Cari Borrás facts for kids

Caridad Borrás is a Spanish medical physicist. She is a scientist who uses physics to help with medicine. Her work began in 1964 at a hospital in Barcelona, Spain. Later, she worked for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington D.C. There, she helped countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. She taught them why medical physicists are so important. These experts help make sure that medical treatments using radiation, like for cancer, are safe and work well. Dr. Borrás has received many awards for her important work. One big award is the Edith H. Quimby Lifetime Achievement Award.

Early Life and Education

Cari Borrás grew up in Barcelona, Spain. She studied Physics at the University of Barcelona. She earned her first degree in 1964 and her doctorate in 1974. A special scholarship, called a Fulbright scholarship, helped her study in the United States. She did research at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

Why She Chose Medical Physics

Dr. Borrás was very interested in how radiation affects living things. She believed that physics could help explain how life works. After getting her doctorate, she returned to the U.S. She started working at the West Coast Cancer Foundation in San Francisco.

Setting Up Quality Programs

At the foundation, she created programs to check the quality of diagnostic radiology. This means making sure X-rays and other imaging tests are done correctly and safely. This kind of work was new for medical physicists back then. She also helped form ALFIM, the Latin American Federation of Medical Physics, in 1984. This group helps medical physicists in Latin America.

Working with International Health Organizations

In 1988, Dr. Borrás began working for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). She advised health leaders in Latin America. She stressed the need for medical physics and radiation safety rules. This helps make sure radiation treatments and diagnostic imaging are high-quality.

Creating Safety Standards

PAHO, with Dr. Borrás's help, worked on important safety rules. These rules are called the International Basic Safety Standards. Many big organizations, like the IAEA and WHO, supported these standards. After they were published in 1996, Dr. Borrás worked hard to get them used in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Important Textbook

Dr. Borrás also edited a textbook called Organization, Development, Quality Assurance, and Radiation Protection in Radiology Services. It was published in 1996 and 1997. This book helped hospital leaders understand what they needed for good radiation services. It covered things like equipment, staff, training, and safety. From 2000 to 2002, she was a coordinator for essential medicines and technology at PAHO.

Her Career as a Medical Physicist

Dr. Borrás's journey as a medical physicist began in 1964. She worked at a hospital in Barcelona. Her tasks included checking the machines used for radiation therapy. She also taught and did research on how radiation affects living things. This was like the typical work of a medical physicist today.

Where Else She Worked

She has also worked as a radiological physicist in other places. These include San Francisco, California; Recife, Brazil; and Washington D.C. She is certified by important groups like the American Board of Radiology. This means she is officially recognized as an expert in her field.

Being Part of Important Groups

Dr. Borrás is a member of many professional groups. These include the American Association of Physicists in Medicine and the Health Physics Society. She has also led committees for international organizations. For example, she chaired the Science Committee for the International Organization for Medical Physics. She also helps lead the International Educational Activities Committee for the AAPM. She teaches at The George Washington University. She also works as a consultant for organizations like IAEA and PAHO.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Borrás has received many honors for her contributions. She is a Fellow of several important organizations. These include the American College of Radiology and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. Being a Fellow means she is recognized as a top expert in her field.

She has received awards from many groups. One of her biggest awards was the 2013 Edith H. Quimby Lifetime Achievement Award from the AAPM. This is one of the top four awards given by the AAPM. She has also been honored by the Latin American Medical Physics Association and the American College of Clinical Engineering.

Books

• Borrás, Caridad (editor), Organization, Development, Quality Assurance, and Radiation Protection in Radiology Services: Imaging and Radiation Therapy, PAHO/WHO, 1997.
• Borrás, Caridad, Hanson, Gerald P., Jiménez, Pablo. History of the Radiological Health Program of the Pan American Health Organization: 1960-2006, PAHO/WHO, 2006.
• Borrás, Caridad (editor). Defining the Medical Imaging Requirements for a Rural Health Center, Springer Science+Business Media, Singapore, 2017.