Medical Physics career without Physics Undergrad Degree??

sf94117

Hi, new to boards and have seen some great info on here so hope you can help me!

I have a long question: I have an undergrad science degree (but not in a physical science...graduated in 2005 and have been working in IT ever since), currently studying for a Masters in IT part time. Still to this day dont know why I didn't do physics....always enjoyed it etc but was young and silly and thought there would be no jobs at the end of it! Anyway, very unhappy in my career and dont see myself in the IT sector for the next 30+ years.

So for the last year I have been working for a medical imaging company and this has re-ignited my interest in physics and especially medical physics. Have been looking into the area to see how I could get into it. From what I gather you need an undergrad in physics (or equivalent) and some post grad training (NUIG or Trinity MSc courses) before you can take up a position as Basic Grade physicist.

Couple of questions:
1. Given that I don’t have the undergrad requirement is there anything I could do in order to get the "or equivalent" part to allow me to get onto a postgrad course? Or would I be completely lost without the undergrad?? (have taken 1 year of Exp Physics, 2 years of Maths and 1 year of Mathematical Physics as part of my undergrad so I have some basic understanding of physics/maths)

2. The Open University have an MSc in Medical Physics which I am looking into (but may not even qualify for that)....do you think this MSc would be any use in terms of meeting the entry requirements if I was to apply to the courses in Trinity/NUIG without a physics degree?

3. I am 29 years old.....given that it could be at least 4 years before I could apply for a Basic Grade position do you think I would be looked on unfavourably in applications for jobs when I would be going up against someone 10 years younger.

4. What are the career prospects like....from what I can gather there could be demand for medical physicists in the near future? (I have a mortgage so anything I do I'd need to ensure that there would be a possibility of a job at the end....in Ireland preferably)

5. Is there any way to get work experience in this area without a physics degree?? Any assistant type work??


Thanks,
SF

lonestargirl

I did the Med Phys MSc in NUIG and then worked as a dosimetrist in Ireland for a few years, I'm now doing a PhD in the US.

sf94117 wrote: »

1. Given that I don’t have the undergrad requirement is there anything I could do in order to get the "or equivalent" part to allow me to get onto a postgrad course? Or would I be completely lost without the undergrad?? (have taken 1 year of Exp Physics, 2 years of Maths and 1 year of Mathematical Physics as part of my undergrad so I have some basic understanding of physics/maths)

I think that is plenty to get you into a MSc, when I was in NUIG there was at least 1 engineer. In my current program there are 3 (1 mech, 1 nuclear and 1 electronic), and my current PhD supervisor did a biology/chemistry undergrad. Reading through the lines, do you have a comp sci BSc? If so I would think this is hugely useful for imaging physics.

sf94117 wrote: »

2. The Open University have an MSc in Medical Physics which I am looking into (but may not even qualify for that)....do you think this MSc would be any use in terms of meeting the entry requirements if I was to apply to the courses in Trinity/NUIG without a physics degree?

I would be surprised if the OU wouldn't take you on. I would prefer a 'bricks and mortar' course simply because of the pratical experience it gives you.

sf94117 wrote: »

3. I am 29 years old.....given that it could be at least 4 years before I could apply for a Basic Grade position do you think I would be looked on unfavourably in applications for jobs when I would be going up against someone 10 years younger.

No

sf94117 wrote: »

4. What are the career prospects like....from what I can gather there could be demand for medical physicists in the near future? (I have a mortgage so anything I do I'd need to ensure that there would be a possibility of a job at the end....in Ireland preferably)

I don't know what it's like for imaging physics, I'm in radiation physics which has a residency program but there isn't one for imaging so you would be going straight to a basic grade job. Overall there are a lot more imaging jobs as it's a bigger area. There is also the question of what type of job you would like, i.e. in a bigger teaching hospital you can be involved in teaching and research too wheras in a smaller rural hospital it would be a purely practical job.

sf94117 wrote: »

5. Is there any way to get work experience in this area without a physics degree?? Any assistant type work??

I know the hospital I worked in had a policy against unpaid work experience, simply because a lot of people wanted it and there were insurance issues involved (again this was radiation physics, rather than imaging physics). There are roles for engineering techs, we had 2 who were responsible for the whole med phys IT network: CTs. linacs, planning systems etc.


Thanks,
SF[/QUOTE]

sf94117

Thanks very much for the info lonestargirl.

I have sent you a PM with a few other quick questions.....hope that's ok!!