.

IPEM is a member organisation of EFOMP (European Federation of Organisations in Medical Physics). EFOMP currently has 35 national organisations as members. The counterpart organisation in bioengineering is EAMBES (European Alliance for Medical and Biological Engineering and Science) which has 23 national organisations as members. 

Internationally, the representative body for medical physics is IOMP (International Organisation for Medical Physics) with 80 national members representing over 18,000 medical physicists. The international body for bioengineering is IFMBE (International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering).

IOMP and IFMBE are the constituent members of IUPESM (International Union of Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine) which is most familiar for organising the triennial world congresses, the most recent of which was held in Munich in September 2009. IUPESM is also the body that represents medical physicists and bioengineers at the highest international level.

Dr C A Lewis
Vice President for International Affairs
August 2010