Radiation therapy workshop to educate high schoolers on STEM careers

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers encompass a wide range of specialties. Providing education on STEM careers can be challenging due to the breadth, especially in low-income countries in which resources to do so are limited. Cultural and systemic issues may also pose barriers to STEM education, especially for women and underrepresented individuals. When choosing a career path, the community surrounding the individual (parents, peers, stereotypes, and social media) play a key part in molding this decision. To counteract barriers that limit women or underrepresented individuals from pursuing careers in STEM, early experiences in these areas can help to support an interest in STEM-related careers. To provide actionable methods and measure their effects, US and Ghana-based colleagues organized a workshop for high schoolers. “Our work makes a new contribution by introducing medical physics as a career pathway to high school girls in Ghana, a group that traditionally has limited exposure to STEM fields,” shared Dr. Afua Yorke, an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington-Medicine and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. These efforts were completed in collaboration with the Girls Excellence Movement based in Ghana and published in the Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics.

High school girls in Ghana between the ages of 13 and 16 were quite familiar with healthcare and engineering STEM careers (80-90% awareness) but had minimal awareness of careers in medical physics prior to this study. The researchers predicted that the poor awareness was likely due to the limited number of radiotherapy centers in Ghana (3 centers to serve a population of 32 million). “Using a combination of relatable presentations and hands-on activities, the program significantly increased awareness, interest, and understanding of medical physics from only 12.3% awareness pre-intervention to 87.3% post-intervention,” commented Dr. Yorke. To introduce the medical physics career of radiation therapy, the program used an informational presentation that followed a narrative to explain the roles and responsibilities of people working in radiation therapy and used images and cartoons to explain complex concepts. The girls next participated in pretend radiation therapy simulations to practice patient assessment, immobilization of the patient for a CT simulation scan, recording of measurements, and treatment planning. A final “hands-on” activity was used to guide how to plan taking CT scans of the brain, prostate, and other organs. Rulers and measuring tape were used to determine the angles and scans needed to assess or treat the area. “Beyond raising awareness, the project dispelled misconceptions about radiation safety, highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of medical physics, and demonstrated effective outreach strategies that can be replicated in similar settings,” shared Dr. Yorke. “In doing so, this initiative contributes to addressing gender disparities in STEM and helps strengthen the pipeline of future medical physicists in Africa and beyond.”

The impact on the students was clear from their written feedback. One student wrote, “I didn’t know physics could be used to diagnose diseases such as cancer.” This highlights an increased awareness for the importance of radiology careers. Another student shared how safety was a concern, but she noted, “it [the program] helped me understand that medical physics is not a risky work to do because the radiation worked with doesn’t affect the workers.” This program also made a strong impression on these girls as supported by the following quote: “Learning about the CT scanner, how it looks, its functions and uses, really changed my life.” This workshop became an influential experience for these girls and will remain a core memory as they continue their education and select a career path.

“The findings raise important questions about sustainability, scalability, and long-term impact of such outreach interventions,” shared Dr. Yorke. The researchers would like to expand programs like this radiotherapy workshop across Ghana and beyond its borders into neighboring countries and continue feeding the spark created by these workshops by supporting enrollment in STEM programs. These endeavors will need support from schools, the government, and professional organizations but the logistics and feasibility are unclear.

The researchers would also like to investigate whether maintained engagement with students can continue to support interest in STEM careers. Furthermore, long-term measurements of how these approaches improve decisions to pursue STEM careers will be needed. “Future research could therefore focus on longitudinal studies to track participants’ academic and career pathways, evaluation of mentorship models that pair students with professionals, and policy-oriented work to integrate medical physics awareness into national STEM curricula,” explained Dr. Yorke. “Expanding the program across multiple schools and regions, and adapting it for co-educational settings, would also provide valuable insights into how best to foster diversity and inclusivity in medical physics globally.” This study highlights the methods for and benefits of educating young girls on medical physics careers that can be applied to educate other underrepresented groups. The impact of this workshop supports continued efforts to increase education of STEM careers to combat barriers and raise awareness is this needed expertise. 

The spotlighted research was supported by volunteers of the Girls Excellence Movement.

Fred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children's Cancer Consortium members Drs. Afua Yorke and Jessica Fagestrom contributed to this work.

Yorke AA, Schandorf MT, Quaye ANM, Twum PT, Sengupta B, Nkansah-Poku K, Kplorfia JA, Fagestrom J. 2025. Empowering young minds through STEM education: Engaging high schoolers in Ghana through medical physics. J Appl Clin Med Phys. 26(6):e70126.