Medical Physics (Graduate Certificate)

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) provides a general explanation of the roles of a Medical Physicist divided into three areas of activity: clinical service and consultation, research and development, and teaching. In a broader sense, the Medical Physics field can be divided into three main categories: radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, and nuclear medicine.Medical Physicists specializing in radiation therapy will spend the majority of their time in a clinical setting interacting with oncologists, dosimetrists, and therapists on radiation treatments for patients with cancer. These treatments are typically performed using either external beam radiation, generated by linear accelerators (linacs), or brachytherapy, in which radioactive sources are placed inside the body. It is the job of the Medical Physicist to not only help create the treatment plans for patients, but also to administer the radiation safety program. Additionally, a Medical Physicist will oversee the technical aspects of the radiation oncology department including commissioning, calibration, and quality assurance (QA) for all radiation sources and delivery equipment in the department.