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.
Hello med physics reddit, this is the user's first time posting. The user is currently a software developer but considering a career change. The user has a BS in biomedical physics and wants to know how long it would take to become a working physicist from now, considering a MS and not a PhD. The user expresses gratitude in advance for any information.
If the user just wants a MS, it can be done in 2 years. With the MS, the user can work as a Medical Physicist Assistant (MPA) in industry, but they would need to complete a 2-3 year residency and pass the board exams to become a certified medical physicist.
The user asks if MPA stands for medical physicist assistant and wonders if it is possible to be a clinical medical physicist with just a MS degree.
The user apologizes for the confusion and acknowledges that it is indeed possible to become a clinical medical physicist with a MS degree after being certified.
The user asks if being a Medical Physicist Assistant (MPA) is more advantageous when it comes to application for residency, specifically mentioning that they work in Asia.
The user shares that they recently received an offer for the position of oncology technician, which is a new post in their department. They believe the duties are similar to those of a Medical Physicist Assistant (MPA). The user is currently working as a Field Service Engineer (FSE) and is puzzled about whether to switch to the technician post, as it would involve a salary cut.
The user asks for suggestions on good books that can provide a general overview of the Medical Physics field. They mention already having some books and express interest in learning about different types of radiation delivery systems.
The user suggests that the books the user already has are good starting points. They inquire if the user also has a radiation therapy class that covers the topic, as the instructor may know additional manuscripts.
The user thanks the responder for the suggestion but explains that their university's Medical Physics field is still being implemented, so the courses they can attend are mostly unrelated to Medical Physics. They mention that the recommended books were suggested by colleagues from the research center where they are doing their PhD.
The user, a first-year MS student, asks when it is common to take the ABR (American Board of Radiology) exam and when they should start studying for it.
The responder states that most people spend 2-3 months studying for the ABR exam. They mention that the timeline is somewhat set by the ABR and when they decide to hold the exams, which has been shuffled around in the last 2 years.
The user mentions that they have seen January as a common time to take the exam, as it falls between the 3rd and 4th semester and before residency interviews. They express hope that the exam schedule remains consistent.
The responder clarifies that the January administration of the exam will no longer be available after 2023 and it will go back to being held in August. They express their opinion that the change to the January administration was a mistake.
The user thanks the responder for the clarification.
The user asks about the process of moving from Canada to Australia as a medical physicist. They mention the different accreditation organizations and suggest reaching out to professional bodies in the countries of interest for information on the accreditation process and job opportunities.
The user shares their situation of applying to grad schools for medical physics in the US. They mention that one of their recommenders, a professor from their undergraduate physics degree, has asked them to template their own letter of recommendation for him to edit. The user seeks advice on what skills or points to include in the template.
The responder suggests breaking the letter into three sections. The first section should focus on introducing the user and their qualifications. The second section should provide information about the program or workplace the user is applying to. The last section should highlight the user's academic performance, any projects they have worked on, and any relevant extracurricular activities.
The responder suggests mentioning the user's strong work ethic and leadership skills, especially if they are applying to PhD programs or research-heavy MS programs. They also recommend discussing any research work the user has done.
The user asks about the role of a medical physics demonstrator at a radiotherapy clinic and requests an explanation.
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Original URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/MedicalPhysics/comments/z1rs59/training_tuesday_weekly_thread_for_questions/