Program Overview
Medical Physics
Medical physicists, as the name may imply, are scientists interested in the application of physics to human biology and medicine. The role of the radiological medical physicist is particularly associated with the application of radiation of various types in medical diagnosis and treatment. Therapeutic applications of Radiation Oncology Physics include radiation treatment of cancer with high energy x-ray and electron beams including IMRT, IGRT, intraoperative and stereotactic radiosurgery, implanted sealed radioactive sources and administered radioactive pharmaceuticals, as well as the treatment of cancer using high dose rate brachytherapy, heat, and the surgical use of lasers. Diagnostic applications include imaging with x-rays, radioactive tracers, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging, and the evaluation of bioelectrical and biomagnetic signals from the heart or brain.
Duties of medical physicist may include teaching, research and professional clinical support responsibilities, or a combination of these. Medical physics instruction is necessary for physicians in diagnostic radiology and radiation oncology, technologists in these areas, as well as for medical physicists in training. Research can range from fundamental principles to the development of equipment and methods for clinical application and the evaluation of these techniques. The largest area of work in medical physics is clinical professional activities. These include the calibration and testing of equipment, assisting in establishing clinical procedures, calculating patient radiation doses, and oversight of technical quality assurance programs.
Program of Study
Programs of study leading to the M.S. degree in biomedical sciences are offered by the graduate faculty of the Department of Radiation Oncology and the Department of Radiology. In addition to the basic medical science and the radiological physics coursework, a specific course of study is offered in Radiation Oncology physics or in diagnostic imaging. This course of study includes didactic courses, independent study, and hands-on clinical activity covering the selected discipline, along with specific technical research culminating in a research project or thesis. Both graduate programs are committed to excellence in scientific education, clinical experience, and research leading to the professional development of highly motivated and dedicated students. In addition to the capability of creative scientific research, the coursework and clinical experience is intended to provide students with the fundamental knowledge and educational requirement for eventually becoming board certified in their area of study by The American Board of Radiology, The American Board of Medical Physics, or other credentialing body.
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer any funded positions for Ph.D. students interested in medical physics. This is because we are using all of our funding on the existing students. Unfunded Ph.D. positions are still available but tuition and living expenses will not be covered and must be self-funded.
Specific Courses Offered in the Radiation Oncology Physics Program Include:
- Radiation dosimetry I & II
- Radiation biology
- Anatomy and physiology
- Introduction to physics of radiation oncology
- Survey of clinical radiation oncology
- Radiation detection and measurement
- Practical measurements in radiation oncology
- Brachytherapy
- Radiation protection and regulations
- Introduction to computers in radiation oncology
- Clinical training in radiation oncology I, II, & III
- Introduction to theory and operation of Linear Accelerators in radiation oncology
- Medical physics journal review in radiation oncology
- Special topics in radiation oncology
- Research in radiation oncology
- Independent study in radiation oncology
Specific Courses Offered in the Radiological Sciences Program Include:
- Survey of diagnostic imaging I & II
- Principles of radiological diagnosis
- Ultrasound in medical diagnosis
- Introduction to nuclear medicine
- Practical measurements in radiology
- Seminars in radiology
- Journal paper review in radiology
- Current topics in radiology
- Research in radiology
- Independent study in radiology including nuclear medicine, image processing, diagnostic quality control, diagnostic ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging
Recent Program Statistics
MSBS degree in Medical Physics
| Admissions/Graduations | Board Examination | Initial Placement | ||||||||
| Year | # of Applicants |
# of Offers |
# of Matriculated |
# of Graduated |
# Entering the process |
Residency | Clinic | Advanced Degree Programs |
Industry | Other |
| 2010 | 27 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 6 | - | 6 | - | - | - |
| 2011 | 24 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 12 | - | 2 | - | - | - |
| 2012 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - |
| 2013 | 21 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 8 | - | 6 | - | - | - |
| 2014 | 31 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 2015 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | - | - |
| 2016 | 21 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | - | - |
| 2017 | 20 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | - | - | - | - |
| 2018 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | 1 |
| 2019 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 2020 | 19 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 2021 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | - | - | - |
| 2022 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | |||
| 2023 | 9 | 6 | 5 | - | 5 | 4 | 4 | |||
Ph.D. degree in Medical Physics
| Admissions/Graduations | Board Examination | Initial Placement | ||||||||
| Year | # of Applicants |
# of Offers |
# of Matriculated |
# of Graduated |
# Entering the process |
Residency | Clinic | Academic |
Industry | Other |
| 2010 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2011 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| 2012 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| 2013 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | - | - | 2 | - | - | - |
| 2014 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 2015 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| 2016 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| 2017 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2018 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2019 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - |
| 2021 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 1 | - | 0 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 2022 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | - | - | |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2* | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||