What is Medical physics: Definition and 282 Discussions

Medical physics (also called biomedical physics, medical biophysics, applied physics in medicine, physics applications in medical science, radiological physics or hospital radio-physics) is, in general, the application of physics concepts, theories, and methods to medicine and healthcare. Medical physics departments may be found in hospitals or universities.
In the case of clinical work, "medical physicist" is the title of a specific healthcare profession, usually working within a hospital or other clinic. Traditionally, medical physicists are found in the following healthcare specialties: radiation oncology (also known as radiotherapy or radiation therapy), diagnostic and interventional radiology (also known as medical imaging), nuclear medicine, and radiation protection. Medical physics of radiation therapy can involve work such as dosimetry, linac quality assurance, and brachytherapy. Medical physics of diagnostic and interventional radiology involves medical imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, computed tomography and x-ray. Nuclear medicine will include positron emission tomography and radionuclide therapy. However one can find Medical Physicists in many other areas such as physiological monitoring, audiology, neurology, neurophysiology, cardiology and others.
University departments are of two types. The first type are mainly concerned with preparing students for a career as a hospital Medical Physicist and research focuses on improving the practice of the profession. A second type (increasingly called 'biomedical physics') has a much wider scope and may include research in any applications of physics to medicine from the study of biomolecular structure to microscopy and nanomedicine.

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  1. M

    Programs Is Medical Physics a Rewarding Career Path?

    I was originally planning on studying physics but I changed my mind because very few actually gets a job in the field of physics. Does the same apply to medical physics? Is working as a medical physicist stimulating or does the job in a hospital environment become very repetitive and lack...
  2. C

    Wanting to go into medical physics

    Hey everyone, I'm new to the physics forum and I'm wondering what is the best path to go into medical physics? I've heard different things and don't really know where to start. To give you some back ground I'm currently stationed in North Carolina and just started college at community college in...
  3. M

    Programs Which Degree Best Integrates Physics, Math, and Non-Clinical Biology?

    I have a wide set of interests in science, especially in physics, mathematics and biology. I want a program that puts a very heavy emphasis on mathematics and physics, less so in biology (I want to study physics that has a practical application in the field of biology because both are...
  4. I

    Programs Medical Physics Internship Program for Students

    Currently I've enrolled in the master program of medical physics, particularly I'm interested in the field of nuclear medicine. Does anybody have the information about an internship or a short international school program for student of medical physics, especially for master student ? Thanks...
  5. B

    Schools Medical Physics Program: Duke or Georgia Tech

    I am trying to decided between attending Duke or Georgia Tech for a Master's in Medical Physics. I would be very grateful for any opinions on the matter. Thanks!
  6. R

    Admissions Questions about Applying to Medical Physics Graduate Programs

    Hey everyone! I am interested in applying to a medical physics graduate program, but frankly I don't know a whole lot on the process. I am currently a junior majoring in biophysics with 3.4 major GPA. I have taken a majority of the pre-med prerequisites (i.e organic chemistry), if it will help...
  7. B

    Schools Duke Medical Physics Program -- how was your experience?

    I would like to know more about Duke's Master of Medical Physics program. Do any of you know about the clinical experience you can receive while attending? Also I am curious about the student to student experience that is most common during the program. To clarify, are students typically...
  8. S

    Physics Current Outlook for Medical Physics?

    Hi all, I'm a current full-time employee in a calibration laboratory with a b.s. in applied physics. I see in my current position there is a ceiling for career opportunities and am looking to return to school for my masters. I feel that I would enjoy the clinical side of things, I consider...
  9. Tyler28

    How Does Physics Impact Modern Medical Practices?

    Just a few questions I'm looking for my future career decisions anything would be more than helpful, I'm only a freshman as of now. first off, what major ways does physics influence the medical field? second, what engineering influences are there in typical medical practice? last, how can one...
  10. Hercuflea

    Physics Physics Lecturer with Medical Physics graduate degree?

