Medical Physicist

Also known as:

Physicist, Medical
Clinical Engineering Technician

Introduction

Medical physicists apply the principles of physics to the design and evaluation of equipment for the diagnosis and treatment of patients. Equipment may include X-rays, electronic instruments for monitoring the heart or brain, artificial limbs and implants, eg heart valves.

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Work Activities

Medical physicists design, construct, develop and evaluate equipment used in hospitals. The equipment is used to diagnose and treat disease, and monitor patients' progress. Medical physicists may specialise in:
• radiation physics and nuclear medicine (treating patients by the use of radiotherapy or radioactive pharmaceuticals)
• imaging techniques (producing visual information using X-rays, ultrasound or magnetic resonance)
• electronic instrumentation (monitoring, for example, the heart or brain).

Whatever their specialism, medical physicists usually evaluate equipment before it is purchased, and supervise the maintenance and servicing of clinical apparatus.

Equipment designed by medical physicists ranges from incubators for small babies to electronically-controlled communication devices for disabled patients. They work closely with biomedical engineers to design and develop artificial limbs and implants such as heart valves.

Other design projects involve the application of computing and mathematical modelling to clinical problems, and expanding the scope of magnetic resonance imaging.

Medical physicists also use their scientific knowledge to protect patients and staff when the machines are being used. For example, radiation physicists use their understanding of the biological effects of radiation when planning radiotherapy treatment.

They make sure that radiation doses are sufficient to produce good quality images while minimising the risk to patients. Measuring and calculating radiation doses and regularly monitoring equipment helps to protect staff and patients from excessive exposure to radiation.

Apart from using the equipment themselves, they also train medical and non-scientific staff in its use and advise the staff of the whole hospital on protection against excessive exposure to radiation.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

You must be good at maths and physics. You must also have an interest in biology and a concern for people's health and well-being. You need to enjoy solving problems and have a responsible attitude to health and safety.

It is important for medical physicists to be able to communicate their findings to other professionals, who do not have a background in physics. You will also need the social skills to work closely with patients and medical staff.

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Pay and Opportunities

National Health Service (NHS) employees are paid on a rising scale within defined pay bands, according to their skills and responsibilities.

After taking an appropriate degree and completing the 2 year training, in the NHS, medical physicists are on Band 7 of the Agenda for Change pay scale. In April 1, 2008 this was £29,091 - £38,352 a year. Principal clinical scientists can earn up to £77,179 a year.

Most medical physicists work around 37-hours Monday to Friday. However, late finishes and some weekend work may be required.

Medical physicists work in the NHS, private hospitals, universities and research centres. They also work in the healthcare industry, eg, in biomedical companies.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some entrants have industrial experience and/or a postgraduate qualification.

If you don't have the qualifications needed to enter a degree course, you might be able to start one after completing a college or university Access course, eg, Access to Science.

You don't usually need any qualifications to start an Access course, although you should check this with the course provider.

• 2% of medical physicists work part-time.
• 27% have flexible hours.

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