Advanced Physics Courses and Requirements for Medical Physics Degrees: ABR Guidelines, Schemes and Mind Maps of Medical Physics

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Medical Physics

Program Guidelines

Medical Physics Graduate Program

Oregon Health & Science University

School of Medicine

Updated September 2021

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Admissions Policies and Procedures
• Description of Curriculum and Required Courses.....................................................................................
• Time Limits to Achieve Specific Standards or Milestones
• Required Formal Evaluations
• Criteria Used to Evaluate Student Performance
• Remediation Opportunities
• Program-Specific Regulations Concerning Academic Probation

 Three letters of reference  Official transcripts  Responses to application questions  To be eligible for the PhD program, applicants must have earned a Master’s in Medical Physics Applications for the OMPP are reviewed during the months of January and February of each year. The admissions committee meets once all applications are reviewed. Following this meeting, applicants will be contacted in regards to their admissions status. Applicants will receive a response by the end of April. This process is communicated on the Admissions section of the program’s website. Description of Curriculum and Required Courses The successful graduate candidate in medical physics (M.S. or Ph.D.) will satisfactorily complete (or demonstrate equivalence) the courses as indicated below: Course Number Course Title Credit Hours MP 507 Matriculation Seminar 1 MP 507 Seminar: Diagnostic Imaging 1 MP 507 Seminar: Radiation Therapy 1 MP 521 Radiological Anatomy and Physiology 3 MP 531 Radiophysics 3 MP 535 Radiation Shielding and External Dosimetry 3 MP 536 Advanced Radiation Detection 3 MP 541 Diagnostic Imaging Physics I 3 MP 542 Diagnostic Imaging Physics II 3 MP 543 Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Physics 3 MP 544 Nuclear Medicine Imaging 3 MP 545 Diagnostic Imaging Physics Practicum 3 MP 546 *Diagnostic Imaging Physics Lab I (Required for Diagnostic Selection Degrees Only)

MP 547 *Diagnostic Imaging Physics Lab II (Required for Diagnostic Selection Degrees Only)

MP 561 Radiation Therapy Physics I 3 MP 562 Radiation Therapy Physics II 3 MP 563 *Applied Radiation Therapy Physics Lab I (Required for Radiation Therapy Selection Degrees Only)

MP 564 *Applied Radiation Therapy Physics Lab II (Required for Radiation Therapy Selection Degrees Only)

MP 565 Radiation Therapy Physics Practicum 3 MP 570 Radiation Biology for Medical Physicists 3 IPE 501 Interprofessional Education 1 MGRD 650 The Practice and Ethics of Science 1 BSTA 5 25 Introduction to Biostatistics 4 MP 503 Thesis credits (minimum of 9 credits required) 9

Course Descriptions

MP 507 – Matriculation Seminar: This is a presentation seminar which serves as an introduction to topics and faculty in the medical physics program. This is a mandatory seminar for all incoming students. MP 521 – Radiological Anatomy: This course covers anatomy and physiology with correlating images for use by medical physicists. This course adheres to the AAMP requirements for Cross Sectional Anatomy. This course also adheres to the CAMPEP Standards for Graduate Program requirements for Anatomy and Physiology. MP 531 – Radiophysics: The purpose of this course is to provide the medical physics student with an introduction to ionizing radiation and its use in medicine. Topics covered include production of radiation, interactions of radiation with matter, and measurement of radiation. This course is a prerequisite for subsequent courses in medical physics. MP 535 – Rad Shielding & External Dosimetry: This course covers theoretical principles of shielding for neutron and gamma radiation; fundamentals of external dosimetry for neutrons, photons, and charged particles; applications to problems of practical interest; analytical, numerical, and computer solutions emphasized. MP 561 – Therapy Physics I: This course covers the physics of radiation generation and delivery relevant to the field of clinical radiation oncology. Topics will include external beam radiation therapy; dosimetric calculations; high dose-rate and low dose-rate brachytherapy; electron beam dosimetry and treatment planning; photon beam dosimetry and treatment planning; special techniques in radiotherapy; and clinical radiation protection and quality assurance. MP 541 – Diagnostic Imaging I: This course introduces the student to the production and usage of ionizing radiation in medicine. The course will cover x-ray production, x-ray spectrum characteristics and manipulation, and how x-rays are utilized to obtain anatomical information in diagnostic imaging. Imaging modalities to be covered in this course are general radiography, mammography, and fluoroscopy (including interventional radiography). MP 507 – Seminar Therapy: This is a current topics/student presentation seminar focusing on radiation therapy and therapeutic radiological medical physics. MP 570 – Rad Bio for Medical Physicists: Radiation Biology teaches students the various aspects of the effect of ionizing radiation on living organisms. Inherent in this course are the importance of radiation protection, the pathology of the radiation induced injury, and the consequences of many sources of radiation exposure. This course includes instruction on radiobiological models, their nuances, appropriate applications of these models, and potential for implementation in a clinical setting. Students will be expected to combine various topics such as organ / tissue arrangement, linear energy transfer, mechanisms of DNA damage and results of such damage, as well as biologically effective dose. MP 562 – Therapy Physics II: This course covers the physics of radiation generation and delivery relevant to the field of clinical radiation oncology. Topics will include external beam radiation therapy; dosimetric calculations; high dose-rate and low dose-rate brachytherapy; electron beam dosimetry and treatment planning; photon beam dosimetry and treatment planning; special techniques in radiotherapy; and clinical radiation protection and quality assurance.

