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.
What would be the difference between MPA and QMP in the tasks of the clinic?
What Therapy Residencies will consider applicants from a non-CAMPEP PhD program? Including not having a certificate, but have taken most of the campep courses. I’m looking for a list of programs that will NOT filter out my application.
The responses you got on here saying "none" are simply uninformed. Reach out to the residency program at Thomas Jefferson University in Phillie, PA. If the applicant comes from a non-campep background, they would evaluate the application separately and look at the courses taken. Yes, it is possible to get into a campep-accridated residency with education from a non-campep program.
If that was the case, no international student would be admitted into any residency program in the US.
What Therapy Residencies will consider applicants from a non-CAMPEP PhD program? Including not having a certificate, but have taken most of the campep courses. I’m looking for a list of programs that will NOT filter out my application.
CAMPEP accredited residency program? None.
"residents must either
Have graduated from a CAMPEP-accredited MS or PhD graduate program, or
Possess a PhD in physics or related discipline and have completed a CAMPEP-accredited certificate program, or
Possess a PhD in physics or related discipline and have satisfactorily completed courses equivalent to those in a CAMPEP-accredited certificate program, as determined by the CAMPEP Graduate Education Program Review Committee (GEPRC)."
CAMPEP allows exceptions for PhD holders. Up to two of the required (certificate) courses can be completed during a two-year residency.
Three+-year residencies can allow a PhD holder to complete all required courses (i.e., complete a certificate) during the residency. I know of three that actively do this, and I believe some of the other 3+-year residency programs may do so as well. The three I know:
Harvard
Mayo
MSK
Not all of the 3+-year residencies allow this. Hopefully other people will chime in with their knowledge of other 3+-year residencies that actively support this path.
The other option is to convince a residency that you have completed all but one or two of the required courses and can complete one or two during residency, to CAMPEP's satisfaction.
Very helpful thanks!
Oohh, TIL. A tidbit to file away
I am considering doing a masters in medical physics after I finish my bachelor in physics. I would like to know, what is the daily work of a medical physicist like? What are their jobs and responsibilities? I have read some master's students who say that the physics and mathematics that they found in the master's degree is very simple. How involved is physics in the work you do every day?
I'm considering a career in medical physics (I'm taking a degree in physics). Is there any book, or online info that can give a good idea of what I will encounter?
[obligatory meme](https://www.reddit.com/r/MedicalPhysicsMemes/comments/nri88c/i_dont_even_teach_students_and_i_get_asked_this/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)
[book](https://www.amazon.com/Khans-Physics-Radiation-Therapy-Gibbons/dp/1496397525/ref=nodl_?dplnkId=dde9b90f-c874-47f8-a621-6fad72498fc0)
Get an older edition for cheap.
Thanks a lot!
No problem
I just started working as junior medical physicist in a radiation oncology department and I want to be netter at doing IMRT plan. Any book/journal reco?
I don’t have any good journal or book recommendations but I’m sure they exist. But one thing I have asked in the past is getting training from whoever your vendor is for the TPS. Your department may have a built-in deal with their service package for training days and this could be a great opportunity to learn your TPS and tips and tricks to help IMRT plans.
It is mind-boggling to me that once your 5 years is up on part 1 the ONLY option is to go back to school. No mentorship, hands-on training (even residency), etc. will make you eligible to retake it. I can't afford to quit my job and go back to school. What do I do? Do I hope to get accepted by Georgia tech's online program and try again? Do I accept defeat and start mowing lawns or digging graves for a living? I wish I would've went to welding school instead of medical physics.
Five years? I know once you take part one, you got ten years to finish the whole process. For me, I took abr i in 2014 and was approved for part ii this year without any problems.
From approval to take part 1 you have 5 years to pass it or go back to school. No exceptions or leniency of any sort. Even considering one of the times I took it they messed up the scoring and then covid happened
Oh, I see. I didn't know that.
I've been thinking about this for a decade or so now. When I completed my undergrad (BSEE) around 2010, every MP grad I knew of ended up working in a different field. Some became health physicists, but others ended up changing fields altogether. How is the outlook now?
Do any of you recall any students in Medical Physics school who had families? How manageable is school + residency with a family?
I believe the outlook has generally improved but not greatly. Those with a Phd still have a higher likelihood of matching into a residency than those with an MS, and the options for those who do not match are still limited. Alternative career choices that I have seen or heard anecdotally include medical physicist assistants (more of these positions seem to become available each year), junior physicist position usually through a consulting company, or positions in industry. However, I think a decent number of people who are unsuccessful with finding a residency position still leave the field. It might be prudent to research the success rate of individual graduate programs in finding their students a position, whether that's in residency or in an alternative career choice.
As for the second part of your question, there was discussion here somewhat recently that covered this topic. This was also subject on an Out of the Gray podcast although the discussion expanded was more focused on career + family.
medical physicist assistants (more of these positions seem to become available each year)
Many of these positions don't even need MP degrees, but I would imagine being an MP helps tremendously.
Yep, many people with graduate mp degrees use these positions to get more experience so that they are more competitive for the next residency application cycle, but you are correct that this position can sometimes be filled by other individuals with an alternative background.
Original URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/MedicalPhysics/comments/11r33qn/training_tuesday_weekly_thread_for_questions/