From Labs to Lives: How Medical Physics is Empowering Ghana's Next Generation
Transforming STEM education through innovative medical physics outreach programs
A New Frontier in Science Education
In a classroom in Accra, Ghana, a group of high school girls gathers around measuring tapes and rulers, their faces lit with concentration. They're not working on a typical math assignment—they're planning radiation therapy treatments, measuring angles for hypothetical cancer treatments with the same tools used by medical physicists worldwide. Just hours earlier, most of these students had never heard of medical physics as a career. By the end of the session, 87% would express newfound interest in this life-saving field 4 .
65
First-year Senior High School girls participated
87%
Expressed interest in medical physics after the program
This scene represents a growing revolution in STEM education across Ghana, where educators and innovators are working to bridge the gap between abstract scientific concepts and tangible career opportunities. As Ghana invests heavily in science and technology education, specialized fields like medical physics are emerging as powerful tools for engaging young minds. These initiatives do more than teach science—they open doors to professional possibilities that many Ghanaian students never knew existed, while addressing critical healthcare needs in their communities 9 .
Ghana's STEM Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities
Ghana recognizes STEM education as crucial for national development, with the government implementing ambitious reforms and allocating approximately 20% of public spending to education 1 . Despite these efforts, significant challenges remain in making quality STEM education accessible to all.
| Aspect | Current Status | Initiatives & Innovations |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure | Many schools lack equipped labs; only 13% of JHS have computers 3 | Dext Science Kit (portable labs) 3 ; STEM labs construction 3 |
| Curriculum | Theory-heavy with limited practical application 3 | New competency-based curriculum; coding from primary level 3 |
| Teacher Capacity | Shortages of qualified STEM teachers; limited training opportunities 3 | Teacher Learning Circles (KOICA) 6 ; Experimento training 1 |
| Gender Inclusion | Women comprise <20% of researchers 3 | Girls' STEM schools 3 ; KOICA girls' project 6 |
| Career Awareness | Limited knowledge of specialized STEM fields like medical physics 4 | Vocational orientation programs; industry partnerships 1 |
Critical Healthcare Gap
With only three radiotherapy centers serving Ghana's population of 32 million, most students have no exposure to this profession despite its critical role in healthcare 9 .
The Medical Physics Experiment: Bridging Knowledge and Opportunity
Program Design and Methodology
In 2025, researchers implemented an innovative educational intervention to introduce Ghanaian high school students to medical physics. The program involved 65 first-year Senior High School girls aged 13-16 in Accra who were pursuing general science 4 .
Relatable Presentation
Using a narrative format with images and cartoons, the "heroes in radiation oncology" program explained complex concepts accessibly 4 .
Hands-on Simulation
Students practiced patient assessment, immobilization techniques for CT scans, and treatment planning using rulers and measuring tapes 4 9 .
Interactive Learning
The session encouraged questions and discussion, allowing students to engage directly with professionals in the field.
Remarkable Results: From Awareness to Interest
The program's impact was measured through pre- and post-assessment surveys, revealing a dramatic transformation in student awareness and perception:
| Aspect | Pre-Program | Post-Program | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness of Medical Physics | 12.3% | 87.3% | +75% |
| Understanding of Interdisciplinary Nature | Minimal | Significant increase | Major |
| Recognition of Career Opportunities | Limited | Expanded awareness | Substantial |
| Concerns about Radiation Safety | High | Effectively addressed | Notable reduction |
Student Feedback Analysis
Key Insight: Awareness Precedes Aspiration
This educational intervention demonstrated that brief, targeted exposure to specialized STEM fields can dramatically shift student perceptions and career aspirations. Without knowledge that a field exists, students cannot consider pursuing it. This is particularly important in contexts like Ghana, where exposure to specialized STEM careers remains limited 4 .
The Scientist's Toolkit: Essentials of Medical Physics Education
Medical physics education requires both conceptual understanding and practical tools. What makes this toolkit particularly effective in the Ghanaian context is its accessibility—many components require minimal technology, making the program replicable even in resource-constrained settings.
Measuring Tapes & Rulers
Educational Function: Practice calculating treatment angles and distances
Real-World Application: Precise patient measurements in radiation therapy
CT Scan Images
Educational Function: Demonstrate anatomical visualization
Real-World Application: Cancer diagnosis and treatment planning
Radiation Therapy Narratives
Educational Function: Explain complex processes through storytelling
Real-World Application: Patient education and professional training
Treatment Planning Exercises
Educational Function: Simulate clinical decision-making
Real-World Application: Determining radiation dosage and targeting
Alignment with Ghanaian Innovations
This approach aligns with broader Ghanaian innovations in STEM education, such as the Dext Science Set that provides portable laboratory equipment for rural schools 3 .
The Bigger Picture: Medical Physics in Ghana's STEM Strategy
The medical physics initiative represents more than an isolated outreach program—it reflects a strategic alignment with Ghana's broader STEM objectives. The government's commitment to "nurture critical thinkers and problem solvers" 8 finds concrete expression in such targeted interventions.
Ghana's educational leadership has explicitly recognized that emerging technologies "from artificial intelligence and biotechnology to robotics and renewable energy are reshaping industries and generating new opportunities" and that "all these technological advancements are rooted in STEM" 8 . Within this context, medical physics serves as an ideal gateway field, connecting fundamental physics principles with cutting-edge medical applications.
Strategic Partnerships
The success of the medical physics workshop demonstrates the power of strategic partnerships. The collaboration between Ghanaian educators and U.S. institutions exemplifies how knowledge exchange can create meaningful educational experiences 4 .
KOICA Project
Enhancing girls' competency in mathematics and science through Korean collaboration 6
WhalesBot Partnership
Providing advanced robotics kits to Ghanaian students 3
Girls' STEM Schools
Specialized institutions like Bosomtwe Girls' STEM Senior High School 3
Future Directions: Sustaining the Momentum
While one-day workshops generate impressive immediate results, the long-term impact depends on sustained engagement. Researchers involved in the medical physics program emphasize the need for "longitudinal studies to track participants' academic and career pathways" and "evaluation of mentorship models that pair students with professionals" 9 .
Future expansion faces practical challenges, particularly in scaling beyond urban centers. With only three radiotherapy centers nationwide, creating widespread awareness of medical physics requires creative approaches that may include virtual experiences, mobile demonstration units, and curriculum integration.
The program's gender-specific design also highlights a strategic priority in Ghana's STEM development—addressing the significant gender gap in scientific fields, where women comprise fewer than 20% of researchers 3 .
A Generation Prepared to Transform Their World
The journey of those 65 high school girls in Accra represents more than a single classroom experiment—it embodies Ghana's broader aspiration to become a leader in STEM innovation and education.
This transformation—from unawareness to engagement, from hesitation to confidence—is the true promise of STEM education in Ghana.
Through continued investment in infrastructure, teacher development, and innovative partnerships, Ghana is building an ecosystem where every child can discover their potential to become not just consumers of scientific knowledge, but active contributors to global innovation. The future of Ghana's scientific landscape will undoubtedly be shaped by young minds who first encountered possibility through a ruler, a measuring tape, and a compelling story about healing.