Medical Physics

The Medical Physics graduate program within the Department of Physics and Astronomy was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs Inc. (CAMPEP, www.campep.org) in December 2003. Students who wish to obtain a MSc (Medical Physics) are encouraged to register for the courses listed below. We caution students that some details of the following draft material may change.

Medical Physics Program

Master of Science (Medical Physics)

An accredited Master of Science program is offered in Medical Physics. The prerequisite for the program is a B.Sc. in physics (single or combined), astronomy, or mathematics; or a B.A.Sc. in engineering physics or electrical engineering. An overall average of 'A-' or better in third and fourth year courses is expected for entry into the program. The M.Sc. (Medical Physics) program requires a minimum of 32 credits with the research thesis, Physics 549, counting 12 credits.

The required core courses of the Medical Physics program include Quantum Mechanics I (PHYS 500), Radiotherapy Physics I (PHYS 534), Advanced Radiation Biophysics (PHYS 536), Radiation Dosimetry (PHYS 539), Image Reconstruction (PHYS 540), and Anatomy, Physiology and Statistics for Medical Physicists (PHYS 545). There is one elective which should be chosen from Radiotherapy Physics II (PHYS 535), Nuclear Medicine (PHYS 541), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PHYS 542), and Medical Imaging (EECE 571Y). Students will also be required to accumulate a number of days of specified clinical experience and to participate in our medical physics seminar series.

Rationale:

The goals of the medical physics program are:

1. to provide academic training for medical physicists, a profession that is expanding rapidly in Canada and internationally.
2. to develop appropriate research skills and experience within the community of medical physicists and clinical practitioners in the Province of British Columbia to enable them to contribute to the development of  advanced medical techniques. This rationale is supported by the access to fore-front technology in medical infrastructure in the Positron Emission Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Radiation Therapy research groups.
3. to develop and maintain trans-disciplinary research projects between investigators in the Faculties of Science, Medicine, Applied Science (i.e. Engineering) and Arts (Psychology), which take advantage of leading-edge research capabilities at the local teaching hospitals.
4. to expand and advance the rapidly growing area of Applied Physics.

Curriculum for Medical Physics MSc Program