UMass Lowell's Medical Physics program offers fundamental physics knowledge with a medical physics specialization.
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Program (CAMPEP), UMass Lowell's Medical Physics doctoral program collaborates with local and regional teaching hospitals and cancer centers in the Boston area to provide you with cutting-edge education in therapeutic and imaging medical physics. The duration of the Ph.D. program is usually between four and six years.
Our program builds on the M.S. in Radiological Sciences and Protection, Medical Physics Option curriculum and adds further requirements, including graduate courses in physics, biology, or chemistry and a doctoral dissertation. The research results are expected to be published in at least one peer-reviewed journal paper.
Students in the program qualify for and are expected to take the American Board of Radiology (ABR) Part-1 Exam by the second or third year of study. Historically, most students have concentrated on therapy physics, but because faculty and the cooperating hospitals also have imaging and nuclear medicine research projects, over the last decade, a number of students have focused on other medical physics specialties as well.
For complete program details and course descriptions, please visit the Academic Catalog.
For student entering in Fall 2024 and beyond.
This sequence assumes the entering student has adequate preparation in undergraduate Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Mechanics; therefore no physics remedial courses (PHYS.5000 level) are necessary. Note that the actual degree pathway depends on the particular preparation of the student, therefore this example may not be applicable to everyone.
| Year 1, Semester 1 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| RADI.5010 | Radiation Safety and Control I | 3 |
| RADI.5090 | Nuclear Instrumentation | 3 |
| PHYS.6570 | Electromagnetic Theory I | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Total | 9 | |
| Year 1, Semester 2 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| RADI.5980 | Medical Imaging I | 3 |
| RADI.5620 | Radiation Biology | 3 |
| PHYS.6580 | Electromagnetic Theory II | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7021 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Total | 9 | |
| Year 1, Summer Trimester | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| HSCI.5510 OR XXXX.XXXX | Clinical Pathophysiology OR
an approved graduate course in Sectional Human Anatomy | 3 |
| Total | 3 | |
Target date for Comprehensive Doctoral Examination.
| Year 2, Semester 3 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| RADI.6980 | Medical Imaging II | 3 |
| RADI.6050 | Radiation Interactions & Transport | 3 |
| RADI.5330 | External Dosimetry and Shielding | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Total | 9 | |
| Year 2, Semester 4 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| RADI.5650 | Intro Radiation Therapy Physics | 3 |
| RADI.6060 | Monte Carlo Simulation of Radiation Transport | 3 |
| PHYS.6110 OR
XXXX.XXXX | Classical Mechanics OR
other approved elective | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7020 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Total | 9 | |
Target date for start of research.
| Year 3, Semester 5 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| PHYS.5630 OR
XXXX.XXXX | Computational Methods in Physics OR
Other approved elective | 3 |
| RADI.6760 | Graduate Medical Physics Internship | 2 |
| PHYS.7310 | Advanced Project I | 3 |
| BMBT.5200 | Ethical Issues in Biomedical Research | 1 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Total | 9 | |
| Year 3, Semester 6 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| RADI.6650 | Advanced Radiation Therapy Physics | 3 |
| RADI.6860 | Advanced Medical Physics Internship | 2 |
| PHYS.7320 | Advanced Project II | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 1 |
| PHYS.7020 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
Target date for graduate research admissions exam and formation of thesis committee. Recommended date for taking ABR* Part I examination.
| Year 4, Semester 7 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| PHYS/RADI.XXXX | Approved Elective | 3 |
| PHYS/RADI.7560 | Doctoral Dissertation - Physics | 6 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Total | 9 | |
| Year 4, Semester 8 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| PHYS/RADI.XXXX | Approved Elective | 3 |
| PHYS/RADI.7560 | Doctoral Dissertation - Physics | 6 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Total | 9 | |
| Year 5, Semester 9 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| PHYS/RADI.7560 | Doctoral Dissertation - Physics | 9 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Total | 9 | |
| Year 5, Semester 10 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| PHYS/RADI.7560 | Doctoral Dissertation - Physics | 9 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7020 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Total | 9 | |
Target date for dissertation defense.
