Physics Post-Grad Degree in Proton Beam Therapy

[SethCottengim]

I am graduating with a bachelors in Physics next year and I found an interest in Proton Beam Therapy. What post graduate degree would align with PBT?

 

[symbolipoint]

found an interest in Proton Beam Therapy. What post graduate degree wo

Think about the vocabulary you used there.

"Proton Beam", tells you something involving Physics, subatomic particle, radiation.

"Therapy", tells you something about health, disease treatment, medicine.

Do you see an indication of Medical Physics here?

 

[Choppy]

I agree with the above. If you have an interest in proton therapy, medical physics is your best bet.

 

[ZapperZ]

I am graduating with a bachelors in Physics next year and I found an interest in Proton Beam Therapy. What post graduate degree would align with PBT?

It depends on whether you are interested in the actual interaction of the proton beam with cells/human organs/body, etc... or whether you are interested in the machine itself. The former will be what everyone has recommended: Medical Physics. The latter, on the other hand, is Accelerator Physics.

Zz.

 

[Irishdoug]

@ZapperZ how are the employment prospects looking for Accelerator Physics these days, both in Academia and in Idustry. I read a thread from near ten years ago on the forum that said there was a large shortage of Acc. Physicists. Is this still the case?

Tis an area of Physics I'm quite interested in so curious to know.

 

[ZapperZ]

@ZapperZ how are the employment prospects looking for Accelerator Physics these days, both in Academia and in Idustry. I read a thread from near ten years ago on the forum that said there was a large shortage of Acc. Physicists. Is this still the case?

Tis an area of Physics I'm quite interested in so curious to know.

Unfortunately, I do not have any new statistics, so I can't say.

Anecdotally, our students that graduated in this field have all been finding jobs in "industries", most of them in SBIR companies. As far as I can observe myself, this percentage is significantly higher than, say, HEP PhDs that I encounter in our Division.

Keep in mind the one inherent characteristics of Accelerator Science. You are studying topics that clearly have wide applications in industries when compared to many other fields of physics. The fact that Accelerator Science students often come from either Physics and EE background is already a clear indication that this field allows one to specialize in "practical" matters.

Zz.

 

[Irishdoug]

@ZapperZ Cheers for the reply. I'm in Europe however I'd imagine the prospects are relatively similar here. I've looked at a few Accelerator Groups, they seem to be mainly based in UK which suits me. SBIR; does this stand for Small Business Innovation Research? Googled it that's what came up.

USA is always an option too so was curious as to how things seem over there.

 

[ZapperZ]

@ZapperZ Cheers for the reply. I'm in Europe however I'd imagine the prospects are relatively similar here. I've looked at a few Accelerator Groups, they seem to be mainly based in UK which suits me. SBIR; does this stand for Small Business Innovation Research? Googled it that's what came up.

USA is always an option too so was curious as to how things seem over there.

Yes, SBIR are small, almost start-up companies that perform small-scale research work that fill the gap left behind by most big corporations, and then portions of their funding from US Dept. of Energy.

Zz.