Physics with Medical Physics?

jumpguy

Hey y'all, just wondering if any of ye do this course? The Qualifax prospectus is annoyingly vague on the course content..

-Course Outline
Year One
▶ Physics
▶ Mathematics
▶ Chemistry
▶ Biology / Introduction to Medical Physics

Year Two
▶ Physics
▶ Anatomy
▶ Statistics
▶ Methods of Applied Mathematics

Year Three
▶ Physics (six modules)
▶ Medical Physics (two modules)
▶ Methods of Applied Mathematics (two modules)

Year Four
▶ Physics and Applied Physics (six core modules)
▶ Medical Physics (two modules)
▶ Laboratory, project work and problem-solving

What's the employment like for medical physicists, and what does the job entail (if ye know)? Do you like the course, would you recommend it?

Thanks!

RolandIRL

i'm in 2nd year undenominated science, and a lot of the subjects are the same. physics and chemistry are easy enough in first year, if you've done them before in Leaving Cert. Maths is a bit tougher, especially analysis (like harder calculus in LC). physics in 2nd year is a bit tougher but if you work hard, it won't be so tough.

my brother did undenominated science as well, and he's just finished a masters in medical physics. i just asked him to say a few things. if you've any specific questions, i'll get him to reply.

"i did a medical physics master last year. I know a few things about the medical physics degree. I can tell you that your job prospects are really really good. Most of the class from last year have got work in the UK. Unfrtunately it is ver hard to get a job in Ireland as they only take on about 5 graduates every year in ireland and you need to do some free experience to get one of those positions. However these positions are also open to non-medical physics grads as well.

Another bad thing about the degree is that it is not an IPEM accrediated course (IPEM is the medical physics governing body in Ireland and England) and you will have to do a masters part-time if you succeeded in getting a job in the UK, but it does give you an enourmous headstart over normal physics graduates. If you want to work much further away like in Australia I have heard that they are so desparate for Medical Physicists that they are willing to waive the accrediation depending on what subjects you did do you have any specific questions for me?"

meeka

I'm currently in the 3rd year of this course. I quite enjoy it - to be honest for the most part it's just like doing a regular physics degree with a few modules related to medical physics thrown in.

The course content is pretty much exactly what you've posted - you can check the school of physics website for exact physics modules for 2nd/3rd/4th year.

Basically, if you'd like to become a medical physicist, you'll still have to do a masters degree. I think worldwide there is a demand for medical physicists, but to get a job in Ireland at the moment is rather unlikely. It might be different in ~5 years. If you've any specific questions about the degree, I'll try to answer!

jumpguy

Thanks everyone!

whiteman19 wrote: »

"i did a medical physics master last year. I know a few things about the medical physics degree. I can tell you that your job prospects are really really good. Most of the class from last year have got work in the UK. Unfrtunately it is ver hard to get a job in Ireland as they only take on about 5 graduates every year in ireland and you need to do some free experience to get one of those positions. However these positions are also open to non-medical physics grads as well.

Is the last sentence referring to physics and medical physics grads in NUIG or masters grads?

Another bad thing about the degree is that it is not an IPEM accrediated course (IPEM is the medical physics governing body in Ireland and England)

Is that referring to the masters course or the NUIG course?

and you will have to do a masters part-time if you succeeded in getting a job in the UK, but it does give you an enourmous headstart over normal physics graduates. If you want to work much further away like in Australia I have heard that they are so desparate for Medical Physicists that they are willing to waive the accrediation depending on what subjects you did do you have any specific questions for me?"

So the consensus is that atm, you pretty much need to do the masters and you need to work abroad? Is the Master's degree recognised worldwide?

Is there good career opportunities with the degree outside medical physics?