MP 543 – Advanced DX Imaging: This course will introduce students to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Instruction will be provided on the physical principles behind nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and how these phenomenon are exploited in MRI. Advanced MRI techniques and applications, along with clinical testing requirements, will also be covered. MP 564 – Therapy Physics Lab II: The course will cover the applied practice of therapeutic radiation physics for clinical radiation oncology. Topics will include current methodologies in SRS and ARC QA, treatment planning QA, adaptive radiotherapy, eye plaque brachytherapy, and HDR brachytherapy. MP 544 – Nuclear Medicine Imaging: This course introduces the students to the uses of radionuclides in medical imaging. The theory & application of detectors and imaging systems in nuclear medicine including collimators, scintillation probes, cameras, SPECT, PET, and hybrid technologies (SPECT/CT, PET/CT, and PET/MRI) will be covered. MP 503 – Thesis Hours

Sample Academic Plan

Year One Medical Physics Curriculum

Designation Number Major Core Course Title Credits Fall Term: Year 1 MGRD 650 Practice and Ethics of Science 1 MP 521 Radiological Anatomy & Physiology 3 MP 531 Radiophysics 3 IPE 501 Interprofessional Education (auto-enroll) 1 BSTA 525 Introduction to Biostatistics 4 MP 507 Matriculation Seminar (required) 1 Winter Term: Year 1 MP 561 Therapy Physics I 3 MP 541 Diagnostic Physics I 3 MP 535 Rad Shielding and External Dosimetry 3 Spring Term: Year 1 MP 562 Therapy Physics II 3 MP 542 Diagnostic Physics II 3 MP 570 Radiation Biology 3 Summer Term: Year 1 MP 536 Advanced Radiation Detection (Summer A) 3 MP 545 Diagnostic Physics Practicum (Summer B) 3 MP 565 Therapy Physics Practicum (Summer B) 3

Year Two Medical Physics Curriculum

Radiation Therapy Physics Selection

Designation Number Major Core Course Title Credits Fall Term: Year 2 MP 563 Therapy Physics Lab I 2 MP 543 Advanced Diagnostic Imaging (MRI) 3 MP 544 Nuclear Medicine Imaging 3 MP 503 Thesis 1 * Winter Term: Year 2 MP 564 Therapy Physics Lab II 2 MP 503 Thesis 4 * Spring Term: Year 2 MP 503 Thesis 4 * MP 507 Diagnostic Physics Journal Club 1 MP 507 Therapy Physics Journal Club 1

Year Two Medical Physics Curriculum

Diagnostic Imaging Physics Selection

Designation Number Major Core Course Title Credits Fall Term: Year 2 MP 546 Diagnostic Imaging Physics Lab I 2 MP 543 Advanced Diagnostic Imaging (MRI) 3 MP 544 Nuclear Medicine Imaging 3 MP 503 Thesis 1 * Winter Term: Year 2 MP 547 Diagnostic Imaging Physics Lab II 2 MP 503 Thesis 4 * Spring Term: Year 2 MP 503 Thesis 4 * MP 507 Diagnostic Physics Journal Club 1 MP 507 Therapy Physics Journal Club 1 *For thesis credits, students can take any number between 1-9 credits each term; a total of 9 thesis credits are needed to graduate.

