have you heard of medical physicist??

[Smooth Operater]

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My friend is pursing graduation study in medical physic (master and then pHD) after completing his biophysic undergraduate degree. He told me that after completing his pHD, he can become a resident of a hospital for 2 years, and then start working with patients in hospitals with 100K salary per year. The stuffs he is going to do sounds like what radiologist would do, but not going through med school route. Does such field exist, or is he just bsing me ?🙂

 

[gujuDoc]

My friend is pursing graduation study in medical physic (master and then pHD) after completing his biophysic undergraduate degree. He told me that after completing his pHD, he can become a resident of a hospital for 2 years, and then start working with patients in hospitals with 100K salary per year. The stuffs he is going to do sounds like what radiologist would do, but not going through med school route. Does such field exist, or is he just bsing me ?🙂

He's not BSing you. But you wont be a medical doctor. Its true cuz a friend considered doing the same thing but then ended up becoming a Physics teacher instead of going to grad school. Do some research online and I'm sure you can get more info.

 

[DrBowtie]

My friend is pursing graduation study in medical physic (master and then pHD) after completing his biophysic undergraduate degree. He told me that after completing his pHD, he can become a resident of a hospital for 2 years, and then start working with patients in hospitals with 100K salary per year. The stuffs he is going to do sounds like what radiologist would do, but not going through med school route. Does such field exist, or is he just bsing me ?🙂

You do the more technical aspects of rads or rad onc.
If I wasn't going to med school, that would be my second choice.

 

[HumbleMD]

Yeah, I thought they more handle conceptual things about the equipment and calibration (but not like a tech would). Definitely not the same as a radiologist. I had thought about it but my friend from my church who is one strongly encouraged me to go the med school route instead.

 

[Critical Mass]

Agree with the above. If you want to bill insurance for diagnostic radiology services and/or contribute to diagnoses, you gotta have an MD.

If you are just interested in salary, I agree that medicine is not the best choice.

 

[ryandote]

I met a medical physicist on MARTA on my way from the Atlanta airport. He told me that he had contemplated medical school, but it had seemed too daunting at the time. He did an MS and then a PhD and now works for a small company in Atlanta. His job entails traveling around the country inspecting and calibrating MRI machines and CT scanners.

He seemed to like it well enough but looked a little wistful when I told him I was there for a medical school interview. He says that eventually he might like to teach because he didn't feel like his current job was very challenging, though he liked the flexibility.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

This is definitely a real career. Some people choose this route because they're really into the research side of imaging & new technology development. No idea what it pays, though, or what kind of patient interaction you have.

 

[undrcovrgunner]

This is definitely a real career. Some people choose this route because they're really into the research side of imaging & new technology development. No idea what it pays, though, or what kind of patient interaction you have.

Yeah, there is very little patient interaction. On the most part it's a very technical career (as ryandote mentioned). You are right - they get paid around 70K during their 2-year 'residency' and start at 100K after that.

 

[amester07]

My undergrad degree is in biophysics too ... definitely *not* going into med for the money, lol. (b/c there isn't that much to be made, really =) ... I'll be happy to pay off my debts by age 30 🙄

 

[Critical Mass]

My undergrad degree is in biophysics too ... definitely *not* going into med for the money, lol. (b/c there isn't that much to be made, really =) ... I'll be happy to pay off my debts by age 30 🙄

Not to stray too far from the topic, but can someone please enlighten me as to what an undergraduate degree in biophysics includes? I can't possibly see it as anything more than a combinaiton of biology and physics with a class or two of physical chem taught by a biochemistry guru.

One school I went to had a degree in "cell biology" which was just half of the electives from a microbiology degree and half of those from a biochem degree put degree. Hardly a senior class was required. (Reading between the lines = quite attractive for pre meds.)

 

[deleted103644]

Biophysics degrees usually require both biochemistry and physical chemistry (although many times people take a biological version of physical chemistry to avoid too much math... ) Often a few upper level courses about such subjects as polymer chemistry, x-ray crystallography/NMR/mass spec are required as well.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

My friend is pursing graduation study in medical physic (master and then pHD) after completing his biophysic undergraduate degree. He told me that after completing his pHD, he can become a resident of a hospital for 2 years, and then start working with patients in hospitals with 100K salary per year. The stuffs he is going to do sounds like what radiologist would do, but not going through med school route. Does such field exist, or is he just bsing me ?🙂

Your English skills make me want to find whomever taught you it as a second language and kick the **** out of them.

 

[BrownianMotion]

im pretty sure this career involves a lotta man that us pre-meds would rather avoid...

 

[Misfit!]

My friend is pursing graduation study in medical physic (master and then pHD) after completing his biophysic undergraduate degree. He told me that after completing his pHD, he can become a resident of a hospital for 2 years, and then start working with patients in hospitals with 100K salary per year. The stuffs he is going to do sounds like what radiologist would do, but not going through med school route. Does such field exist, or is he just bsing me ?🙂

Medical physics is similar to medical engineering (I worked in a medical physics/engin lab) - an example of medical physics is Biooptics - so like somebody else mentioned, could involve a lot of working with MRIs and different types of CT scans, etc...so developing medical technology

 

[gujuDoc]

Your English skills make me want to find whomever taught you it as a second language and kick the **** out of them.

Actually I have to say that Christian dude was much worse.

 

[Critical Mass]

Biophysics degrees usually require both biochemistry and physical chemistry (although many times people take a biological version of physical chemistry to avoid too much math... ) Often a few upper level courses about such subjects as polymer chemistry, x-ray crystallography/NMR/mass spec are required as well.

I see. In other words, it is the same as my biochem degree with a different name. That's what I thought.

I've never really understand what "biophysics" is. Some people use it to describe vascular physiology, others bioenergetics (what I call physical chemistry), still others radiation science. I'm of the opinion that it's just a catchy buzzword like "molecular genetics."

 

[amester07]

Well, it really depends on the school, and depends if you are talking about it at the undergraduate, graduate/research, or industry/technical level.

I would give you the link to my program if it wasn't for anonymity's sake 😛, but my ugrad degree is basically an honours physics degree with electives focused in the biosciences: we got a choice of molecular biology (biochem & genetics courses), medical physics (imaging, etc), and structural biology. So I've learned some materials in both the physics and chemistry contexts, and applied them in biological/clinical cases (which is so neat! 😍) In addition, we have one course called "biological physics," which is the application of thermodynamics & statistical mechanims to phenomena such as bacteria swimming, chemical kinetics, etc. I've also taken a biological math course that taught us lots about the modeling of neural networks, population dynamics, and electrophysiology.

But yes, all in all, biophysics is such a broad field that it basically refers to any interdisciplinary research that combines the physical and biological sciences nowadays.

 

[TheRealDrDorian]

My friend is pursing graduation study in medical physic (master and then pHD) after completing his biophysic undergraduate degree. He told me that after completing his pHD, he can become a resident of a hospital for 2 years, and then start working with patients in hospitals with 100K salary per year. The stuffs he is going to do sounds like what radiologist would do, but not going through med school route. Does such field exist, or is he just bsing me ?🙂

A good example of types of things medical physicists do is design new medical diagnostic methods with physical methods. A perfect example would be MRI, or basically any imaging modality currently used.

Hope that helped.

 

[gridiron]

A good example of types of things medical physicists do is design new medical diagnostic methods with physical methods. A perfect example would be MRI, or basically any imaging modality currently used.

Hope that helped.

Right on the point. Also research in new imaging modalities like diffusion tensor imaging. Understanding imaging modalities is the key.

 

[Smooth Operater]

okay, i c. I guess they do not really interact w/ patients, but focus on improving better imaging technology in hospital.

 

[TheRealDrDorian]

okay, i c. I guess they do not really interact w/ patients, but focus on improving better imaging technology in hospital.

Exactly. It is more of a research based field. Keep in mind imaging technology is not the only branch of this, but just the easiest one to use as an example.

If you are interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_physics

 

[sunnypiano6]

.

 

[univscience]

talked with a physics professor about the position. if i recall, he made a lot of reference to x-rays/radiology to be specific.

 

[Smooth Operater]

thanks for all the input, is medical physic a HOT field right now? Like you can find a position easily after you get ur pHD and start earning 6 figured salary? If so, it sounds like a pretty good pHD degree to get since no post-doc is required.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

thanks for all the input, is medical physic a HOT field right now? Like you can find a position easily after you get ur pHD and start earning 6 figured salary? If so, it sounds like a pretty good pHD degree to get since no post-doc is required.

I do not know if it's a "hot" field right now, but frankly I don't care because it does not sound appealing to me. Now go back over to the dental side of SDN. Or did they finally make you realize you don't have a snowball's hell in getting into dental school and run you off?

Just to make myself clear, I will translate my response into your own langauge:

I no not know if this "HAWT" field now, but I know not if I care because ur a tool. Go back to want to fix teeth. On dream you.

 

[Moniker]

Agree with the above. If you want to bill insurance for diagnostic radiology services and/or contribute to diagnoses, you gotta have an MD.

If you are just interested in salary, I agree that medicine is not the best choice.

more and more physicians are opting for salaried employment by hospitals, fyi. there are a lot of benefits.