Program Overview

PhD in Medical Physics

The PhD in Medical Physics is designed for students who wish to pursue a career in Medical Physics, either in a clinical environment or in research. Our PhD in Medical Physics programme is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programmes (CAMPEP), an internationally-recognised accreditation body for graduate medical physics programmes.

Programme Overview

The programme comprises of a PhD research project in an area of medical physics and a number of taught modules which provide a strong foundation in medical physics. These include:

• Diagnostic imaging physics
• Nuclear medicine
• Radiation oncology physics
• Radiation protection
• Essential anatomy and physiology knowledge required to understand a patient's anatomical structure and physiological processes

Programme Goals

We aim to produce high quality medical physics graduates with the basic and applied scientific knowledge that is necessary both for further education and research in medical physics and for entry into a medical physics residency leading to a career in clinical medical physics.

Teaching and Learning

The taught programme is strongly supported by teaching hospitals through curriculum delivery. Indeed, a significant proportion of the curriculum is delivered by practising clinical medical physicists who bring the latest knowledge and practice in the field. Our inter-disciplinary learning environment relies on staff with a deep level of expertise and emphasises research work through clinically-relevant tasks and assignments.

Research Component

The research component of the PhD in Medical Physics aims to enable students to develop the capacity to recognise, evaluate and critically analyse problems in physics and medical physics. Students learn to apply the basic principles of project and time management and develop presentation skills. Students work in a collaborative capacity across multidisciplinary teams in a clinical and academic setting.

Student Learning and Assessment

The student learning is supported through lectures, practical work, team projects and seminars in the taught modules. A variety of assessment strategies are employed, including:

• Classical written examinations
• Written assignments
• Presentations
• Interviews
• Case studies By making use of a blended learning approach, group assignments encourage collaborative and interpersonal skill development, requiring team work, discussion and communication of findings via group presentations.

Career Prospects

We encourage and educate our students to become active, lifelong and autonomous learners with good prospects of employment in healthcare sectors related to medical physics or for further research.