Program Overview
Medical physicists are professionals with MS or PhD degrees, specializing in the technical and clinical aspects of diagnosis and therapy. They work alongside MDs and technologists, contributing to technical areas such as imaging, radiation therapy, and radiation safety. The field is governed by organizations like the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), the American Board of Radiology (ABR), and CAMPEP (Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs). The medical physics field benefits significantly from NIH funding in radiation and radiological sciences, placing JHU in a competitive position among institutions.
The Medical Physics PhD program at Johns Hopkins University offers a five-year graduate degree designed for full-time students pursuing careers in medical physics. This program features a dual-track system: one for students with a CAMPEP-approved background in physics or physical sciences and one for non-CAMPEP students. The curriculum requires the completion of core and elective courses along with the completion of a research thesis. Students are trained to excel as researchers, certified clinical professionals, or industry experts. The program is a joint effort between the Radiology and Radiation Oncology departments, fostering a comprehensive educational experience.
Admission
Students are directly matched to a principal investigator's (PI) lab. The Clinical–Research track (CAMPEP track) requires a background in physics, while the Research track (non-CAMPEP track) accepts students from any background.
Admission Requirements
- B.S. degree or B.A. degree in physics, applied physics, or one of the physical sciences, including physics training at least equivalent to a minor
- Official transcript of school record, personal statement, three letters of recommendation, and curriculum vitae
- Demonstrated proficiency in written and spoken English (TOEFL/IELTS required for non-native English speakers)
Resources
For more information on graduate education at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, see: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Graduate Programs
Applicants may apply online.
Contact Information
Inquiries may be directed to MedPhysPhD@jh.edu.
Program Requirements
The Medical Physics PhD program at Johns Hopkins is a five-year, dual-track program. It offers two tracks: the Clinical–Research track (CAMPEP track) and the Research track (non-CAMPEP track).
A. Course Training (Years 1-2)
The initial two years consist of the core courses listed below and 6 elective credits, maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students complete CAMPEP-accredited courses and conduct research projects under the guidance of their PI. Students must also pass the Doctoral Board Oral (DBO) exam and attend the CAMPEP Ethics and Professionalism 2-seminar series in Year 1.
B. Research Training (Years 3-5)
In the Clinical–Research track (CAMPEP track), students prepare for the ABR Part 1 exam, whereas the Research track (non-CAMPEP track) is focused solely on research.
Both tracks involve:
- Annual Individual Development Plan (IDP) meetings and thesis committee meetings to ensure progress
- A Responsible Conduct of Research workshop in year 5
- Research projects under the PI culminating in writing and defending a thesis, as well as presenting it at a public dissertation seminar
Upon completion, students in the Clinical–Research track (CAMPEP track) are qualified for Medical Physics residency, while those in the Research track are not. The Research track students (non-CAMPEP track) can apply to switch to the Clinical-Research track (CAMPEP track) once they fulfill the requirements for the CAMPEP required undergraduate physics courses.
Curriculum
The Medical Physics PhD program at Johns Hopkins includes a CAMPEP core graduate curriculum, which provides foundational knowledge in the field. The curriculum requires the completion of an additional 6 credits of electives and a research thesis.
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ME.420.702 | Radiological Physics and Dosimetry | 3 |
| ME.420.704 | Radiation Protection and MR Safety | 3 |
| ME.420.710 | Medical Imaging Systems | 3 |
| ME.420.706 | Radiation Biology | 3 |
| PH.183.631 | Fundamentals of Human Physiology | 4 |
| ME.420.703 | Radiation Therapy Physics | 3 |
| ME.420.707 | Nuclear Medicine Imaging | 3 |
| ME.420.709 | Radiopharmaceutical Therapy | 3 |
| ME.420.705 | Medical Physics Seminar 1 | 0.5 |
| ME.800.811 | Introduction to Responsible Conduct of Research 2 | 1 |
| ME.420.712 | Research in Medical Physics 3 | 1 - 18 |
- 1
Must be taken first three semesters, but only 1 credit can be counted toward degree requirement.
- 2
Must be taken in Fall Year 1. Completion of this course meets the SOM Ethics Requirement.
- 3
To be taken in Fall, Spring, and Summer each year starting year 2.
