Re: Generic Definition of Health Physics to the masses

[John Harvey <harveyj@mcmail.CIS.McMaster.CA>]

I am not sure about your definition, but I do know that having the title 
"Senior Health Physicist" is truly misleading. Recently I got a telephone 
call from the hospital on campus wondering if I were the physicist 
responsible for the health of the old folks. Perhaps this was the same 
individual who called wondering if they could borrow a Giggle-Miller 
counter for their trip to the Ukraine. A prop for the sitcom Barney Miller?


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John Harvey                            | McMaster University
Senior Health Physicist                | NRB-110
(905) 525-9140 ext 24226               | 1280 Main St. W.
harveyj@mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca         | Hamilton, Ont Canada L8S 4K1

On Mon, 4 Mar 1996, Robert A. Jones wrote:

> Howdy Radsafers,
> 
> I donn't know for sure if any of you have problems explaining to laymen 
> what exactly is a Health Physicist.  In the past, I have simply said that 
> it is related to "Nuclear Engineering" or "Nuclear Physics," and they say 
> "O.K., yeah!" (As if that would be a more clear definition to laymen).  I 
> have spent time pondering a definition, so here goes:
> 
> "Health Physics is simply the study of how radiation effects matter.  The 
> matter can be tissues in the body or a variety of other materials, such 
> as lead for shielding."
> 
> If they ask for further information such as what skills are needed to get 
> into the field, I will tell them this:  Math, Chemistry, Biology, 
> Physics, and Nuclear Physics.  
> 
> I thought that this might be a good,simple definition of Health Physics. 
> You would be surprised at the "grapevine" responses given to people by my 
> mother, brother, et. al.  The funniest was "Health Food," no doubt an 
> answer given by someone who mumbles (God, I hope that it was not me).
> 
> I thought that this would be an interesting, yet not so technical topic 
> for Radsafers to jump into.
> -- 
> *************************************************************************
> Robert A. Jones
> 2909 B. Prairie Flower Circle
> Bryan, TX  77802
> Phone:  (409) 731-8219
> RAJ6582@ACS.TAMU.edu
> 
> "The Walls have ears and mouths" - Me
> 
> *************************************************************************
>