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.
When it comes to residency, does someone have an edge if one knows how to fix a CT/MRI? The user is a FSE but not fixing imaging equipment. They are wondering whether it’ll be helpful to be a FSE for imaging equipment before finishing their master.
Basically every imaging physicist will know what the internal components of both CT and MR scanners are. Basically no imaging physicist will know how to fix imaging equipment (other than saying "the tube needs replaced, let's call service"). FSEs perform all equipment fixes.
Thank you Gotterdam.
The user is asking for important competencies, skills, and knowledge when recruiting residents.
The user in imaging/nuclear medicine shares their experience when they were at an institution with a residency program. They looked at some of the following:
- Academic - quality of grad program, GPA, publications, presentations, research applicability to imaging
- Service - volunteer efforts, medical physics community involvement, teaching experience
- Clinical experience with diagnostic and nuclear medicine imaging equipment
- How well the applicant "fit in" with the department. For example, an applicant that wants to do a lot of research would not be a good fit in a purely clinical residency
The user is starting a MSc Medical Physics in Scotland and wonders if they would still be eligible for SPT afterwards without redoing the masters component of the training programme.
SPT is a UK thing for medical physicist's training.
The user is applying to grad school this year and is concerned about not having enough research experience to show. They are currently working full time as a research tech doing medical physics work, but have no publications or papers to show for their undergraduate research work. They are asking if they should wait an extra year and also for tips on writing a personal statement.
Don't be afraid to apply! It'll keep your letters of recommendation fresh (even if you have to ask them again next year), and not very many people have publications coming out of undergrad. Granted, that'd help you a lot, but as long as you can describe your research thoroughly and accurately on a technical level, that should be sufficient. If you happen to get in somewhere, but decide that you'd prefer a different school, you can always wait and apply again after you have publications to boost your chances. If application fees are too much, most schools will give a waiver. Just ask and apply early to make sure you meet deadlines.
Depends on if you want to apply to PhD or MS programs. The user had no publications, but had a couple of semesters of research experience. They were accepted into a few good programs. For a PhD, a publication would obviously give you a leg up.
In their opinion, unless money is a huge concern, apply anyway. Let the programs tell you if you're accepted or not, don't decide that for yourself based on hypotheticals in your mind. It would also show interest for a subsequent application cycle, and some could even give you feedback for you to improve.
If money is a concern, don't be afraid to email admissions and ask for an application fee waiver. Most give them without even asking why.
The user is asking for advice on how to prioritize job applications and mentions considering factors like political party partisanship, state income tax, climate, family proximity, and political considerations.
A user suggests using a site that breaks down the US by counties for several of the parameters mentioned. They mention that the accuracy of the data may be questionable, but it might help narrow down the list.
Another user agrees that the accuracy of the site is questionable and mentions the lack of cited sources. They also suggest prioritizing factors that support quality of life, such as family and preferred location, as well as considering work culture. They mention that state taxes matter less because the state will find a way to take the money regardless, and suggest ensuring fair compensation to justify the cost of living.
Another user adds that taxes also carry a moral dimension and suggests minimizing funds given to states that use them for evil purposes. They mention that this can weigh against some states in favor of others.
The user who asked the question clarifies their criteria and mentions concerns about making decisions based on broad stereotypes.
Another user expresses surprise that the user doesn't have a passing knowledge of the rough geographic regions in the US and suggests considering factors like "fit" and "culture" when making decisions. They share their own experience and mention that after considering these factors, there weren't many areas left to choose from.
The user who asked the question expresses their struggle to comprehend the broad strokes of stereotypes and emphasizes the importance of detailed information in decision-making.
Original URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/MedicalPhysics/comments/x1g20h/training_tuesday_weekly_thread_for_questions/
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