Questions about MS Medical Physics

[CaptainJack02]

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Hi folks-

I am thinking of applying to an MS program in Medical Physics and had a few questions about the exact role of the medical physicist in cancer treatment? Do they calculate the dosage necessary, or the angles at which to zap a cancer, or choosing the best method to deliver certain amounts of radiation, etc(ie, all the calculations)? Or is it something else entirely?

Where does the rad onc's work end and the medical physicist's begin? What are some of the emerging technologies in this field? I know gamma knives are becoming commonplace now, so what is really the bleeding edge technology? Also, what level of patient interaction are we talking about?

If med phys folks get a decent amt of patient interaction, get to play a major part in treatment, and do all this in 1.5 years rather than 8 and still make 6 figs...well, I'll be in heaven! 🙂

Cheers
Captjack

 

[stephew]

Hi folks-

I am thinking of applying to an MS program in Medical Physics and had a few questions about the exact role of the medical physicist in cancer treatment? Do they calculate the dosage necessary, or the angles at which to zap a cancer, or choosing the best method to deliver certain amounts of radiation, etc(ie, all the calculations)? Or is it something else entirely?

Where does the rad onc's work end and the medical physicist's begin? What are some of the emerging technologies in this field? I know gamma knives are becoming commonplace now, so what is really the bleeding edge technology? Also, what level of patient interaction are we talking about?

If med phys folks get a decent amt of patient interaction, get to play a major part in treatment, and do all this in 1.5 years rather than 8 and still make 6 figs...well, I'll be in heaven! 🙂

Cheers
Captjack

Law number one; never EVER say "zap". Dont ask me why but they mean it.
You ask a complicated but good question. Where does the work of the doc and the dosimetrist end and the physicist begin. The short asnwer is the complexity of the treatment decides. I usually put on the beams (some places the docs only describe the contours which is shameful). The dosimetrist twweks them and adds wedges etc. The physicist only double checks and QA's the routine stuff and gets more involved with IMRT and more complex therapies. The Phds (not sure about the MS but I think them too) also calibrate the machines and commission them. Your patient interaction is next to zero.
Cutting edge is tomotherapy. Cyberknife is also new-ish. IMRT is still developing.

Unfortunately for you, you sound like you like patient interaction and making treatment decisions. While the med physicist is a major player of the team, he's really all behind the scenes. Except potentially with brachy therapy cases. Even there is usually just calcing sources, handing them off and taking them back. You wont "see patients". Let me say that again; even with brachy you the patient interaction is a minimum for the medical physicist. You also dont make major treatment decisions per se; with IMRT you will do planning but the physician tells you want they want and you figure out how to deliever it.

If you want patient care, consider a PA program.

 

[Thaiger75]

Random, unrelated question to Steph:

Noticed that you're "SDN Moderator" instead of "SDN Super Moderator" now. What's the difference?

 

[scooter31]

Captain-

We meet agian. I have friends that are both MS and PhD's in medical physics/dosimietry in Boston. Once you're around, let me know and I can introduce you to them, if that interests you. My one good friend who has a MS actuallt does a decent amount of IMRT/SRS/Brachy related cases, so he could show you quite a bit of the new stuff on top of the more traditional, conformal planings.

Steph-

Long time, no hear! Hope things are good with you, and drop a line if you're roaming the halls at BWH anytime soon.

 

[stephew]

Random, unrelated question to Steph:

Noticed that you're "SDN Moderator" instead of "SDN Super Moderator" now. What's the difference?

yes alas about 6 mos ago or more, webmonster Lee Burnette decided to downgrade some folks and I was among them. I forget the rationale but to be honest i dont mind since unlike some mods here, my job is pretty easy. There is little spanking I have to do and i dont spend much time in the other forums to check up on things so its fair enough. Of course protest letters are always welcome

The difference is I can't do much outside this forum; i cant ban or edit or post-hold in other forums like supermods. There was talk in the mod forum about how to "promote" people to supermod but it never got followed through on.

 

[Adawaal]

Steph --

Speaking of your big move north (and knowing all too well the demands of the new faculty member), will you be staying on to be our Rad Onc mom? We'd all hate to see ya step down, ya know... 🙁

 

[stephew]

Steph --

Speaking of your big move north (and knowing all too well the demands of the new faculty member), will you be staying on to be our Rad Onc mom? We'd all hate to see ya step down, ya know... 🙁

awww, of course. So long as I dont see a conflict of interest.