Undergraduate Level Accreditation

Accreditation of Undergraduate Level programmes in Clinical Engineering or Medical Physics using IPEM's Undergraduate Level Accreditation Framework involves independent scrutiny by IPEM using appointed assessors at regular periodic reviews with IPEM accreditation normally awarded over several subsequent years.  Awards are subject to the higher education institution undertaking specified framework activities, such as an annual audit return, and implementing any changes requested by a panel during this period.

The framework is designed to be split into two streams, engineering and physics and a single programme would typically be accredited against the engineering or physics stream. The framework lists learning outcomes within ‘subject area’ components.  However, there is no obligation or expectation for Higher Education Institutions (HEI) programme directors to deliver content within modules that match these fixed ‘subject area’ blocks; the onus is on HEIs to demonstrate that their programme achieves all the framework learning outcomes for the relevant stream (physics or engineering) and for one or more of the specialities that are considered here.  The specialities are, for the physics stream; Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Physics and Radiotherapy Physics; for the engineering stream they are Medical Engineering, Radiation Engineering, Renal Technology and Rehabilitation Engineering. Options for module delivery, and the teaching methods to meet this aim, are left to the individual HEI to decide.

There is a fee for this process which must be paid to the IPEM office in advance of the accreditation visit.  For current accreditation fees, please contact the IPEM training department. In addition, reasonable travel/accommodation expenses of the assessors, normally two, must be met by the host university.