    Can one teach college level Physics classes with a CAMPEP accredited Master's or Ph.D. in medical physics? Do most departments look for pure physics graduates or is medical physics acceptable?
  11. H

    Medical Physics Education Advice

    Hi Everyone, I am currently going through the interview process for several medical physics M.S. programs. I have a very hard time getting a read on how various programs compare. I was hoping that any of you with academic or professional experience in the field could give some advice. As of...
  12. L

    Programs Areas of research in Medical Physics

    Hello everyone, I have an upcoming interview with 3 great CAMPEP accredited Medical Physics PhD programs soon. I have went through my BS and MS in physics, with a few courses in Medical Physics (MRI/MRS, Radiation measurement labs, and currently taking Radiation Oncology Undergraduate course)...
  13. gabriele feti

    Physics What are the sites in Europe to find job vacancies in Medical Physics?

    Hi at all, I'm an italian medical physicis and i want to try work in any countries of europe. I know only the english system and site: jobs.nhs.uk and ipem. So i want ask: Do you know other sites to search work as medical physicist? I search in any country where i can use english (as such...
  14. Labilana

    Engineering Can I handle Medical Physics as an Engineer?

    Hello everyone! I just finished my Chemical Engineering bachelors degree and after my study I developed a strong interest in nanomedicine, but because I would really like to be in direct contact with medicine and make an impact on people's lives, I'm seriously considering to continue my masters...
  15. K

    Physics Medical Physics: What's important to get a residency?

    Graduate grades, undergraduate grades, abr physics, abr clinical, letters of recommendation, abstracts in conferences, papers published, thesis vs. non-thesis, clinical experience, school-name, ability to bs your way through an interview, etc. What's the order of importance?
  16. Iooz

    Medical physics manometer question

    Homework Statement If you have a manometer with a 70cm tall water column, what is the largest pressure that can be measured? Assume that the densities of water and mercury are 1000 kg/m3 and 13 600 kg/m3 respectively Homework Equations P=pgh+Patm The Attempt at a Solution I've attempted this...
  17. J

    Physics What Steps Should I Take to Pursue a Career in Medical Physics in the US?

    I am from India. I have completed my masters in physics (cgpa 7) from IIT Bombay and Bachelors in Physics(75%) from University of Delhi. toefl=93, gre=304 I am planning to pursue career in medical physics (radiation therapy) in US. For that what should i do either masters or PhD in medical...
  18. M

    Admissions Resume Tips for Medical Physics PhD Application

    General Tips on What to focus on, what to avoid? :woot: 3 Specific questions: Should I keep it in ONE page? I have been helping on a grant which has been approved by NIH, how much details of the project should I include in the resume: the detailed goal of the grant, grant number, etc? Should I...
  19. S

    Physics Is Medical Physics the Right Path for Me?

    Hello everybody, I'm slowly coming towards the end of my physics bachelors degree and it's getting time for me to decide what I want to do next. I've decided to go into further study and I'm seriously considering medical physics. However, there are some aspects of this field that I would like...
  20. S

    Programs Concerns about getting into a good Medical Physics program

    Hey everyone! I'm currently an undergraduate student double majoring in Mathematics and Biomedical Physics at a CSU. Lately I've been getting a lot of negative prospects on potential graduate school options because of the fact that I apparently am set up for failure for attending a CSU (based on...
  21. B

    Programs EE/Physics Undergrad to Medical Physics Grad?

    Good morning all, I’m about to enter my sophomore year of college, and after doing a significant amount of job research, a career in medical physics appears very interesting to me. The idea of using applied physics to have a direct, positive impact upon people’s lives sounds pretty neat. That...
  22. Quantum_Gorilla

    Admissions Applying to Medical Physics School

    Hello everyone, I am posting here in this forum in order to get some insight on what my chances are on getting into a Medical Physics program. Here is a small summary of my academic background, I graduate from Arizona State University with a 3.4 GPA and have two Bachelors of Science one in...
  23. L

    Programs What are the differences between MS, PhD, and DMP programs in Medical Physics?