ABR = American Board of Radiology
Last updated: 7/16/24.
| Year 1, Semester 1 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| RADI.5010 | Radiation Safety and Control I | 3 |
| RADI.5090 | Nuclear Instrumentation | 3 |
| RADI.6050 | Radiation Interactions and Transport | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 1, Semester 2 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| RADI.5980 | Medical Imaging I | 3 |
| RADI.5620 | Radiation Biology | 3 |
| RADI.5650 | Radiation Therapy Physics | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7020 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 1, Summer Trimester | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 3 | |
| HSCI.5510 OR
XXXX.XXXX | Clinical Pathophysiology OR
a graduate course in Medical Anatomy and Physiology with Sectional Human Anatomy | 3 |
| Year 2, Semester 3 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| RADI.6980 | Medical Imaging II | 3 |
| RADI.6760 | Graduate Medical Physics Internship | 2 |
| RADI.5330 | External Dosimetry and Shielding | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 1 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 2, Semester 4 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| RADI.6650 | Advanced Radiation Therapy Physics | 3 |
| RADI.6060 | Monte Carlo Simulation of Radiation Transport | 3 |
| RADI.6860 | Advanced Medical Physics Internship | 2 |
| BMBT.5200 | Ethical Issues in Biomedical Research (or equivalent) | 1 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7020 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 3, Semester 5 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| PHYS/RADI.XXXX | Approved Elective | 3 |
| PHYS/RADI.7560 | Ph.D. Dissertation Research | 6 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 3, Semester 6 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| PHYS/RADI.XXXX | Approved Elective | 3 |
| PHYS/RADI.7560 | Ph.D. Dissertation Research | 6 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7020 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 4, Semester 7 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| PHYS/RADI.7560 | Ph.D. Dissertation Research | 9 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7020 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 4, Semester 8 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| PHYS/RADI.7560 | Ph.D. Dissertation Research | 9 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7020 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
Last updated: 7/16/24
| Year 1, Semester 1 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| PHYS.5610 | Nuclear Physics I | 3 |
| PHYS.6570 | Electromagnetic Theory I | 3 |
| RADI/PHYS.XXXX | Approved Elective (e.g., Internal Dosimetry) | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 1, Semester 2 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| PHYS.6580 | Electromagnetic Theory II | 3 |
| PHYS.6620 | Nuclear Physics II | 3 |
| PHYS.6110 OR
XXXX.XXXX | Classical Mechanics OR
Approved Elective | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7020 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 2, Semester 3 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| PHYS.5630 OR
XXXX.XXXX | Computational Methods in Physics OR
Approved elective | 3 |
| RADI.6050 | Radiation Interactions and Transport | 3 |
| PHYS/RADI.7560 | Ph.D. Dissertation Research | 3 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 2, Semester 4 (Spring) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| RADI.6060 | Monte Carlo Simulation of radiation Transport | 3 |
| PHYS/RADI.7560 | PH.D. Dissertation Research | 6 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7020 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
| Year 3, Semester 5 (Fall) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
| Total | 9 | |
| RADI.7560 | Ph.D. Dissertation Research | 6 |
| PHYS.7200 | Medical Physics Seminar | 0 |
| PHYS.7010 | Physics Colloquium | 0 |
Last updated: 7/16/24
Upon graduation, medical physics students are prepared to receive advanced clinical training by entering a medical physics residency program or through working under the direction of a board-certified medical physicist.
Recent graduates have accepted positions as:
Take the next step and apply. Learn more about admission requirements, funding options and assistantships.
For information about the application process and requirements, please visit Sciences Admission Requirements.
A limited number of Teaching Assistantships (TA) is available for qualified full-time doctoral students. The Department of Physics and Applied Physics offers TA support for the first two years of study. Thereafter, one of the research groups may offer a Research Assistantship (RA) on a competitive basis. For further details, including the current TA/RA compensation amounts, please visit Graduate Student Assistantships.