LSU’s Medical Physics program receives accreditation

Using state-of-the-art laser tomography treatment, renowned scientist Dr. Ken Hogstrom leads LSU’s Medical Physics program in its partnership with the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.

May 8, 2007 — You can’t see it. You can’t touch it. But LSU’s ability to understand and control it sets our university apart in the war against cancer. It’s radiation, the central focus of LSU’s elite medical physics and health physics program, now one of only 10 programs nationwide to have earned full accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs (CAMPEP).

Earning CAMPEP accreditation is a major step forward for LSU, as the designation will help our university continue to recruit not only the best medical physics students, but also the top experts in the field to teach the next generation of pioneering cancer specialists.

The accreditation came about as a result of a partnership between LSU and the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center (MBPCC).

Kenneth Hogstrom, director of the program and Chief of Physics at MBPCC, says the two partners still have greater goals for the future. “Accreditation was possible due to the joint support of LSU and MBPCC for the program and the dedicated work of our faculty and staff,” Hogstrom says, “Our goal is to far exceed accreditation standards, which means we will continue to strive to improve the education and research components of our program.”

Medical physicists develop new diagnostic and treatment procedures for diseases such as cancer.

Late in 2006, one of LSU’s proud alumni stepped forward to ensure those goals are reached. Dr. Charles Smith, of Sulphur, La., teamed with the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center to create an endowed chair in the medical physics program at LSU. Their combined donation will be matched by the Louisiana Board of Regents Support Fund to create a $1 million endowment in support of cancer research initiatives at LSU.

“ Endowed chairs are one of the greatest assets a university has,” says Hogstrom. “In addition to providing long-term stability for our program, the Dr. Charles M. Smith Chair of Medical Physics will fund research and help recruit outstanding, talented faculty and graduate students to the medical physics program in the future.”

“ Making this gift is important to me both as a physician and graduate of LSU,” says Dr. Smith.

The endowed chair is especially important considering the current shortage of medical physicists nationwide. These medical professionals are in high demand as the medical industry struggles to improve survival rates for those who contract cancer.

The Charles M. Smith Chair in Medical Physics played a critical role in the medical physics program earning accreditation. From left, Interim Provost Harold Silverman, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center CEO Todd Stevens, program director Kenneth Hogstrom, Dr. Charles M. Smith, Dean Kevin R. Carman, MBPCC Campaign Co-chair Mr. Louis D. Curet, Chancellor Sean O’Keefe, Physics Chairman Roger McNeil, and MBPCC Campaign Co-chair Mr. John Barton, Jr.

The medical physics program at LSU has its origin in our university’s nuclear science program, which shares its technology and faculty with medical physics. By combining elements of physics, nuclear science and radiology, LSU aims to generate both groundbreaking research and medical personnel eager to use the latest techniques against deadly conditions such as cancer.

For more information about the Medical Physics and Health Physics Program at LSU, please visit www.phys.lsu.edu and click on “graduate programs” or go to the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center website, www.marybird.org.

If you would like to join Dr. Charles Smith as a supporter of LSU’s efforts against cancer, contact Ann Marie Marmande at the College of Basic Sciences, 225-578-4906.

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Michelle Spielman
LSU Office of Public Affairs