Medical physics is rapidly advancing in the world and the situation is the same in South East Asia. There is an acute need for both qualified and experienced medical physicists to work in hospitals throughout the region. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations commonly known as ASEAN is a geo­political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on August 8, 1967. The member countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”. Its aims include the acceleration of economic growth, social progress, cultural development among its members, and the promotion of regional peace.

The spirit of ASEAN resonates in the South East Asian Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics
(SEAFOMP). The idea of setting up an organization for Southeast Asian medical physics societies was first mooted in 1996. During the International Organization of Medical Physics (IOMP) World Congress at Nice, the formation of SEAFOMP was endorsed by member countries and it was officially accepted as a regional chapter of the IOMP at the Chicago World Congress in 2000. SEAFOMP congresses have been held regularly since its inception and these congresses have stimulated much growth and progress in medical physics in the region.

After a long gestation period, another regional entity, the ASEAN College of Medical Physics, was born in October 2014 at the 12th Southeast Asian Congress of Medical Physics held in Ho Chi Minh City. The founding president of the College is Professor Kwan ­Hoong Ng, presiden t­emeritus of SEAFOMP. The secretariat is located in Indonesia.

The vision is to make the ASEAN College of Medical Physics (ACOMP) the premier education and training centre for medical physics in the ASEAN region. To achieve the vision, members will galvanise their talents to develop sustainable activities, and will take advantage of information and communications technologies to achieve their goals.

Some future activities being planned include schools on Monte Carlo simulation, advanced radiation dosimetry, radiation emergency and disaster management, non­ionizing radiation protection, and a project on radiation dosimetric intercomparison.

Finally, official recognition is being sought from international organizations such as the International
Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Endorsement and support from these bodies will be an added impetus to the success of the ACOMP.