Medicine and its associated disciplines are one of the most preferred careers; however, landing a job in this field is no easy feat. Thankfully, science students are acknowledging other areas besides clinical medicine.
Besides dentists, surgeons, and therapists, a high-standing position in this medical field is a medical physicist. Medical physics is considered a challenging subject for many students, but thanks to the rewarding career options, most science students are opting for it as a degree major.
If you are starting and looking for guidance, you are in luck. We will break down this field and explain who medical physicists are, how you can become one, and what you can expect in your journey.
What Are Medical Physicists?
Medical physicists are professionals with expertise in medicine and physics. In simpler terms, they are skilled with physics concepts that relate to or are applied to the clinical field. This includes:
- Radiation therapy
- X-rays
- MRI scans
- Laser therapy
- Magnetic fields
- Ultrasound
- Nuclear medicine
While medical physicists can be found in universities or government establishments, most work in medical research facilities or cancer treatment centers. Studies show that 46% of medical physicists prefer to work in the private industrial sector over the educational ones.
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In this position, you are expected to have intermediate knowledge of medical science and machinery as well as general mathematic and problem-solving skills.
The education and training required to pursue a career in medical physics cannot be mastered overnight and requires assistance from experienced educators. Superprof has many physics tutors online. Hire one today to get a fresh start on what medical physics is.
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What Does a Medical Physicist Do?
Here are the major areas you will be required to work for as a medical physicist:
Clinical Service
As a medical physicist, you will be tasked with planning and performing medical procedures like ultrasound and radiotherapy. It involves purchasing, installing, and testing machinery and consulting the patients and medical practitioners involved.
Medical physicists act as a guide and organizers of medical procedures to calibrate the performance of the devices and keep everyone in check with their responsibilities. The safety and success of the procedure depend on their expertise.
Research and Development
Medical physicists use the principles of medicine and applied physics to study to research diseases. They play a vital role in researching the procedures for preventing, diagnosing, and treating medical conditions like cancers, autoimmune disorders, hereditary illnesses, etc.
As a medical physicist, you may be tasked with using body imaging equipment to generate data on various diseases and use this data to evaluate treatment methods. You will be expected to analyze computer models and other logic patterns to handle the anomalies.
Teaching
With a degree in medical physics, you can pursue a career in education. You can teach high school and undergraduate students or offer full-length courses on radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and basic medical physics and technology. Moreover, if you end up working at a hospital, you might be considered eligible to train new staff members.
If you want to learn more about these teaching positions, find active medical physics professionals at Superprof to learn about their teaching experience and get advice on your career today.
What Are The Requirements to Become a Medical Physicist?
Starting a career in medical physics is not something you can do overnight. It requires a handful of medical training and knowledge. Let us look at some skills and certifications that medical firms will expect you to have before giving you a job.
Education
- Undergraduate degree in physics, radiation biology, or a related medical physics program
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or natural sciences
- Master’s/Doctoral degree in physics, radiation biology, or a related medical program
- 1-2 years of hospital experience in a residency training or postdoctoral program
- Medical license and certification specified by the state laws
Problem-Solving Skills
Medical physicists regularly study scientific data to understand problems and use their knowledge and creativity to develop solutions to matters.
Teamwork And Collaboration
In many cases, diagnosing and treating a patient requires a collaborative effort. Active communication is critical in the procedures. Doctors, nurses, surgeons, and other professionals in the room must understand their role and stay on top of the process.
Critical Thinking Skills
Analyzing data is a part of any science-based job, and medical physics is no exception. Not only will you be in charge of your observations, but you will also be comparing your teammates’ analyses to deduce progressive results.
Research Skills
You will continue to learn new things related to your field while in practice. Thus, it is important to have a motivated learning mindset as well as fast and productive research skills so you can collect relevant data on different diseases from various data sets and produce progressive results.
Math skills
From calculus to geometry, there are various mathematical concepts you will be required to master. Physicists present their research reports with scientific pieces of evidence backed by complex calculations and estimations.
