Medical Physics, PhD

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PhD program is closed for entry beginning Fall 2015

Medical Physics: Admission Requirements

Note For the Current Academic Year:

PhD Program: The Graduate College offers a PhD degree in Medical Physics that provides a curriculum to prepare researchers and practitioners. Admission of students to this program in any given year is contingent on a number of factors, including availability of necessary resources, such as faculty, space and equipment, and the level of interest expressed in the applicant pool. The program’s leadership has assessed these and other factors and has concluded that no new students will be admitted for the current academic year. Questions about the program and its future plans should be directed to the program director.

Medical Physics: Academic Policies

Grievances

The department advisory committee, at the request of a student, will resolve a grievance between the student and faculty concerning:

Course grade and preliminary examination results that may result in the student’s dismissal
Unreasonable delay in completing the dissertation research
Failure to pass final oral defense of the dissertation

The student may appeal the decision of the department advisory committee to The Graduate College Council and to the dean, according to The Graduate College policies and procedures.

Graduate College/Rush University Academic Policies

Academic policies specific to The Graduate College are located earlier in this catalog. In addition, the Academic Resources and Policies section of this catalog contains Rush University academic policies.

Medical Physics: Academic Progression

Doctor of Philosophy Students

Academic Progression

The graduate program director functions as academic advisor to each new student during the first year. During this time, the director determines course schedules with students and monitors their progress. Toward the end of the first year, students take a qualifying examination covering basic physics, therapeutic and imaging physics, radiation protection, transfer function analysis and current topics discussed during the medical physics seminar series. This examination includes written and oral components. Based on the results of the qualifying examination and performance in coursework, students may be permitted to continue in the program without conditions. If a student’s performance is poor, he or she may either be permitted to continue with added requirements or dismissed from the University. During the second year, the student selects the area of research he or she wishes to consider for the PhD dissertation. The student should seek out a faculty member of the Division of Medical Physics who will act as the scientific advisor. The advisor and student assemble a dissertation committee of no fewer than five members, at least three of whom are on The Graduate College faculty. The department advisory committee must approve the membership of the dissertation committee. Toward the end of the second year, the student is expected to take a preliminary oral examination. This examination is given only after the student has completed all required courses and eliminated all deficiencies. At the oral examination, the student is required to:

Demonstrate competency in general and clinical medical physics
Demonstrate adequate knowledge in medical physics
Defend the research proposal
Show his or her understanding of the proposed study’s goals and methods

The dissertation committee conducts the oral examination. The student’s level of performance on this examination determines whether he or she is admitted to candidacy for the PhD degree. Students failing to gain admission to candidacy may be retested six to twelve months after the original examination date. The student may begin and register for dissertation research after admission to candidacy. The dissertation committee meets with the student periodically to review progress and provide feedback. The major advisor closely supervises the research, but it is the student’s responsibility to attain the research goals.

Dissertation

The dissertation is a scholarly work based on an original project. Its format and review by the dissertation committee and dean must comply with the requirements of The Graduate College. The public presentation and oral defense of the dissertation serve as the final examination in partial completion of the requirements for the PhD degree. Distinguished scientists outside of Rush may be invited as guests of the division to examine the dissertation and to participate in the final oral defense. The dissertation committee examiners recommend whether a student passes the final examination.

Medical Physics: Educational Activities

In addition to providing educational and research experiences for students in the graduate program, the medical physics faculty members, most of whom hold joint faculty appointments in Rush Medical College, teach medical students and other students and residents.

Medical Physics: Professional Certification

The Medical Physics program provides the basis for certification as a radiological physicist by the American Board of Radiology.

Medical Physics: Career Opportunities

Medical physics applies the concepts, methods and forces of physics to the diagnosis and treatment of human disease. Medical physicists work at the forefront of medical science, often in hospitals with or without associated academic programs. They provide clinical physics services, carry out research, give direct assistance to their medical colleagues and help train future medical physicists, resident physicians, medical students and medical technologists.

Medical Physics: Graduation Requirements

Doctor of Philosophy

A minimum of 32 semester hours of medical physics courses (including research) must be completed successfully. A total of 72 semester hours of academic credit are required for the PhD degree. A maximum of 28 semester hours of transfer credit will be accepted. There is no foreign language requirement.

Medical Physics: Research Activities

Study of basic mechanisms by which radiation transfers energy to biological and chemical materials
Development of new techniques for directing and measuring various radiations used in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer
Application of radioactive tracers to diagnosis and to the study of metabolic processes
Optimization of physical parameters for diagnostic medical imaging including radiography, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and radionuclide imaging.
Optimization of treatment plans for cancer radiotherapy
Incorporation of biological models in radiation treatment planning
Radiation beam modulation and image guidance applications in radiation therapy
Motion management in patients receiving imaging or radiation therapy procedures

Medical Physics Doctor of Philosophy Program

The PhD program is intended to be completed in four to five years of full-time study beyond the bachelor’s degree. The minimum residency requirement established by The Graduate College is two years of full-time enrollment. During the first year, the student will be committed to completing required coursework and any deficiencies. During the second and later years, required courses will be completed, and the student will be encouraged to enroll in appropriate advanced courses within The Graduate College. Ordinarily, research begins near the end of the second year, and it will continue as the primary activity throughout the third and later years. The following courses are required:

MPH - 601 Radiation Physics Credit Hours: (3)
MPH - 602 Radiological Physics I Credit Hours: (3)
MPH - 603 Radiological Physics II Credit Hours: (3)
MPH - 621 Medical Physics Research Seminar Credit Hours: (1)
MPH - 625 Doctoral Research in Medical Physics Credit Hours: (variable)
MPH - 900 Independent Study in Medical Physics & Radiological Science Credit Hours: (variable)
Core courses in The Graduate College
Students may choose other electives at Rush University.