Radiation Medicine

Radiological Medical Physics

Offered by the College of Health Sciences, Division of Radiological Sciences

About Radiological Medical Physics

Radiological medical physics is an applied branch of physics concerned with the application of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation to the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Professionals in this area are involved with clinical service and consultation, teaching, and research. One major service is the planning of radiation treatments for cancer patients. Such treatments use external radiation beams or internal radioactive sources and optimize the tumor-to-healthy tissue dose ratio. An indispensable service is the accurate measurement of radiation output from sources employed in cancer therapy. Other important functions include the investigation of equipment performance, organization of quality control practices, design of radiation installations, and control of medical radiation hazards. Such individuals most often find their primary responsibilities in radiation therapy, but on occasion will be employed primarily in nuclear medicine or diagnostic imaging areas. The therapy specialization produces individuals who can begin with a specific target lesion, knowing size and location, and produce a "best approach" plan for therapy which will maximize patient benefit. This requires sophisticated use of information about radiation absorption and equipment capabilities.

About the Program Option

The M.S. in Radiological Medical Physics option is interdisciplinary in nature. It is offered as one of two options in the Radiation Science Program. This option provides a thorough didactic grounding in fundamental and specialized medical physics, with experience using state-of-the-art equipment.  It is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Academic Programs.

Program Prerequisites and Admission RequirementsPrerequisites for this option include a baccalaureate degree in physics or the equivalent of a physics minor from an accredited institution, plus the following coursework:

• Physics through modern physics (with atomic and nuclear laboratory)
• Mathematics through ordinary differential equations
• One year of general chemistry
• At least one semester of general or mammalian biology
• One semester of human physiology
• One semester of human anatomy
• One semester of scientific statistics
• One semester of computer science

Students lacking certain course prerequisites may be admitted on a provisional basis while completing them, at the discretion of our Director of Graduate studies. Prospective students also must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School, must submit scores obtained on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination, and should have an overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Coursework

Required Coursework and Semester Hours

PHY 402G
Electronic Instrumentation and Measurements
(3)
PHY 472G
Interaction of Radiation with Matter
(3)
RAS 545
Radiation Hazards and Protection
(3)
RM 546
General Medical Radiological Physics
(3)
RM 601
Advanced Radiation Dosimetry
(2)
RAS 647
Physics of Diagnostic Imaging I
(3)
RAS 648
Physics of Diagnostic Imaging II
(3)
RM 649
Physics of Radiation Therapy
(3)
RAS 651
Advanced Laboratory in Diagnostic Imaging Physics
(2)
RAS 695
Research in the Health-Related Radiation Sciences
(2)
RAS 710
Radiation Science Seminar
(1)
RM 740
Mammalian Radiation Biology
(2)

Minimum Program (30)

Available Electives (partial listing)

PHY 416G/417G
Electricity and Magnetism
(6)
RAS 849
Radiation Sciences Practicum
(1-4)
RM 660
Graduate Practicum in Radiation Medicine
(1-6)
RM 842
Radiation Oncology
(1)
RM 848
Practicum in Brachytherapy Physics
(1-3)
RM 849
Practium in External Beam Therapy Physics
(1-6)

Campus Facilities and Equipment (partial listing)

A variety of medical linear accelerators
Co-60 and Cs-137 research irradiators
Gammaknife
A 6 MeV tandem Van de Graaf accelerator
Supercomputers
Simulators
Analytical and diagnostic X-ray devices
Sealed sources (implant, calibration, research, etc.)
Various CT and MRI imaging systems
TLD systems
Manual and automated film densitometers
Multi-channel analyzers
GM, ion chamber, pressurized ion chamber, scintillation, and semiconductor detection systems
HDR brachytherapy system
Various treatment planning systems
Wellhofer water tank system

Additional Information

Financial Aid: Financial aid information can be obtained by writing or calling the Office of Student Financial Aid, 131 Funkhouser Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0054 (859-257-3172)

Out-of-State Tuition Assistance: Students from Delaware, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia may currently enroll in this program at in-state rates, through the auspices of the SREB Academic Common Market

Graduate Housing: Call or write:

University Graduate Housing
Cooperstown Building C
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40508
(859) 257-3721

For Fall entry, a "wait list" is usually established by the previous April.

Additionally, off-campus efficiency, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom apartments are located in large numbers within walking distance of the U.K. Medical Center. One-year leases are standard.

Visitors

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to visit the University and talk to the professors and students currently in the program. Also, with program graduates now to be found in more than 20 states, there may be one of our graduates nearby whom you can visit and chat with. We welcome visits. (Please give 24-hour warning of your arrival, if possible, so we can adjust our schedules.)

For additional information please contact:

Ralph Christensen, PhD
Director, Division of Radiation Sciences
Room 208, Health Sciences Building
University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital
Lexington, KY 40536-0200

Phone: (859) 323-1100 Ext. 80847
Fax: (859) 257-2454