IT skills
Technical knowledge is necessary to pursue a career in medical physics. The reason is physicists use modern machinery and software to supervise patients’ progress or gather numerical data for research.
How to Become a Medical Physicist?
Medical physics is a rewarding career field. Recently, it has been gaining more traction amongst science students due to the high-paying career opportunities it offers.
Let’s go through how you can become a medical physicist.
1. Complete An Undergraduate Degree
First up, the basics. Employers will check for your basic education before they come to your medical background. Thus, you should start by enrolling for an undergraduate degree in science or physics or a relevant field. You can find Bachelor’s degree courses offered in any standard university today.
2. Finish Your Master’s Degree
Now, for your postgraduate education. Apply for a medical physics postdoctoral or master’s degree to build relevant knowledge and skills. A master’s degree in medical physics will equip you with the practical knowledge to incorporate general physics principles in the medical industry. A master’s degree is typically two years.
3. Attend Your ACPSEM And TEAP Test
When it comes to certification, employers expect to find the well-known ones on your resume. Medical professionals are required to attend the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) to solidify their proficiency in medicine and their reliability in handling patients. To polish your training for this test, you can sign up for a Training Education Accreditation Program (TEAP), which lasts three to five years.
4. Apply For An Apprenticeship
Now that you have completed the educational requirements, it is time to add experience to your profile. Build your skills through apprenticeships for at least two years. Search for apprenticeship opportunities like healthcare assistants, which can bring what you have learned in medical theory to practical situations.
5. Start Looking For Medical Jobs
Now that you have sufficient qualifications to become a medical physicist start applying to bag coveted positions in the medical industry. We recommend starting with more basic positions and using your gained experience to increase your difficulty level slowly. Do not forget to stay updated on discoveries, methods, or trends in your field.
Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry. While the process may take years of effort with ups and downs, stay prepared for potential obstacles by knowing them beforehand. If you hire physics tutors online, or face-to-face from Superprof, you can discuss the typical journey of becoming a medical physicist and the bumps that come with it.
Career Outlook and Employment Rates for Medical Physicists
A medical physicist’s skills are highly valued in clinical and research establishments. In the US alone, over 10,871 medical physicist employees work across various industries, from pharma to medical tech and research.
As our understanding of human biology advances with the discovery of new diseases and treatment techniques, the employment rate of medical physicists will continue to grow.
Medical physics is a complex field with high competition. As with many professions, your expected salary will depend on how much education and experience you can bring to the table and your local credentials. That said, the average yearly salary for medical physicists in the United States is between $78,870 and $208,000.
Is Medical Physics Worth It?
There is no definitive answer to this question. Whether or not a medical physics degree is useful depends on your skills, knowledge, practical experience, and interest in the field.
If you currently hold an academic background in science, physics, or engineering, then medical physics is a suitable direction for you since you already have an idea of its fundamentals. If you have envisioned a career in medicine, that is even better.
Next, explore your options. Medical science is an enormous field, and what you do as a physicist might not be what you expect. If you picture your place in the healthcare community as someone who looks after patients and tends to their injuries, it is the job of doctors and nurses.
Medical physicists are more associated with clinical research and operating complex technology. If you are a tech-savvy learner who likes to follow the latest technology trends and their applications in various industries, then medical physics is a better option.
Of course, considering the research, if you are a critical thinker with excellent analytical skills, a medical physics course can help you productively utilize your potential.
Still not sure? Don’t bother taking expensive university tuition only to end up learning nothing. Sign up for affordable and private medical physics lessons on Superprof. With our introductory and dummy courses, you can gauge your interest in the field and decide to pursue further education accordingly.
Want to Learn Medical Physics With Superprof
With its massive team of knowledgeable and experienced teachers, Superprof is well known for helping aspiring learners rise to professional positions. Medical education is known to be challenging for many students today, and a personal tutor by your side will help you stay dedicated and ahead of your progress. Head to Superprof today to learn about medical physics from home.
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What is career in Medical Physics looks like for international students in Australia?
Hello Nora, worldwide this major and career path is steadily increasing each year.