Nov 15, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Studies Bulletin 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Studies Bulletin

Medical Physics, Advanced Certificate in


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Adjunct Associate Professor Chang, Graduate Program Director, 516-463-5583

The Advanced Certificate in Medical Physics is an 18-semester hour program designed for completion in one-two years of part-time study. The program will serve two possible student populations:

a). CAMPEP alternative pathway: The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) provides an alternative pathway into clinical medical physics careers for those who hold a doctoral degree in physics or related technical field (e.g., engineering, chemistry, math, computer science). For those PhD graduates, CAMPEP does not requires them to get an additional Master’s degree in medical physics from an accredited graduate program. Instead, the PhD graduate only needs to complete six core courses specified by CAMPEP.  The goal of this Certificate Program is to provide core medical physics education, as specified by CAMPEP that leads eventually to a career in clinical medical physics including completion of professional certification exams by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) or similar. Those completing this Certificate will have the base qualifications for entry into a medical physics residency program.

b) ABR re-entry: Some clinical medical physicists seeking American Board of Radiology (ABR) board certification are not able to finish the certification process within the time limit. For those medical physicists, the ABR does not require them to finish an additional Master’s degree program but does require them to take an additional 18 credits of medical physics courses before they can re-enter the exam. Completion of this Advanced Certificate in Medical Physics will offer the required course work to satisfy this ABR re-entry requirements.

The education content of this program will fulfill the graduate education requirements for New York State licensure in medical physics.

Admission Requirements


  1. Applicants are required to present the diploma of a PhD degree in a related physical science field, or the approval letter from American Board of Radiology (ABR) for seeking board certification.
  2. Applicants are required to present evidence of a baccalaureate or graduate degree in physics or an allied science with a minor in physics from a fully, regionally accredited institution. Applicants should demonstrate a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
  3. Official transcripts of degrees must be submitted. These must show evidence of satisfactory course work (grades of B or higher) in calculus (equivalent to Hofstra University’s MATH 071-073), differential equations (equivalent to Hofstra University’s MATH 131), introductory general physics (equivalent to Hofstra University’s PHYS 011A, 011B, 012A, 012B), modern physics (equivalent to Hofstra University’s PHYS 118A), electricity and magnetism (equivalent to Hofstra University’s PHYS 104), and 6 semester hours of additional advanced mathematics or physics courses.  Most students with a degree in physics or engineering meet these requirements.
  4. A statement of purpose that summarizes the candidate’s background and rationale for applying to the program.
  5. A recent curriculum vitae.

 Note:

  1. Transfer students: Up to 6 credits can be transferred for students in the “CAMPEP alternative pathway” track of this certificate program. The program director will review the situation of each applicant and make a decision. If deemed appropriate, as many as 6 credits with a grade of B or better from another CAMPEP-accredited medical physics program may be transferred.

Program Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 18


1) Required Core Courses - Total Semester Hours: 18. The following six courses must be completed first, either in this certificate program or in previous studies at other CAPEP accredited programs. For students in the “CAMPEP Alternative Pathway” track, at least two of the six core courses must be completed in this program.

Electives


2) Electives: The following courses can be taken with the permission of Program Director to fulfill the certificate requirements if the student has taken some of the above required core courses in another CAMPEP-accredited program: ​​​​​​​

Note*


*A student enrolled in a medical physics practicum (MPHY 226, 235 or 245) who has not taken the licensure examination or met experience requirements to practice medical physics must apply for a limited permit to practice medical physics in New York state. A limited permit authorizes the student to practice as a medical physicist under the supervision of a currently registered New York state-licensed medical physicist, and only in the supervisor’s specialty area. When applying for a limited permit, it is the applicant’s responsibility to complete the New York State Certification of Supervision Section I, forward it to his or her prospective supervisor, and ensure that the prospective supervisor fully completes the Certification of Supervision Section II. There is a fee for the limited license, which expires two years from the date of issue, and may be renewed for a total of six years.

2. B Average or Higher


A minimum average GPA of 3.0 (a “B” letter grade) must be maintained throughout the program. Students falling below the minimum average GPA may be put on academic probation for one semester or asked to leave the program, at the discretion of the graduate program director and upon advisement of the Steering Committee.

3. Sample Plan of Study


Program Requirements: 18 semester hours (credit hours)

Semester 1 (Fall)

  • BIO 209: Anatomy and Physiology for Medical Physics (3 sh)
  • MPHY 214: Radiological Physics and Dosimetry (3 sh)

Semester 2 (Spring)

  • MPHY 216: Radiobiology (3 sh)
  • MPHY 240: Radiation Therapy Physics I (3 sh)

Semester 3 (Fall)

  • MPHY 220: Radiation Protection and Radiation Safety (3 sh)
  • MPHY 230: Fundamentals of Imaging in Medicine (3 sh)

Electives: The following courses can be taken to fulfill the degree requirements if some of the above core courses have been previously taken in another CAMPEP-accredited program:

  • MPHY 212 - Foundations of Clinical Medical Physics
  • MPHY 218 - Introduction to Radiological Physics
  • MPHY 226 - Radiation Protection and Nuclear Medicine Practicum *
  • MPHY 231 - Fundamentals of Imaging in Medicine II
  • MPHY 235 - Practicum in Medical Imaging
  • MPHY 241 - Radiation Therapy Physics II
  • MPHY 245 - Practicum in Radiation Therapy Physics



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