What exactly does a medical physicist do, and how does their work impact a cancer patient's treatment? On this episode of The Cancer Project Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Ali Fatemi, a board-certified medical physicist specializing in radiation therapy and MRI physics, to explore the technology and people working behind the scenes of modern cancer care.
Dr. Fatemi breaks down how medical physicists help ensure radiation treatments are delivered safely and accurately, and explains why MRI could play an increasingly important role in radiation therapy, particularly proton therapy. We also discuss the potential of combining MRI and proton therapy to better identify tumors and deliver highly precise treatment.
The conversation also looks toward the future of cancer care and artificial intelligence. Dr. Fatemi shares why he believes AI won't simply replace doctors and medical physicists, but instead could change how they work, accelerate research, and give medical professionals more time to focus on solving complex problems. He also discusses the importance of validating and carefully testing new technology before it reaches patients.
Finally, Dr. Fatemi shares his journey from Iran to Canada and the United States, his transition from researcher to clinical medical physicist and entrepreneur, and his passion for taking innovative ideas out of the laboratory and bringing them into the clinic where they can ultimately make a difference for patients.
Episode Resources:
Smart Medicine Podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/@SmartMedicinePodcast
Oklahoma Proton Center
https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/
https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenter
The Cancer Project Podcast
https://www.instagram.com/the_cancerproject
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126
https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy