Do you have to be good at Math for Rad Onc

[EMDO2018]

I love biology but I have always hated math. On the MCAT, my lowest score was Physical sciences 10 bio, 10 verbal, 8 physical sciences. The hardest part about physical sciences for me was the math. Understanding the concepts of chemistry and physics are easy. Seems like an interesting specialty, but one I would be too dumb to match.

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[mpdoc2]

I love biology but I have always hated math. On the MCAT, my lowest score was Physical sciences 10 bio, 10 verbal, 8 physical sciences. The hardest part about physical sciences for me was the math. Understanding the concepts of chemistry and physics are easy. Seems like an interesting specialty, but one I would be too dumb to match.

You get to cure patients with beams of energy, can't really get cooler than that! If you're able to get into the field of radonc you'll do fine. It is one of the hardest fields to get in though.

 

[Gfunk6]

Keep in mind that we have physicists for the really complex stuff. For all the brouhaha about Rad Onc being a field for "nerds and geniuses" the math component never really progresses beyond algebra level.

 

[Sheldor]

Keep in mind that we have physicists for the really complex stuff. For all the brouhaha about Rad Onc being a field for "nerds and geniuses" the math component never really progresses beyond algebra level.

I'm just getting started, but there's already been a few arctan's in there. So trigonometry?

 

[medgator]

I'm just getting started, but there's already been a few arctan's in there. So trigonometry?

Been in practice for a few years. Have yet to use an "arctan"

 

[radtothebone]

I'm just getting started, but there's already been a few arctan's in there. So trigonometry?

The beauty of computer based 3D planning has eliminated the need for arctans, even for CSI. I agree with the others, algebra should be all you need to make it from the math standpoint

 

[RadOncDoc21]

For some strange reason I can't wrap my brain around logarithms and natural logs and how to revert from one variable to another. Cell survival and log kills make me cringe. Don't even get me started on Air Kerma !

 

[mpdoc2]

For some strange reason I can't wrap my brain around logarithms and natural logs and how to revert from one variable to another. Cell survival and log kills make me cringe. Don't even get me started on Air Kerma !

I'm also getting nervous about when the scores of physics is coming out too Hopefully that'll be the last of those for us...

Just so that the OP knows. There's a physics board exam at the end of your PGY-4 year.

 

[Sheldor]

Been in practice for a few years. Have yet to use an "arctan"

Right, but you had to pass boards which seems like it would be tough to pass with just algebra, right?

 

[medgator]

Right, but you had to pass boards which seems like it would be tough to pass with just algebra, right?

Wish I could remember that far back.....I think I'm suppressing bad memories

 

[Gfunk6]

Wish I could remember that far back.....I think I'm suppressing bad memories

It's quite amazing how your quantitative knowledge of radiation physics exponentially declines after you pass the Physics Boards.