the same department or institute). The candidate’s mentor shall be one of the members of the committee and the committee must meet at least semi-annually to keep track of dissertation and research progress. Required Formal Evaluations Required formal evaluations for the medical physics graduation program include the following: M.S. Oral Examination  Oral Examination and Master’s Thesis Defense: In the spring term, students must submit their request for oral examination. This must be completed a minimum of 4 weeks prior to their oral examination date. Upon a successful oral examination and thesis submission, the TAC members will approve the thesis for final submission to the OHSU Library as indicated by the Certificate of Approval form. Ph.D. Advancement to Candidacy  Advancement to Ph.D. Candidacy: Students must meet several requirements to enter Ph.D. candidacy status. Requirements include completion of CONJ 650: The Practice and Ethics of Science (or an approved alternate course), passing the Medical Physics Program qualifying exam, submitting a grant application and any other academic program requirements as listed above. The qualifying exam is designed and given by the medical physics graduate program and must be taken by the end of the students 12th^ graduate study term. The qualifying examination is the first formal examination in the process of obtaining a doctoral degree. Successful passing of this exam advances a Ph.D. student to the level of Ph.D. candidate. The exam is a 4-hour written test comprised of core medical physics questions (50%) and advanced specific selection (diagnostic or therapy) and research related questions (50%). As part of their advancement to Ph.D. candidacy, the student must also prepare a federal funding agency format (e.g. NIH) grant application. The grant application write up must be submitted no later than 30 days after the written exam date. Students must score at least 70% to pass the written exam, and must have their grant application deemed acceptable by their dissertation advisor. Students on academic probation or with an “incomplete” grade cannot take the qualifying examination. If the student does not successfully pass the qualifying exam, they will be required to take an oral exam ascertaining they have adequate knowledge to advance to candidacy. If the student obtains a grade below 60%, they will be required to repeat the qualifying exam within a year. When these items are successfully completed the program director will recommend advancement to Ph.D. candidacy to the Associate Dean. Ph.D. Oral Examination  Ph.D. Oral Examination Defense: The student will work with their mentor/advisor to make a request to the Associate Dean for an oral examination date. The oral examination shall be open to the public and may be held in person or remotely. Before the oral examination date, the student must distribute their dissertation to the DAC a minimum of two weeks prior to their oral examination. Criteria Used to Evaluate Student Performance Medical physics students are evaluated based on the use of examinations, lab reports, attendance, and student participation on a course-by-course basis.

Academic performance is evaluated based on the fulfillment of the Student Learning Outcomes through the completion of the medical physics graduate program degree requirements while upholding good academic standing as established in the Academic Regulations of the School of Medicine Graduate Programs. The medical physics program Student Learning Outcomes are as follows:

Student Learning Outcomes

Medical Physics M.S. Degree

1. At the end of the Oregon Medical Physics Program (OMPP), the graduate will be able to explain

the components, functionality and design of x-ray systems utilized in imaging and therapeutic devices found in Radiation Medicine or Diagnostic Radiology.

2. At the end of the Oregon Medical Physics Program (OMPP), the graduate will be able to explain

the components, functionality and design of a linear accelerator utilized for external beam radiation therapy treatment in Radiation Medicine.

3. At the end of the Oregon Medical Physics Program (OMPP), the graduate will be able to

communicate the risks associated with the use of radiation to members of the general public, patients, and professionals in healthcare.

4. At the end of the Oregon Medical Physics Program (OMPP), the graduate will be able to apply

radiation safety principles in the calculation and design of radiation shielding. This will include communicating with a team of individuals from equipment manufacturers, design and construction, architects, hospital administration and clinicians.

5. Upon graduation, students will be prepared to take Part 1 of the American Board of Radiology

Initial Certification Exam.

6. Students will execute a research project based on in-depth knowledge of scientific literature,

experimental design, and statistical tools.

7. At the end of the Oregon Medical Physics Program (OMPP), students will be able to explain the

biological and chemical pathway for radiation-induced carcinogenesis, including time intervals and all potential outcomes.

8. Students will exhibit professional and ethical characteristics in the clinical areas where medical

imaging exams and radiation therapy treatments are performed. Medical Physics Ph.D. Degree

1. At the end of the Oregon Medical Physics Program (OMPP), the graduate will be able to explain

the components, functionality and design of x-ray systems utilized in imaging and therapeutic devices found in Radiation Medicine or Diagnostic Radiology.

2. At the end of the Oregon Medical Physics Program (OMPP), the graduate will be able to explain

the components, functionality and design of a linear accelerator utilized for external beam radiation therapy treatment in Radiation Medicine.

3. At the end of the Oregon Medical Physics Program (OMPP), the graduate will be able to

communicate the risks associated with the use of radiation to members of the general public, patients, and professionals in healthcare.

4. At the end of the Oregon Medical Physics Program (OMPP), the graduate will be able to apply

radiation safety principles in the calculation and design of radiation shielding. This will include communicating with a team of individuals from equipment manufacturers, design and construction, architects, hospital administration and clinicians.

5. Upon graduation, students will be prepared to take Part 1 of the American Board of Radiology

Initial Certification Exam.