    Hello all, I'm finishing up my M.S. degree in physics with a 3.8 or 3.9 this upcoming spring. I have been taking undergraduate courses in Medical Physics and currently submitting a paper in the medical physics imaging field. Also attempting to do my thesis project with a local medical...
  24. F

    Physics Med Physics: Moving from Australia to Canada

    Greetings fellow geniuses. As you may be aware from the title this thread is in regards to a career in Med. Physics. So I have lived in Canada for a decade and then moved down under. Now I have intentions of moving back to the cold weather :P. Anyhow I have an interest in a career in Med...
  25. K

    Job Skills Medical physics in Canada: ABR accepted?

    Hello, I'm a Canadian who will be doing a medical physics residency in the U.S., and my goal is to work in the clinic. There's potential to be hired in the U.S. after completion of the residency program, so I will be going for ABR certification. One day, I would like to return to work in...
  26. AndresPB

    I Medical Physics Question about the formula D(x)=alfa*mu*I(x)/rho

    Hello I had two doubts, I know that medical physicist when working with x-rays use the formula D(x)=alfa*mu*I(x)/rho where D(x) is the dosis absorbed Alfa is the factor of the energy that damages Rho is the density mu is the absorbtion coefficient My doubt is the following: Does this formula...
  27. Mgphys

    Schools Which Medical Physics Grad Program?

    Which medical physics program is better between Duke MS, UPenn MS, or Vanderbilt DMP? I would have to pay for penn and Duke but tuition would be taken care of at Vanderbilt. Thanks!
  28. Mgphys

    Schools U Penn vs U Kentucky Medical Physics

    hi, I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about the qualities of U Penn and U Kentucky medical physics programs and if one is better than the other!
  29. T

    Medical Physics Shadowing at UAB

    Greetings Physics Forums, It has been a while since I last contributed to these forums. However, I had the opportunity to job shadow some of the Medical Physicists at U.A.B. yesterday and I thought I would pass on what I learned to prospective Medical Physics students. First off, shadowing was...
  30. J

    Medical Physics subfields, residency, etc.

    I have a few questions about Medical Physics that I am hoping someone can answer. Any responses would be greatly appreciated. 1. What is the difference between the four subfields of Medical Physics: Therapeutic Medical Physics, Diagnostic Medical Physics, Nuclear Medical Physics, and Medical...
  31. 1

    Engineering I don't know what to get a master's in -- Medical physics? Engineering?

    I'm a Physics Undergrad Junior, and I'm currently studying for the GRE's but I don't even know what I want to get a masters in. I refuse to go for a PhD in anything primarily because I don't want to be used as slave for 4+ years, and I have no direct passion in anything. My ideal requirements...
  32. T

    Proton Therapy Programs: Find CAMPEP Accredited Programs for 2017

    Hello Forum members, I am very interested in pursuing a degree in Medical Physics and I have found the field of proton therapy to be quite interesting. I have been looking at various CAMPEP accredited programs to see which ones have strong proton therapy research faculty members and facilities...
  33. H

    Engineering Difference between medical physics and clinical engineering?

    I'm only a gcse student but I like to think ahead. I know I want to go into a career in physics but in the health sector. I have read into both the subjects and what the courses at different universities entail but I can't quite suss the difference. If anyone could explain I'd greatly appreciate it!
  34. E

    Where can I find Medical Physics placements for a BSc student?

    Hi! I'm currently looking for a placement in Medical Physics, either Summer or year-long. It would preferably be either in the UK or New Zealand. I'm a second year BSc Physics with Medical Physics and achieved a First in my first year. Could anyone recommend any companies or hospitals that...
  35. Dishsoap

    Theoretical.... medical physics?

    For all of you who are thinking I'm a complete doofus... you're right :oldeyes: Unfortunately, I'm getting ready to apply for graduate school, and I'm still deciding which sub-field to apply to. On one hand, I would feel most at home doing research with practical applications, especially in...
  36. O

    Medical Physics CAMPEP graduate programs in Canada

    I'm currently in 3rd year of Medical Physics and hoping to work in the hospital as Medical Physicist. After going through the forum, it seems like the field is saturated and the PhD in accredited program is basically required to get into the residency program. Does it matter which graduate...
  37. Y

    Should I pursue medical physics?

