Title: [Training Tuesday] - Weekly thread for questions about grad school, residency, and general career topics 05/03/2022

Post Content: This is the place to ask questions about graduate school, training programs, or general basic career topics. If you are just learning about the field and want to know if it is something you should explore, this thread is probably the correct place for those first few questions on your mind.

Examples:

- "I majored in Surf Science and Technology in undergrad, is Medical Physics right for me?"
- "I can't decide between Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics..."
- "Do Medical Physicists get free CT scans for life?"
- "Masters vs. PhD"
- "How do I prepare for Residency interviews?"

Comments:

Comment 1: The user, an X-ray tech, expresses their interest in the logical and analytical aspects of radiology and their desire to switch careers. They also mention their interest in medical dosimetry and inquire about the more realistic approach and financial support for their career switch.

Response 1: A response suggests that pursuing a career in medical physics would be a good fit for the user's interests. It also mentions that switching from being a rad tech to medical physics is not uncommon. The response advises the user to consider the financial aspect and suggests that medical physics may provide better financial support.

Comment 2: The user, a junior applied physics major, seeks suggestions for a good topic for their thesis proposal in the field of medical physics. They mention their current topic of making a bjt dosimeter but express uncertainty.

Response 1: A response suggests that the user consult with an advisor who specializes in medical physics or medical physics research for topic suggestions. It also advises the user to consider their interests beyond dosimeters, as medical physics covers a wide range of topics.

Response 2: Another response expresses surprise at the user having a proposal without an advisor yet. It recommends choosing a topic that aligns with the user's interests in radiation physics and is also being worked on by potential advisors in their department. The response emphasizes the importance of practical hands-on advising.

Comment 3: The user asks about the career outcome as a Ph.D. certified MR physicist and mentions the lack of available positions in their country for MRI-focused roles.

Response 1: A response suggests that obtaining diagnostic ABR certification would be beneficial for a career focused on MRI. It explains that while most diagnostic physicist positions cover multiple modalities, there are some jobs that are primarily focused on MRI, especially at large academic centers. The response also mentions the rarity of ABMP certification and its limited desirability compared to diagnostic ABR certification.

Comment 4: The user inquires about finding information on non-clinical jobs/roles in the field of medical physics, as they are interested in exploring other opportunities if they don't get a residency.

Response 1: A response suggests checking the AAPM jobs board and LinkedIn for information on non-clinical jobs in medical physics.

Comment 5: The user, who has a major in Engineering and a minor in Physics, asks for suggestions on how to strengthen their grad school applications.

Response 1: A response recommends taking anatomy & physiology if the user hasn't already, as it may be required by some programs. It also suggests taking programming courses or working on projects that involve programming.

Comment 6: The user asks about the difference between medical physics and medical dosimetry for treatment planning and wonders about the roles of physicists and dosimetrists.

Response 1: A response provides some insight, mentioning that most physicists don't do much treatment planning and that dosimetrists are usually responsible for linac-based SBRT/SRS. The response also mentions that physicists may work with dosimetrists in suggesting treatment plans and evaluating new techniques.

Response 2: Another response adds that PhD physicists at some institutions have research as a smaller portion of their duties compared to clinical duties. It mentions that research requirements vary among institutions.

Original URL: [https://www.reddit.com/r/MedicalPhysics/comments/uhdi9e/training_tuesday_weekly_thread_for_questions/](https://www.reddit.com/r/MedicalPhysics/comments/uhdi9e/training_tuesday_weekly_thread_for_questions/)