Medical Physicists at PTW

I first studied biomedical engineering at the University of Applied Sciences in Giessen because I found the content interesting and the medical field seemed future-oriented. During my studies, I specialized in radiation measurement and wrote my diploma thesis at the GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt. Immediately after graduation, I started working for a manufacturer of linear accelerators. I then moved to a private hospital in Augsburg where I had the opportunity to train as a medical physicist and later also headed the medical physics department. I worked there until I joined PTW in 2008.

At PTW, I first worked as an International Sales Manager in the sales department. During this time, I noticed that there were too few training opportunities for medical physicist available on the market. When I presented my idea to the management to offer seminars, workshops and training sessions, we started the Dosimetry School on a trial basis at first. Today, the PTW Dosimetry School is firmly established, and we offer a wide range of courses worldwide. In beginner courses, participants are taught basic tools from scratch. Advanced courses deal with special areas of application such as small-field dosimetry.

In consultation with acclaimed, renowned scientists, I think about topics that might interest the medical physics community and where it is important to share information and experience. As a result, we get closer to our customers than just through pure sales. Our customers are often also grateful to get a helping hand as the time in hospitals for dosimetry training is usually very short.

Most of all, I appreciate that I can now implement everything at PTW that I would have liked to have had as a customer. I can create things that I think are lacking on the market.

I feel it is an advantage to be able to bring my professional experience from a hospital to PTW. Once you have gotten to know both sides, you do not always have to imagine what could be or what would be important. You know the applications in practice, you know what is important, and you have it in your blood when it comes to developing new products.

When I started at PTW, I was the first medical physicist. In the meantime, we are a young, dynamic team and work hand in hand. I have a relatively great amount of freedom in organizing my work. Management supports and encourages me.

It was very helpful for me to look at radiation therapy from all perspectives: at a manufacturer of linear accelerators, at a hospital and now at a manufacturer of dosimetry equipment. That was my guarantee of success, being able to look behind different doors and seeing how the same topic is approached from different perspectives, especially what has changed over time. I've been working in medical physics for 20 years, and an incredible number of things have happened over the years – in every respect.