ms medical physics
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Master of Science in Medical Physics
A cooperative program of the Department of Physics, Hofstra College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and North Shore-LIJ Health System
hofstra.edu/medicalphysicsHofstra University is committed to extending equal opportunity to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, marital or veteran status in employment and in the conduct and operation of Hofstra University’s educational programs and activities, including admissions, scholarship and loan programs and athletic and other school administered programs.
For additional information about the program, please contact:
Martin S. Weinhous, Ph.D., D.A.B.R.DirectorDepartment of PhysicsHofstra College of Liberal Arts and SciencesEmail: [email protected]
Ajay Kapur, Ph.D., D.A.B.R.Co-DirectorDepartment of Radiation MedicineNorth Shore-LIJ Health SystemPhone: 718-470-7338Email: [email protected]
For information about graduate admissions at Hofstra University, please contact:
Carol DrummerDean of Graduate Admissions
Phone: 516-463-4876 Fax: 516-463-4664 Email: [email protected]
Faculty
The M.S. in Medical Physics program is administered by a director from the Department of Physics at Hofstra University and a co-director from the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Faculty from Hofstra’s Department of Physics, North Shore-LIJ Health System, and Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine at Hofstra University are joined by outstanding guest lecturers from the health sciences and industry. Together, they provide a unified classroom, laboratory, clinical and research experience.
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About the Program This program provides the first step toward any of a variety of careers in medical physics – in clinical practice, industry, or academia. The program provides both foundation courses and the opportunity to specialize in medical physics subfields such as radiation oncology, diagnostic imaging, and health physics. Core courses emphasize the underlying science and its practical application to medicine and safety. Students choosing a clinical practice track will be prepared to enter a required residency program and then sit for their required board examinations.
This 50-credit program may be completed in less than two years of full-time study or in two to three years of part-time study. The program features small classes and seminars, supervised clinical practicums at the facilities of the North Shore-LIJ Health System (and other collaborating institutions) and mentored applied research experiences. Classes are offered in the late afternoon and early evening to accommodate students already working in medical physics or a related field.
Course of StudyAdmission Requirements1) An undergraduate degree in the physical sciences with at
least a 3.0 grade point average (out of 4.0), including the successful completion of course work in calculus, differential equations, introductory physics, modern physics, electricity and magnetism, and 6 semester hours of additional advanced mathematics and/or physics course work. Most students with an undergraduate degree in physics or engineering will meet these requirements. Students who possess a strong background in physics but lack some of these requirements may be considered for admission, subject to completing appropriate prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of B.
2) Two letters of recommendation.
3) An interview, either in person or by telephone, and scheduled at the request of the student or the program directors, is optional.
4) The following qualifications strongly support a student’s candidacy for admission: a) evidence of potential for analytical and critical thinking, laboratory and clinical work, and personal growth; b) prior exposure to clinical medical physics or clinical medicine (for example, as a volunteer); c) prior research experience; and d) proficiency in a second major language in the United States, such as Spanish.
5) Students whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate competence in the English language.
Program RequirementsStudents must successfully complete 50 semester hours (s.h.) of course work in medical physics:
v 21 s.h. of core courses:
MPHY 210 Fundamental Principles of Radiation Oncology (2 s.h.)
MPHY 212 Foundations of Clinical Medical Physics (2 s.h.)
MPHY 214 Fundamentals of Radiological Physics and Dosimetry (3 s.h.)
MPHY 216 Radiation Biology for Medical Physicists (3 s.h.)
MPHY 220 Health Physics and Radiation Protection (2 s.h.)
MPHY 226 Radiation Protection and Nuclear Medicine Laboratory (3 s.h.)
MPHY 230 Fundamentals of Medical Imaging I (3 s.h.)
MPHY 240 Radiation Oncology Physics I (3 s.h.)
v 17 s.h. chosen from the following courses:
MPHY 231 Fundamentals of Medical Imaging II
or
MPHY 241 Radiation Oncology Physics II (3 s.h.)
MPHY 250 Seminar in Medical Physics (three seminars; 1 s.h. each for a total of 3 s.h.)
MPHY 252 Fundamentals of Nuclear Medicine (2 s.h.)
BIO 201 Statistical Analysis of Biological Data (3 s.h.)
BIO 209 Diagnostic Imaging in Human Anatomy and Physiology (3 s.h.)
MATH 263 Mathematical Methods for Medical Physics (3 s.h.)
v 9 s.h. of practicums and research, including at least 3 s.h. of practicum and 3 s.h. of research, selected from the following, each of which may be repeated once for credit:
MPHY 235 Practicum in Medical Imaging (3 s.h.)
MPHY 245 Practicum in Radiation Oncology (3 s.h.)
MPHY 290 Research in Medical Physics (3 s.h.)
v One 3 s.h. elective course chosen from the following:
PHYS 2135 Optics (3 s.h.)
PHYS 2159 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (3 s.h.)
Or other appropriate course with the program director’s approval (3 s.h.)
v Other Requirements:
1) Successful performance on a written comprehensive examination similar to The American Board of Radiology Exam, Parts I and II.
2) An average of B or higher in all course work in medical physics.
Career Opportunities
The M.S. in Medical Physics program is designed to prepare students for:
v Careers in clinical medical physics under the supervision of a certified medical physicist.
v Entry into a medical physics residency program on a path to independent (unsupervised) clinical practice.
v Research opportunities in medical physics at academic, health care or industrial organizations.
v Further education, such as a Ph.D. in medical physics.