Medical Physics - What do I need to do to get in?

[fermatsenigma]

Medical Physics -- What do I need to do to get in?

Hey I am an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Biomedical Physics
I am a junior (I have 82 hours) I started off as an Electrical Engineering student and then switched to Biomedical Physics after taking a couple of physics courses, I have a passion for both Physics and Medicine. I have decided that I want to go to graduate school for Medical Physics, in particular Duke.

My GPA in engineering was 3.7
My overall GPA is 3.1
My GPA in Physics is 3.6

I am doing research dealing with Biomedical Optics and I am planning on have 3+ publications by the time I graduate.

What do I need to do to get into top medical physics programs. Or is that out of reach?

 

[Choppy]

As with all graduate school admissions, getting into a medical physics program is a competative process, so no one can give you a formula that states you need: X, Y, and Z to get in. Obviously, the higher your undergraduate average is, the better.

Having research experience is a definite bonus. Having three or more publications would be outstanding. Most undergraduates do not have the time to put together publications on top of their coursework and so the research experience itself is what tends to aid in the applicaiton process, usually in the form of letters of recommendation.

 

[tramar]

I'm currently a graduate student in medical physics. I got a BSc. in Physics with a GPA of about 3.3 (78%). I also did an undergraduate thesis in medical physics, on which I received an 88. I also did some research in the physics of double-beta decay.

I applied to 3 different graduate schools, one of them being where I obtained my BSc. As part of the graduate application you usually have to give two references evaluation forms which they send into your chosen university and you don't get to see.

I was rejected from my first choice because of "relatively poor grades." The second choice sent me a rejection letter stating no reason. The third choice accepted me, probably because it is a small school and I had done my undergraduate there.

In the end, it's mostly about your grades and nothing else. I thought I had a decent chance; after all, a 78 isn't completely horrible (it's not a 65) so it depends on the amount of competition which varies from school to school.