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Medical health physics deals with the safe use
of X-rays, gamma rays, electron or other charged particle beams,
neutrons, radionuclides, and radiation from sealed sources for both
diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in human beings and the use
of equipment required to perform appropriate tests and measurements
that do not involve the direct application of radiation to humans
for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
Physicist
Areas of Specialization
Health physicists promote the practice of radiation safety. They
may specialize in nuclear power, environment and waste management,
laws and regulations, and medicine. Medical physicists work with
radiation therapy machine or diagnostic radiology imaging machines
to improve the treatment or diagnosis of disease. They may specialize
in medical nuclear physics, diagnostic radiological physics, and
therapeutic radiological physics.
Work Environment
Health physicists work in nuclear power facilities, regulatory agencies,
hospitals, research centers, universities, government agencies,
or free standing radiation oncology centers. Medical physicists
focus more on clinical settings or clinical research laboratories.
Job Outlook
The job outlook for medical and health physicists is favorable.
Their specialized skills and the expansion of the general field
qualify them for various positions.
Length of Training/Requirements
A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement; many employers prefer
advanced degrees. Applicants for graduate programs in health physics/medical
physics should have a college degree in physics, biology, chemistry,
or engineering. Studies cover courses in radiation biophysics, hazards
evaluation, environmental radioactivity, nuclear physics and engineering,
and radiobiology.
Advancement
With a graduate degree and experience, one may advance to research
and teaching positions, or act as consultants to physicists, biophysicists,
chemists, biochemists, biologists, ecologists, geneticists, and
physicians.
Licensure/Certification
Medical physicists must be board certified by the American Board
of Radiology, the American Board of Medical Physics, or the American
Board of Health Physics, depending on the specialty in which the
applicant applies to practice. Continuing education hours are required
every two years for recertification. Medical physicists are regulated
by the Florida Department of Health.
Salary
According to the Health Physics Society, an average annual salary
for health physicists in the South ranged from $90,000-$101,000
in 2005, depending on certification. According to the American Association
of Physicists in Medicine, the range of primary average annual earnings
for medical physicists in Florida was $124,000-$190,000 in 2005,
depending on training and certification.
Updated: 2007 |
