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Medical Physicist
Medical physics is concerned with the application of physical energy, concepts, and methods to the diagnosis and treatment of human disease. Medical physicists are concerned with three areas of activity: clinical service and consultation, research and development, and teaching. On the average, their time is divided about equally among these three areas. In clinical service, the physicist may consult with physician colleagues to plan radiation treatment for cancer patients, or to measure radiation output from cancer therapy equipment. Medical physicists in research help develop new treatment techniques and instrumentation. As teachers, they help train physicians, radiographic technologists, and other medical physicists. Radiation therapy is the major field of employment.
| Examples of areas in which a medical physicist may work include: |
| • | The application of ionizing radiation to medical diagnosis and therapy |
| • | Bioelectrical investigations of the brain and heart |
| • | The medical uses of infrared radiation, ultrasound, nuclear magnetic resonance, heat, and lasers |
Medical physicists are employed in large hospitals and other medical care facilities, medical schools, universities, and research institutions.
Job Outlook
There is a steadily growing demand for trained individuals in medical physics. There are roughly three thousand medical physicists in the U.S. today. Needs in this field are expected to grow an average of about seven percent per year.
Educational Requirements
In addition to a basic education in physical science, medical physicists must be familiar with the basic medical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, genetics, and biochemistry. Several universities offer programs in medical physics leading to a
master's degree or doctorate.
A bachelor's degree in physics is usually required to enter such programs. In addition to academic training, practical experience with medical problems is also essential. This may be required through a traineeship or postdoctoral program of one or two years in a hospital.
Educational Programs - Illinois
Herman M. Finch University of Health Sciences
3333 Green Bay Road North
Chicago, IL 60064
(847) 578-3204
http://www.finchcms.edu/
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Illinois Institute of Technology
3300 S. Federal Street
Chicago, IL 60616-3793
(312) 567-3000
http://www.iit.edu/
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Rush University
600 S. Paulina St.
Suite 440
Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 942-7120
http://www.rushu.rush.edu/
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University of Chicago
Department of Radiology
5801 S. Ellis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637
(773) 702-1234
http://www.uchicago.edu/
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