ABSTRACT
In medical physics, we often understand the role of the medical physics profession in terms of equipment commissioning, radiation safety, quality assurance, and healthcare delivery, as well as research and development. Perhaps it is not immediately obvious how medical physicists contribute more broadly to science diplomacy and advocacy, facilitation of international collaborations, international education, or equipment support programmes that ultimately inform governments and policymakers, improve the standard of the profession, and contribute towards improving the equity of healthcare and access around the world. After providing a basic definition of science diplomacy and advocacy, this chapter discusses examples of medical physics initiatives in this space. There is ample evidence that professional organizations, such as those in the field of medical physics (e.g., the International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP), or the International Union for Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine (IUPESM)), play important intellectual, material, and social roles in international communities. The practical examples provided here focus on Europe and North and South Americas as examples of high-income and low- to middle-income economies in which medical physics is practised.
