[Training Tuesday] - Weekly thread for questions about grad school, residency, and general career topics 08/16/2022

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:

1. Hi, the user is starting a Master's in MedPhys in September and wonders whether people usually apply during their Master's or after they have finished it. The user is also concerned about the research project, which only starts in January, and whether they need to provide results in the application process.

   1. Response: Apply to residency? If that's what the user is talking about, they usually apply in the last year of their Master's or PhD. Results from research are not required, but they should talk about their research project and any preliminary results. It is possible to apply later, but applying sooner is better to avoid unemployment. If the user decides to wait a year, they can try to find a job in the field to strengthen their application.

      1. Response: Oop yeah my bad I somehow failed to mention that I'd be applying to a residency. Thanks for the advice!

   2. Response: Apply for what? Residency? Job? Since the user is just starting their Master's, it would be premature to apply for anything at this point. They should focus on their coursework and project. About a year before finishing the Master's would be the best time to start thinking about the next step.

      1. Response: Residency, my bad! My Master's is only a year, so in that case, I'd probably have to apply this year.

2. Another individual is currently working on a PhD in physics with a thesis work that requires expertise in nuclear physics. They are wondering if they would be able to get a job doing research and development for new medical imaging technologies, particularly in simulation work.

   1. Response: It is certainly possible. The responder personally knows colleagues with PhDs in nuclear physics who have had extensive experience with Monte Carlo simulations. One of them was researching TSET cherenkov imaging, which involved a lot of Monte Carlo simulations. However, the responder is unaware of the difficulty in finding such positions.

      1. Response: Thanks for replying! When you say these were your colleagues, in what context? I assume you’re a clinical physicist because your flair says you’re a therapy resident. I’m not really interested in the extra education needed to be board-eligible, so most clinical stuff is out the window. Which is fine with me because I think what I’m more interested in happens mostly in industry or non-clinical roles, but I could be wrong.
      2. Response: Yes, the responder is currently in a clinical role, but the mentioned colleagues were working as a research associate and a post-doc researcher in a lab doing research that is radiation therapy adjacent. One of them was researching TSET Cherenkov imaging, and the other was in charge of a small animal radiation research platform. Both of them completed a certificate program part-time and later applied and matched into residency.

3. An international student who has previously completed an MSC in medical physics is looking towards the US for career options. They are wondering if there is a real possibility of getting a residency in the US with just a master's degree and requiring a visa.

   1. Response: The user can get an OPT (Optional Practical Training) which gives them three years, enough to finish residency. Most academic institutions are fine with OPT, as the user bears all the costs. Some places also offer H1B visas. The user should individually email all the places they want to apply to before paying for the application to avoid wasting time and money.

   2. Response: If the user needs visa assistance, it may lower their chances. Many programs do not want to deal with the hassle. However, having a CAMPEP-accredited master's degree gives the user decent chances. The responder prefers many master's students over PhD students with only a one-year certificate. While a PhD in Medical Physics is likely the highest sought-after qualification, there are not many of those compared to the number of residencies.

4. An individual is having a hard time choosing between going into Radiation therapy or diagnostic imaging. They are seeking information on the differences between the two in terms of pay, job availability, residency positions, clinical work, and future prospects.

   1. Response: Therapy physicists generally make more than diagnostic physicists on average, but they also have a worse work/life balance. There is a higher demand for therapy MPs, but diagnostic MPs also have good job prospects. In the last match, there were around 25 positions for Diagnostic and more than 150 for Therapy. Therapy physicists work with LINAC, treatment planning, brachytherapy, and other cancer treatment-related tasks, while diagnostic physicists work on different modalities such as CT, MRI, and US to ensure they meet regulations and maintain image quality. Both perform shielding designs for rooms with equipment.

      1. Response: Wow thank you so much for the great info. This is so helpful. It seems like therapy is just a better path to go then?
      2. Response: Well, as the responder's tag indicates, they went the imaging path. The choice depends on personal preferences. Therapy offers higher wages but also has higher competition for residency spots and longer work weeks. Diagnostic has a better work-life balance but lower pay. Ultimately, the user should go with the modality they are interested in.
      1. Response: Hmm I’m only a masters student rn but if I want to go into an imaging residency, should I try to have a PhD?
      2. Response: Not really, I got a residency and I'm a masters student also. There are places in both sides of things that only take PhD, but it's up to you. I didn't want to do 4 more years to get a PhD before residency.

5. The user knows that therapy MPs make up around 80-85% of MP positions, while DI MPs make up around 10-12%. They are wondering if therapy residency programs would prefer a Letter of Recommendation (LoR) from a surgeon, radiologist, or research scientist if all other factors are equal.

   1. Response: If it's a letter from a well-known person in the field, it can go a long way. Otherwise, it probably doesn't matter as long as the content of the letter is positive.

   2. Response: Generally, who writes the LoRs is largely unimportant. What matters is what they can say about the user. The content of the letter should dictate who the user gets LoRs from.

6. The user is wondering what others generally do when job applications ask for current salaries. They are particularly concerned when it's a required line in an application form and it seems to have no other basis besides letting a clinic know if they can low-ball the offer.

   1. Response: Some individuals put in an obviously wrong number ($0, $1) and note somewhere that they would be happy to discuss compensation later in the process. They try to avoid disclosing their previous salary if possible. However, there may be exceptions when moving from a high cost-of-living area to a low COL area, where disclosing the salary may be necessary.

   2. Response: Some individuals inflate their salary (or provide an arbitrarily large range) as a tactic. However, the responder has not done this in the medical physics field. They believe that if employers are unwilling to be specific and upfront about salary offers, there is no reason for applicants to disclose their previous salary.

      1. Response: That’s dangerous because some employers may ask for verification of past employment and salary. While some states have banned this practice, most haven't. Employers may pull the offer if the applicant refuses to disclose their salary (in states where it isn't banned). While it's uncertain how many employers would rescind an offer upon refusal, it's a possibility.
      2. Response: Ah, fair point. I did this where labor laws are a little more pro-worker. I definitely didn't intend to suggest anything that could get anybody in legal trouble. It's just silly how much leverage employers have over us.
      3. Response: There wouldn't be any legal trouble, just the potential loss of an offer or job. Employers do have too much power over workers. One nice thing about working for a radonc department at a public university hospital is that salaries are public info, and you can easily see what they're paying their staff. It's harder to get screwed.

Original URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/MedicalPhysics/comments/wprah9/training_tuesday_weekly_thread_for_questions/