How to become A Medical Physicist

Are you fascinated with physics? Have you dreamed about discovering new ways to help people? Do you want to make a meaningful contribution to healthcare? If yes, working as a Medical Physicist might be your true calling. Combining the fields of physics and healthcare, Medical Physicists ensure that patients get proper diagnosis and treatment for their diseases.

• Clinical Scientist
• Biomedical Physicist
• Nuclear Medicine Physicist
• Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Physicist

What do Medical Physicists do?

A Medical Physicist would typically need to:

• Commission, study and ensure the safe operation of specialist equipment, such as those used in radiotherapy, ultrasound, physiological monitoring, laser technology, and nuclear medicine
• Process test results and complex patient data; successfully communicate results from MRI’s, X-rays and other specialised equipment with healthcare professionals and patients
• Devise specialised treatment plans with relevant medical staff and supervise treatments such as radiotherapy to guarantee their proper implementation
• Discuss treatment options and side effects with patients; provide advice on radiation protection
• Lecture and train radiographers, doctors, and nurses on the safe clinical use of machinery and specialised devices
• Communicate with doctors before including technical reports in patient reports; negotiate to change a patient’s treatment and diagnosis options in light of new developments
• Review and create reports on existing medical practices, equipment and procedures while researching new ones; facilitate the acquisition of new equipment and clinical trials
• Help maintain specialised equipment and report accurate results; oversee health and safety audits of hospitals, universities and other establishments which use specialised equipment
• Instruct new students in medical physics; train and advise medical physics technicians on new equipment and protocols
• Develop computerised mathematical models to simulate medical outcomes of relevant procedures and equipment
• Stay updated on new developments to ensure better treatment for patients; manage laboratories and other relevant workspaces, if necessary

Medical Physicists often work in well-lit laboratories and/or classrooms in hospitals and universities. As a Medical Physicist, you might conduct research and work alone or in a team with other healthcare professionals and researchers.

Medical Physicists generally have 40-hour workweeks. However, if there are extenuating circumstances such as a medical emergency or new research, they might have to work overtime. Additionally, they might sometimes be expected to work night shifts and/or weekends.

Finding a new job might seem challenging. Medical Physicists can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting employers directly, using job search platforms and searching in scientific journals.

Medical Physicists are generally employed by:

• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Universities
• Research Organisations
• Nuclear Power Plants
• Diagnostic and Medical Equipment Manufacturers

Professional associations and organisations such as International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP) are crucial for a Medical Physicist interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Appropriate use of specialised and sensitive equipment which may also need careful attention to safety procedures
• Taking appropriate safety measures for yourself and your patients or students, depending on the situation
• Teaching other healthcare professionals to be careful about the sensitive medical equipment they need to use
• Working with other healthcare professionals who might have a different opinion and approach than you
• Working with large data or not having enough data, especially if working in research; following a time limit and deadline for the research project

Medical physics is a competitive field, and work experience can help prospective Medical Physicists stand out by highlighting their dedication to the subject. You can arrange to get work experience at a hospital, where you can shadow an experienced professional. You can also schedule a visit to your local hospital and talk to experts to understand the job better.

Additional experience and understanding of the field, such as involvement with research projects or being invited to publish in a journal, article, or website, would be highly beneficial. Where possible, bachelor’s students can enrol in summer employment programs to get better acquainted with the field of medical physics.

As a rule, you have to complete a residency or training program after post-graduation, which will prepare you to be certified as a Medical Physicist. Usually, residency and training programs are a year or two in length.

Typically, a Medical Physicist must have a bachelor’s degree in physics, medical physics or a related field within the sciences. While completing their bachelor’s studies, students may find it beneficial to take courses related to mathematics, electronics, and computing.

Having completed your bachelor’s studies, you would typically complete a master’s degree in a related field.

Generally, the more specialised your chosen field, the more knowledge and training you need to acquire. If your job is more technical in nature, however, you may not require highly specialised knowledge. Alongside physics, you should also understand the effects of radiation on the human body.

Depending on the region and the requirements, a prospective Medical Physicist could enrol in a residency training program or a postdoctoral program with residency after their master’s degree.

Usually, Medical Physicists need certification to find employment. A combination of education, experience, and testing is generally required to gain certification, though requirements differ from region to region.

In some instances, you may also require licensure. Typically, licensure requires an application, processing fees, an examination, and relevant education and experience. Check-in with local or national Medical Physicist organisations to confirm whether you will need licensure.

Medical Physicists with requisite academic qualifications and experience along with consistently high levels of performance may be able to secure larger research budgets or advance into managerial roles.

A doctoral degree may enable you to apply for tenured positions within academic institutions or undertake highly specialised research.

Candidates with at least a master’s degree and significant experience will have the best job prospects.

Continuing professional development (CPD) helps Medical Physicists embrace several new learning objectives, educational methodologies, and novel technological developments, especially in education, management, and IT. It is essential for public well-being and career advancement.

A PhD in medical physics, biophysics, biomedical engineering, and health physics will help you move into academics or research.

Reflective learning, interaction with peer groups, comprehensive inclusion, workshops, and professional publications serve to educate, influence, support, and foster lifelong enlightenment in all career-grade Medical Physicists.

Titans

There are many notable names in the field of Medical Physics. Still, the contributions of the following people have irrevocably changed the way the healthcare system can serve patients.

Godfrey Newbold Hounsfield, for example, won a Nobel Prize in Medicine for developing X-ray computed tomography or CT scanning. Rosalyn Sussman Yalow was the co-winner of the 1977 Nobel Prize in Medicine for developing radioimmunoassay technology. Edith Hinkley Quimby was one of the founders of nuclear medicine whose work led to the development of the diagnostic and therapeutic use of X-rays. Dr Ramaiah Naidu, the first in the field from India, worked under Marie Curie.

These are just some of the notable names in the field of medical physics; there are countless others who have changed the healthcare system as we know it for the better.

Alternate Career Pathways

As a Medical Physicist, you can choose which area of the field you would like to work in and in what capacity. Medical Physicists can work as lab technicians, consultants, researchers, trainers, and professors. Depending on which position you would like to achieve and your goals, your training, level of education, and specialisation will differ.

Often, Medical Physicists work in diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy, or medical nuclear physics. A large number of Medical Physicists work in therapy, while a smaller number work in diagnostic imaging. Nuclear medicine is the smallest field.

The “X” in X-ray stands for unknown. Wilhelm Röntgen, who detected the electromagnetic waves, knew that they were rays but didn’t know what kind of rays they were.

As practitioners of a relatively new field that is evolving rapidly, the contributions of a Medical Physicist will lead to positive outcomes for their patients, a better society, and undoubtedly exciting discoveries. Regardless of whether you choose to work as a technician, a researcher, a doctor or a teacher, you will utilise your mind, body and time and improve life as we know it.

Talk to people before deciding on specialisation or choosing a career path; try and understand if that is something you can see yourself doing in five years. Make informed choices.