Re: the health physics profession

[William V Lipton <liptonw@dteenergy.com>]

Yes, there is some question, in my mind, whether health physics is a

profession.  Radsafe is probably a good place to discuss this.



To me, to be called a "profession," a line of work must meet 3 criteria:



(1) It must be for the public good, i.e., organized crime is not a profession.

I think we're ok, here; although, as you mentioned, I have some doubt about the

public good of spending megabucks saving people from femtodoses.



(2) It must have an established body of knowledge and skills that must be

mastered to be recognized as a member of the profession.  I'm not so sure,

here.  You said that, "...how can you say that the health physics profession has

not established nor practices enforcement of any professional standards? This is

clearly an untenable position."  OK, you got me.  Where are these standards

published?  How are they enforced?  Meaning nothing personal against the person

who started all of this, if his licensing document is accepted by the NRC, they

are essentially saying that anyone who calls himself a hp is recognized as one.

I hate to get the government even more involved in this, but maybe we need

either formal licensing or at least, official recognition of some other

standard.  For example, under RCRA, the design and construction of a "Treatment

Storage and Disposal Facility" must be approved by a Licensed Professional

Engineer.



3.  When a member of the profession makes a professional determination, it can

only be credibly disputed by another recognized member of the profession.  For

example, if you want to sue a physician for malpractice, you have to get the

support of another physician.  Here, we fail miserably.  It seems that anyone

who's ever been within a mile of a geiger counter is accepted as a hp.



Is this "untenable?"



The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

It's not about dose, it's about trust.

Curies forever.



Bill Lipton

liptonw@dteenergy.com



"Michael G. Stabin" wrote:



> > On a more serious note, this issue illustrates a fundamental flaw in the

> health

> > physics "profession;" our failure to establish and enforce professional

> > standards.

>

> Aside from the other negative comments directed towards other listmembers in

> this email, which I will not address again, this sentence baffles me. First,

> by the use of quotation marks, are you questioning the professionalism of

> anyone who calls themselves a health physicist? And how can you say that the

> health physics profession has not established nor practices enforcement of

> any professional standards? This is clearly an untenable position.

>

> I would argue that a more important fundamental personality flaw we struggle

> with is the tendency to scare those outside the profession about

> femtosievert doses to justify making money by studying and controlling

> trivial or nonexistent risks.

>

> Mike

>

> Michael G. Stabin, PhD, CHP

> Assistant Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences

> Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences

> Vanderbilt University

> 1161 21st Avenue South

> Nashville, TN 37232-2675

> Phone (615) 343-0068

> Fax   (615) 322-3764

> Pager (615) 835-5153

> e-mail     michael.g.stabin@vanderbilt.edu

> internet   www.doseinfo-radar.com

>

> ************************************************************************

> You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,

> send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the text "unsubscribe

> radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.

> You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/