Graduate options for medical physics.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around options for graduate programs in medical physics and related fields, including biomedical engineering. Participants explore the challenges faced by a student transitioning from a wellness science background to physics, and the search for suitable master's programs that align with their career goals in helping people through medical applications.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their academic journey and expresses a desire to pursue a master's degree that enables them to help people, particularly in prosthetics and medical physics.
  • Another participant suggests considering master's programs in biomedical engineering or electrical engineering with a biomedical focus as potentially better options for designing medical equipment.
  • A third participant provides a link to a list of accredited graduate programs in medical physics, prompting a question about its relevance to the original poster's search.
  • The original poster acknowledges an interest in biomedical engineering but expresses concern about meeting the prerequisites for some programs due to their limited engineering and biology background.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the relevance of biomedical engineering as a viable path, but there is no consensus on the best approach or specific programs suitable for the original poster's background and goals. The discussion remains open-ended regarding the best fit for graduate studies.

Contextual Notes

The original poster's academic background and limited research experience may impact their eligibility for certain programs, and there are concerns about meeting prerequisites for biomedical engineering programs. The discussion does not resolve these uncertainties.

Who May Find This Useful

Students considering graduate studies in medical physics, biomedical engineering, or related fields, particularly those with non-traditional academic backgrounds or limited research experience.

Ryan Evans
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To begin, I've had a fairly long college career. I was a wellness science major for 3 years and decided it wasn't challenging enough at my small college. I switched to physics and jammed 4 years of math and physics into 2 years. I have one more year left and then I will be in graduate school hopefully. This year will only consist of a few classes, as I go to a small university that is only able to offer upper level physics classes once every two years.

My GPA is decent (3.3), but I don't expect to get into a highly prestigious university. I am confident in my abilities, work ethic, and ability to present myself well. However, I also realize I'm likely not prepared for a graduate program that is heavy in theoretical physics and mathematics yet. I have limited research (focused on fluid dynamics of electron breakdown waves), but my professors think very highly of me so I think I will have very good letters of recommendation.

I just know that I want to pursue a masters which will enable me to help people in some way. I love the idea of getting into prosthetics & orthotics or medical physics. I have had a lot of trouble finding any school that seems to fit me though. The closest thing I have found is Applied Physics degrees that allow for a focus in optics which have the potential for medical application. My hours and hours of online searching haven't yielded much success. I don't want to be a theoretical physicist or professor from a top college. I just want to be good at what I do and be able to help people.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the lengthy post.
 
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Have you considered master's programs in biomedical engineering (or perhaps electrical engineering with a focus on biomedical engineering)? It seems like that would be the better choice when it comes to designing medical equipment/prosthetics/etc.
 
Biomedical engineering is definitely an interest of mine. I intend on applying to a few of those programs. I was initially worried about some of them as they required a bit more engineering or a few more biology labs than I've had.
And thank you for the link to that list. I will look into each of the Universities listed.
 

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