Graduate options for medical physics.

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on a student's transition from wellness science to physics, highlighting their ambition to pursue a master's degree in a field that aids others, such as prosthetics or medical physics. They express confidence in their work ethic and recommendations but acknowledge a lack of preparation for theoretical physics and limited research experience. Despite a decent GPA of 3.3, they are concerned about finding suitable graduate programs that align with their interests. Suggestions include considering biomedical engineering or electrical engineering with a biomedical focus, which the student is open to exploring. The student appreciates the feedback and resources provided, indicating a proactive approach to their academic and career goals.
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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