UF : Medical Physics Certificate EDGE

UF EDGE: Medical Physics Certificate
Medical Physics Certificate
This CAMPEP accredited certificate is designed to provide the essential didactic elements of
medical physics to individuals seeking to pursue an alternative pathway to medical physics
residency or to enrich their background and learn more about the technology of medical
physics. When combined with a Ph.D. in physics, or a related engineering discipline, the
Certificate qualifies graduates to be eligible CAMPEP accredited residency programs in medical
physics. Students enrolled in the Certificate program may also register for Part I of the
American Board of Radiology board exam in Medical Physics.
Who Should Participate?
Distance Learning Professionals: Working professionals, military members, and students
at other universities worldwide can participate in the Medical Physics Certificate through the UF
EDGE distance learning platform. There are no campus visits required to earn this UF graduate
level certification, all course content is online, and the certification and UF transcript earned are
the same online or on-campus.
Campus Students: UF campus students can earn the same certification offered to distance
learning professionals. Campus students wishing to earn the Graduate Medical Physics
Certificate on their transcript need to earn a B or better in the required graduate level courses
on-campus (note: cannot substitute undergraduate courses). Campus students on internship
outside of Gainesville can participate in distance course options; contact the UF EDGE office for
more information.
Application Requirements: Applicants must have a Ph.D. in physics, or a related discipline,
and meet the CAMPEP requirements for undergraduate education (see campep.org).
Applicants are also required to have successfully completed an independent course in
anatomy/physiology or must be enrolled in an anatomy/physiology course when they begin the
Certificate program. All participants must apply online for admission to the Certificate. There is
a $30 application fee to apply, and no GRE exam is required to earn certificates. The
application link is found on the UF EDGE website at www.ufedge.ufl.edu (look for ‘Certificate
Application’).
Completion Requirements: Certificate participants must apply for certificate admission,
have to earn a B or better in each certificate course, and fill out a separate free online form with
the UF graduate school during their last semester in a certificate course to earn certification.
www.ufedge.ufl.edu
UF EDGE: Medical Physics Certificate
Contact Information
For information on how to participate, distance or campus, please contact the UF EDGE office:
Email: [email protected] Phone: 352-392-9670
For information on course content and professional development outcomes, please contact:
David Gilland, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Email: [email protected]
Certificate Structure
The Certificate consists of a total of 5 courses (15 credit hours). Students must earn a B or
better in each of the 5 courses they complete to earn the certificate and must apply for the
certificate by a set deadline during their last semester taking certificate courses.
Course Descriptions
Students must take the following 5 required courses for the Medical Physics Certificate:
BME 6535: Radiological Physics, Measurement and Dosimetry covers the physical
interactions and measurement techniques of ionizing radiations used in medical applications. It
includes the physics of radiation sources, interactions in tissue and measurement and dosimetry
techniques based on ion chambers and scintillation detectors.
BME 6590: Medical Physics introduces students to the physical basis and clinical practice of
medical physics. It demonstrates the fundamentals of imaging physics and techniques including
radiographic, CT, ultrasound, MRI and nuclear medicine procedures. Image quality metrics and
image processing techniques are introduced, and the fundamental strategies of radiation
therapy, treatment planning and components of professional development are studied.
BME 6591: Therapeutic Radiological Physics I examines the principles of therapeutic
radiological physics including the measurement and calculation of absorbed dose. External
beam radiation therapy is studied including dose distributions within patients and treatment
planning techniques used to produce desired isodose distributions.
www.ufedge.ufl.edu
UF EDGE: Medical Physics Certificate
ENU 5626: Radiation Biology explores the effects of radiation on biological molecules, cells,
organ systems and man, including cancer and mutagenesis. Risk models for ionizing radiation
are studies, and biologically based strategies for the application of radiation in the treatment of
disease are developed.
ENU 6636: Medical Radiation Shielding and Protection introduces the fundamental radiation
safety principles for all areas of clinical medical physics, including regulatory requirements for
personnel, equipment and facilities, and provides the student with detailed instruction on
structural shielding design for medical facilities, including imaging facilities and linac vaults for
radiation therapy applications.
Distance Learning Option
For worldwide distance learning professionals (or student outside of Gainesville), all courses in
the Medical Physics Certificate are offered through the UF EDGE (Electronic Delivery of Gator
Engineering) Program. UF EDGE makes continuing your education possible no matter where
you live or work.
Lectures are available online in streaming and downloadable video, all semester, making it easy
for students to go back and review lectures before exams. Certificate students view courses
online, submit coursework online, and interact with professors using e-mail, phone, and course
websites. Students are never required to travel to campus, and any course exams are
proctored at their place of work and are emailed in for grading. For any questions about the
distance learning process, please contact:
UF EDGE Phone: 352-392-9670 Email: [email protected]
www.ufedge.ufl.edu