Elective Courses
In addition to the core courses, students must complete 6 additional credit hours of elective courses. Electives are available in various disciplines, including for example:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Public Health (Biostatistics) at the East Baltimore campus | ||
| PH.140.615 | Statistics for Laboratory Scientists I | 4 |
| Biomedical Engineering at the Homewood campus | ||
| EN.580.640 | Systems Pharmacology and Personalized Medicine | 4 |
| EN.580.674 | Neuroimaging: From Classical Image Processing to Deep Learning | 3 |
| EN.580.679 | Principles and Applications of Modern X-ray Imaging and Computed Tomography | 3 |
| EN.580.693 | Imaging Instrumentation | 4 |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Homewood campus | ||
| EN.520.623 | Medical Image Analysis | 3 |
| EN.520.631 | Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Beamforming | 3 |
| EN.520.659 | Machine learning for medical applications | 3 |
These core and elective courses equip students with the skills and knowledge required for careers in research, clinical practice, or industry within the medical physics domain.
Learning Outcomes
The mission of the MP PhD program is to train the next generation of PhD medical physicists in both basic and translational research applied to medicine and human health. The program will provide aspiring students with the knowledge and skills that they will need in their future profession as medical physicists.
Our program leads to the PhD degree with emphasis on preparation for careers in academia, industry, and/or clinical service roles. The PhD program consists of two tracks, “CAMPEP Track” and “Non-CAMPEP Track.” Clinical–CAMPEP Track is under CAMPEP accreditation and non-CAMPEP Track is outside the accreditation.
The objective of the MP PhD program regardless of the tracks is to provide students with the breadth of knowledge, critical thinking, and technical and analytical research training that will prepare them for their own successful, independent careers in Medical Physics.
Medical Physics PhD Learning Goals
Learning goal 1 (Years 1–2): Students will acquire literacy in medicine and physics.
- Objective 1: Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of current literature and the state of the field in course exams, thesis proposals, and independently written paper drafts.
- Objective 2: Students will gain the ability to critically assess medical physics research and identify gaps in the field.
- Objective 3: Students will be able to design research that closes gaps in knowledge or fills a critical need in their field. They will propose thesis research that addresses identified open questions. In addition, they will write fellowship proposals with coherent plans to address these questions.
Learning goal 2 (Years 3–5): Students will learn to do rigorous research, using appropriate analytical and statistical methods, as well as designing experiments that lead to discernible outcomes.
- Objective 4: Students in CAMPEP track will pass ABR Part 1 exam and be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of performing tasks as medical physicists.
- Objective 5: Students will acquire technical and analytical skills to perform research. They can conduct experiments in their field and acquire the data needed for those experiments. They can analyze data quantitatively and synthesize it into meaningful conclusions.
- Objective 6: Students will learn how to design experiments with appropriate controls and sufficient statistical power.
- Objective 7: Students will learn how to discuss with others the research plans, experimental designs, results, and interpretations, including other relevant issues.
Objective 8: Students will write a thesis proposal that outlines where novel contributions are needed. They will be able to critically read and evaluate primary literature and identify open questions as participants in journal clubs and at conferences.
Learning goal 3 (Years 1–5): Students will learn how to be professional scientists.
- Objective 9: Students will acquire communication skills to effectively work in a diverse professional team setting, respecting cultural sensitivities.
- Objective 10: Students will learn professional presentation and writing skills through participating in conferences and publishing papers.
- Objective 11: Students will gain the ability to lead a team professionally by setting goals and fostering team coherence. Leadership in student groups, shared projects, and mentoring undergraduates and junior PhD students in thesis lab.
- Objective 12: Students will learn project management skills.
- Objective 13: Students will learn how to integrate ethical thinking and behavior into the practice of science.
Medical Physics PhD Graduate Profile
Based on the learning goals outlined above, the expected outcomes for our graduates are as follows:
- (For students in CAMPEP track) Be able to enroll in a CAMPEP-accredited residency training program for medical physicists.
- Desire for lifelong learning, with equal access to gaining a deep understanding of the medical physics in two key areas: Medicine and Physics.
- Conduct independent and original research: Graduates have the academic skills to design, execute, communicate, and critique medical physics research and identify gaps in the field to pursue their own creative ideas, demonstrating originality, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
- Develop high standards for ethical and responsible conduct, scientific rigor, and reproducibility. Graduates are able to conduct ethical and rigorous research, using appropriate analytical and statistical methods, as well as design experiments that lead to discernible, reproducible outcomes. They can maintain high standards for rigor and reproducibility in all areas, from experimental design to critical review of published data.
- Develop advanced skills for communication and teamwork. Graduates are able to communicate their research findings to both specialists and broad audiences and cooperate in and lead diverse, international, and multidisciplinary teams, working closely with researchers, engineers, clinicians, and other health, academic, and industry professionals.
- Contribute to scientific discovery: Graduates can develop novel broad-impact approaches and techniques, and publish their discoveries and results in high-impact research journals.
- Advance the field of medical physics. Graduates can identify unmet clinical needs, novel challenges, and gaps of knowledge, as well as develop innovative solutions.