Medical Physics Salaries and Job Trends: What to Expect After Graduation

In summary, the conversation discussed the salaries and job trends in the field of medical physics, specifically for those who graduate from a 2-year residency after obtaining an MS degree. The average starting salary for an MS level medical physicist without board certification is around $96k, but it may take 5-7 years of experience and board certification to reach a six-figure salary. It is possible to find a job in cities like San Diego or coastal Carolina, but it may require some searching and willingness to live in a different area. Work hours are generally regular and vacation time depends on the employer. The AAPM salary survey may be biased and there is a trend for job postings to favor graduates of CAMPEP approved residencies. However, a
  • #1
boor
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hi could someone please tell me about salaries and future job trends in this field? say if you graduate from the 2yr residency after your m.s. degree, should you be able to get a $150k/yr job in a city like san diego? or at least in some coastal carolina city? also once you get a job do you just keep it until you retire? or you can switch to some other job? and how many hrs/wk do u work? how many weeks of vacation?
thanks!
 
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  • #2
I don't know as much about Medical Physics as I do about med school, but the salary would probably be a bit lower (other factors affecting salary include whether you graduated from an accredited or unaccredited program); probably more like $120k to start, with an MS. Anyway, like I said, I'm interested in becoming a Rad Onc, and as far as I know, hours are fairly regular (for a physician). Assuming you are doing radiation therapy, most facilities only operate on weekdays, and hold regular hours. It's not a specialty that deals with emergencies, since it takes a lot of planning for each patient.

So to summarize, $150k sounds a bit high; that is the salary someone with a Ph.D. from an accredited program would be making, not an MS (whether its accredited or not). You should be able to find a job, but you might have to do some looking around and be willing to live somewhere other than SD or coastal Carolina. The statistics have said there is currently an increase in the number of MP grads, with the same amount of job openings, so it's not a field that is starving for employees (like nursing). Nonetheless, you should be able to live in those areas and find a job within a reasonable commuting distance, I'd say.

Good luck.
 
  • #3
As of the 2006 AAPM salary survey, starting salaries for an MS level medical physicist without board certification was an average $96k (n=81, 20-80th percentile range $85-109) (a good deal higher than what I started out at). You generally don't reach salaries in the 6 figure range without having at least board certification and 5-7 years experience. Whether you keep the job until you retire or switch to something else depends entirely on you. you're always free to relocate, stay in the same spot, change professions, whatever. Work hours is also highly dependent on the job and your personality, but for the most part tend to be fairly regular 8-5 type jobs. Vacation time depends entirely on the employer.
 
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  • #4
imabug said:
As of the 2006 AAPM salary survey, starting salaries for an MS level medical physicist without board certification was an average $96k (n=81, 20-80th percentile range $85-109) (a good deal higher than what I started out at). You generally don't reach salaries in the 6 figure range without having at least board certification and 5-7 years experience. Whether you keep the job until you retire or switch to something else depends entirely on you. you're always free to relocate, stay in the same spot, change professions, whatever. Work hours is also highly dependent on the job and your personality, but for the most part tend to be fairly regular 8-5 type jobs. Vacation time depends entirely on the employer.

I am concerned when someone posts salary as a way to draw someone into a field. I have seen many biased reports come from the AAPM, especially when they are self-serving.

1.) I remember talking with a woman who discovered that she was "underpaid" according the AAPM salary survey. The academic center where she worked had a policy of "matching the published" salary survey to retain their employees. The AAPM is mostly run by those same academics, so there is a potential advantage to biasing the median in studies such as this.

2.) A committee that was studying medical physics residencies reported that these residencies were failing. Still, the AAPM publishes ALL jobs postings as favoring graduates of a CAMPEP approved residency. This is a sharp contrast from the job postings made back in 2003. In 2003 many postings merely asked for experience as a simple dosimetrist (B.S. graduate). Every 2-3 years the required length of experience escalates another 2-3 years.
 
  • #5
Was it really worth resurrecting a thread that's almost 3 years old to voice such concerns?

AtomicPile said:
2.) A committee that was studying medical physics residencies reported that these residencies were failing. Still, the AAPM publishes ALL jobs postings as favoring graduates of a CAMPEP approved residency. This is a sharp contrast from the job postings made back in 2003. In 2003 many postings merely asked for experience as a simple dosimetrist (B.S. graduate). Every 2-3 years the required length of experience escalates another 2-3 years.

What report is this?

Also, even back in 2003, experience as a dosimetrist did not qualify one as a medical physicist.
 
  • #6
Choppy said:
Was it really worth resurrecting a thread that's almost 3 years old to voice such concerns?



What report is this?

Also, even back in 2003, experience as a dosimetrist did not qualify one as a medical physicist.

Let's not kid ourselves here. Most medical physics programs require only about a year of regular classes. The rest is elective and Ph.d. research. You don't need research to be a successful clinical medical physicist as the number of people holding masters degrees in the field will attest to. And that year of extra classes constitutes a number of topics which are widely irrelevant to clinical medical physics, such as scatter compensation on radiographs or magnetic resonance imaging theory. I see no reason why a properly trained "dosimetrist" couldn't perform the functions of a medical physicist with a Ph.d., sans research. And let's face it, the majority of clinicians aren't doing research anyway.
 
  • #7
For clarity, please define what you feel are the functions of a clinical medical physicist.

I suspect we're talking about two different things.
 

1. What is the average salary for a medical physicist?

The average salary for a medical physicist varies depending on factors such as experience, location, and employer. According to the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the average salary for a medical physicist in the United States is around $170,000 per year.

2. How does the salary for medical physicists compare to other healthcare professions?

Compared to other healthcare professions, medical physicists have a higher average salary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for all healthcare practitioners and technical occupations in the United States is around $68,000 per year, significantly lower than the average salary for medical physicists.

3. Are there any factors that can affect the salary for medical physicists?

Yes, there are several factors that can affect the salary for medical physicists. These include years of experience, level of education, type of employer (e.g. academic institution, private practice, government agency), and location. Medical physicists in higher-demand areas or with more experience and education may earn higher salaries.

4. What is the job outlook for medical physicists in terms of salary?

The job outlook for medical physicists is positive, with an expected growth rate of 11% from 2018 to 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This growth may also contribute to potential salary increases for medical physicists as demand for their skills and expertise continues to rise.

5. Are there any opportunities for career advancement in terms of salary for medical physicists?

Yes, there are opportunities for career advancement in terms of salary for medical physicists. With additional education and experience, medical physicists can become senior physicists, chief physicists, or directors of medical physics departments, which often come with higher salaries. Additionally, medical physicists may also have the opportunity to work in research and development, which may offer higher salaries as well.

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