International Medical Physics Day is marked on November 7, Marie Curie's birth anniversary

International Medical Physics Day is observed around the world on November 7 every year. The day has been set aside to honour the sustained work of researchers, scientists and experts in the field. It is marked with considerable enthusiasm.

Medical physics is an advanced field that applies the principles and methods of physics to treatment. Today, medical physicists are considered to play a very important role in accurately diagnosing patients' illnesses, treating them effectively and guarding against the risks of radiation. The discipline has played a major part in making human health safer.

The X-ray and MRI scans carried out in hospitals depend on this discipline. Radiation therapy, which is essential in cancer treatment, also rests on it. These modern machines make it possible to examine fine structures inside the body accurately. It is said that this has made it possible to save the lives of millions of people. This combination of science and medicine is making human life easier.

There is a significant historical reason behind the observance. International bodies decided to mark the day officially for the first time in 2013. November 7 was chosen because Marie Curie (Marie Sklodowska-Curie) was born on this day in 1867. She is the great scientist who discovered radium and polonium.

Marie Curie's pioneering research in radioactivity became the foundation of medical physics. Her birthday was chosen to honour this work and her memory. Workshops, scientific discussion sessions and awareness programmes are held around the world on this day so that the public can understand the importance of the field.