    Hello, new to the forum. I am currently in high school taking a full load of college classes through dual enrollment. I will graduate high school with an Associates of Science degree. I really enjoy math. It has always been my favorite subject. At the moment I am in Calculus 1 and it isn't so...
  38. 1

    Most realistic school I can attend for Medical Physics?

    Hi everybody, I just want to know what is the best school that I can get into for medical physics as a subpar physics student? Please be realistic for I am trying to compile a list of schools that I altleast have a chance of attending. I am passionate about physics and medical physics, but I...
  39. erbilsilik

    Theoretical Particle Physics or Medical Physics?

    Hi everyone! I'm a newbie in this forum. And I need your help for making the right career path for my future. I've been graduated from Physics three months ago and I took some exams (like TOEFL and GRE) for applying master's degrees programs in Turkey. I'm from Kosovo and Kosovo is a developing...
  40. C

    Engineering Nuclear Engineering or Medical Physics?

    I'm currently a Nuclear engineering student in the US. I'm at the point where I need to begin doing research and am torn between the radiation health side of things and the energy side. I honestly love both so I came here to ask a few questions to help determine my research choice. Also I know...
  41. 1

    A lot of Questions involving Medical Physics and DataScience

    Hello I've been a lurker on this site for quite a while now and now have a couple of questions I'd like to ask involving data science and medical physics. How important is data science or at least programming if one wants to pursue a PhD/DMP in medical physics?I have a online data science...
  42. M

    Questions on Medical Physics Grad programs

    Hi! I have found a few threads discussing medical physics, however I am still have many questions. I am going into my senior year of college with my plan all along being to get my Phd and teach physics at a university. After spending two years researching in an acoustic/optics lab, however, I...
  43. L

    Am I suitable for Medical Physics?

    I am a Bioengineering undergraduate student and want to pursue Medical Physics as my graduate program. But we learn classes mainly concerned with biology, programming and imaging. When I search for information about this field, many posts (this forum as well as other websites) say Medical...
  44. H

    Medical Physics Job Market and Future Outlook

    Hello Everyone, I hope that you all are well, I'm a new user here at Physics Forums and one who plans on studying medical physics in graduate school, and hopes to pursue a residency. My question is regarding the job market for those medical physicists who have been able to complete a medical...
  45. N

    Employment in Medical Physics?

    I was not sure whether to put this here or not. I am a BS physics student, originally I planed to pursue Ph.D but due to financial problems first I need to get a job and then maybe a Ph.D? However, I was wondering how is medical physics for getting a job? and I have some questions 1) How...
  46. G

    Schools Canadian Medical Physics Schools/Programs?

    So I am starting my applications for grad school in the Fall of 2016, and I am pretty much settled on medical physics being my first choice after much debating and consideration. So far I am looking at the following programs: -Radiation Oncology Physics at University of Calgary -Medical Physics...
  47. R

    Graduate options for medical physics.

    To begin, I've had a fairly long college career. I was a wellness science major for 3 years and decided it wasn't challenging enough at my small college. I switched to physics and jammed 4 years of math and physics into 2 years. I have one more year left and then I will be in graduate school...
  48. E

    Can I Learn Physics Without Any Prior Knowledge?

    Hi, I'm currently attending my freshman year until next month of community college. I'm quite interested in physics, but know nothing about it. I feel it can be learned, though
  49. T

    Medical physics in Australia: ASPCEM TEAP experience?

    Is anyone enrolled in the TEAP program in Australia? Are registrar positions difficult to obtain, or does the graduate school match you with one? How bad is the ‘junior MP bottleneck’ down under?
  50. pdm0118

    Medical Phyiscs master's program at OSU/OHSU vs. SDSU

    Hello forum, I am a soon-to-be-graduated Radiation Health Physics student who plans to study medical physics in the future. I have applied for a few schools and I have been admitted to San Diego State's medical physics masters so far. And I am still waiting to hear from Oregon State/Oregon...
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