Medical Physics

Medical Physics is the application of physics research to the medical arts for the design of equipment and techniques used to safely study the human body and diagnose and treat diseases.

Summary

Medical Physics is the application of physics research to the medical arts for the design of equipment and techniques used to safely study the human body and diagnose and treat diseases. Some examples of the application of developments in physics to the medical arts are the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed axial tomography (CAT scan), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and x-rays, mammography equipment, and radiation in the treatment of cancer. Medical physicists also study the health effects of radiation in non-clinical environments (CareerCornerstone).

Medical Physicists are involved with patient care, research, and teaching/consultation. There are four subfields of medical physics:

Therapeutic Medical Physics
Diagnostic Medical Physics
Nuclear Medical Physics
Medical Health Physics

Educational Requirements

This profession requires students to obtain a master’s degree or PhD. Upon graduating, many students enter a one to two year residency training at a hospital. Careers begin when students pass a certification exam for one of the four subfields. These exams are offered through the American Board of Radiology or the American Board of Medical Physics.

Average Salary 2013

$88,000

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Information retrieved from Career Cornerstone Center: Medical Physics.