Medical Physicist in Hawaii

[hbphysics]

Hello! I got my BS in Physics last May and recently decided I would like to pursue medical physics. I've looked up a ton of information on it already (grad programs, CAMPEP certification, residencies, etc.) I know there is varying opinion on job outlook also. My real concern is I am planning on moving to hawaii and would like to know what the job outlook is like there specifically. This is not some kind of rash dream after vacation. My husband grew up there and had intentions to move back before we met. I have no qualms with putting our move off for a few years if it means having a opportunity for a better career (currently a first year high school teacher.) I've been looking a job offers online and so far haven't spotted a single one. Anyone have knowledge on this? Thanks for any help!

 

[Locrian]

You also need to be asking how you're going to do your residency there, and what the odds are of getting one.

Honestly, if you're going to be so geographically constricted, I think you need to develop skills that are more broadly applicable.

 

[hbphysics]

I know the chance of getting a geographically-restricted residency is low. Realistically, I wasn't considering that as an option. Also, there aren't any CAMPEP accredited residencies in Hawaii. As far as being geographically restricted, my original thinking was that a career in the medical field would be prefered, since there are hospitals in every state.

Thank you for your response Locrian!

 

[Choppy]

One of the things you have to remember with medical physics is that there aren't a lot of medical physicists.

I come from a province (in Canada) with roughly 3x the population of Hawaii. We have roughly 40 full time medical physicists across the province. Hence I would expect roughly 13 medical physics positions in Hawaii. I realize there are many different factors to consider - Hawaii has an enormous tourist population, US and Candian staffing models are different, the healthcare systems themselves are different... but even if I'm off by a factor of two and there are, say 23 positions. Figure the average medical physicist works for > 23 years over his or her career. Even accounting for growth, you're lprobably ooking at roughly one position opening per year in that state.

Of course it won't be a steady thing either. Hiring will be clumped. Maybe you'll see nothing for three years and then a new cancer center will open and they'll hire four physicists. When you're in a profession like medicine where there are thousands of physicians across a state like that, there will be plenty of openings at any given time. But in medical physics you see stretches of time where nothing is available.

One of the unforntunate aspects of the profession is that you can't be geographically constrained.