MS Medical Physics Program Course Descriptions
| Course | Course Description | Textbook |
|---|---|---|
| MP501 Radiation Dosimetry (4cr) | This course focuses on introducing radiation terminology used in radiation dosimetry. Fundamental dose calculation theories are reviewed and an emphasis is placed on clinical and radiation safety related dosimetry techniques. Recommended: Calculus I and Calculus II | Required: Introduction to Radiological Physics and Radiation Dosimetry, 1/e Frank Herbert Attix Wiley-Interscience (Sept. 1986) ISBN-13: 978-0471011460 Retail Price: $215.71 Recommended: The Physics of Radiology, 4/e Harold Elford Johns and John Robert Cunningham Charles C. Thomas Publisher (Feb. 1983) ISBN-13: 978-0398046699 Retail Price: $95.95 |
| MP502 Radiation Biology (3cr) | This course focuses on introducing fundamental radiation biology concepts. Emphasis is placed on radiation interactions, cell damage, cell survival curves, cell sensitivity and response, factors affecting cell response, tissue kinetics, effects on the fetus, biological models, and radiobiological risk assessment. | Required: Radiobiology for the Radiologist, 8/e. Eric Hall and Amato Giaccia Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins 2018 ISBN-13: 9781496335418 |
| MP503 Physics of Diagnostic Radiology (3cr) | This course focuses on introducing fundamental physics in the medical imaging profession. Fundamental concepts are applied to the system design of each imaging component presented. A special emphasis is placed on the implementation and application of each diagnostic imaging modality. | Required: The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging, 3/e Bushberg, Seibert, Leidholdt Jr., and Boone Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (Dec. 20, 2011) ISBN-13: 978-0781780575 Retail Price: $167.36 |
| MP504 Physics of Nuclear Medicine (3cr) | This course focuses on introducing physical principles of radioisotopes and imaging systems used in medicine and biology. Imaging systems are discussed at length with a focus on applying universal imaging concepts such as contrast and resolution to the Anger camera, PET and SPECT scanners. Radiochemical therapy and other radiopharmaceuticals are discussed. Health physics and quality control issues pertinent to nuclear medicine physics are addressed. | Required: No text required. Materials will be provided as needed. Recommended: Physics in Nuclear Medicine Simon R. Cherry, et al. Saunders (July 18, 2003) ISBN-13: 978-0721683416 Retail Price: $88.75 |
| MP505 Physics of Radiation Oncology I (3cr) | This course focuses on applying the fundamental radiation oncology physics concepts to specialty procedures. Emphasis is placed on: Advanced electron beam therapy, electron arc therapy, electron IORT, stereotactic radiosurgery, IMRT, IGRT, IMET, Robotic therapy, Tomotherapy, physics measurement for specialty procedures using different phantoms, and comprehensive quality assurance. | Required: Khan’s The Physics of Radiation Therapy 6/e. Dr. John Gibbons. Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins 2019 ISBN-13: 978-1496397522 Recommended: The Physics of Radiology, 4/e Harold Elford Johns and John Robert Cunningham Charles C. Thomas Publisher (Feb. 1983) ISBN-13: 978-0398046699 Khan’s Lectures: Handbook of the Physics of Radiation Therapy Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins (July 5, 2011) ISBN-13: 978-1605476810 |
| MP506 Physics of Radiation Oncology II (3cr) | This course builds upon the fundamental ideas developed in Radiation Oncology I. A wide range of specialized topics are covered. The intent is to familiarize the student with a broad swath of special procedures encountered in radiation oncology, and to provide in-depth understanding of the most common of these special procedures. The course also covers the process of machine acceptance and commissioning, the use of this data by the operator of the treatment planning system, and how the system then uses that data to calculate doses from therapy devices. Emphasis throughout this course is placed on quality control and quality assurance. Prerequisite: Radiation Oncology I MP505 or MD505 | Required: Khan’s The Physics of Radiation Therapy 6/e. Dr. John Gibbons. Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins 2019 ISBN-13: 978-1496397522 Recommended: Khan’s Lectures: Handbook of the Physics of Radiation Therapy Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins (July 5, 2011) ISBN-13: 978-1605476810 |
| MP508 Radiological Instrumentation (2cr) | This course focuses on introducing fundamental radiation measuring devices and instrumentation. Emphasis is placed on clinical use of the instrumentation in the Radiological Fields. | Required: Radiation Detection and Measurement, 3/e Glenn F. Knoll Wiley (Jan. 5, 2000) ISBN-13: 978-0471073383 Retail Price: $165.95 |
| MP603 Advanced Diagnostic Radiology (3cr) | This course focuses on introducing advanced principles in the medical imaging sciences. Emphasis is placed on mathematical methods used for image creation and evaluation, ultrasound imaging, advanced CT imaging, and MRI imaging. Prerequisite: Diagnostic Radiology MP503 | Required: The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging, 3/e Bushberg, Seibert, Leidholdt Jr., and Boone Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (Dec. 20, 2011) ISBN-13: 978-0781780575 Retail Price: $167.36 |
| MHP510 Health Physics and Radiation Safety (3cr) | This course focuses on introducing physical principles of radioisotopes and imaging systems used in medicine and biology. Imaging systems are discussed at length with a focus on applying universal imaging concepts such as contrast and resolution to the Anger camera, PET and SPECT scanners. Radiochemical therapy and other radiopharmaceuticals are discussed. Health physics and quality control issues pertinent to nuclear medicine physics are addressed. Prerequisites: MP504 and MP505; must be taken after or concurrently with MP503 | Required: No text required. Materials will be provided as needed. |
| BIOL530 Human Anatomy & Physiology (4cr) | This course is intended to provide the student with an overview of human anatomy and physiology in the framework of organ systems. The course is aimed at an audience of non-physician medical professionals, and as part of that end the anatomical component of the course emphasizes cross-sectional anatomy as seen on planar and cross-sectional medical imaging such as CT, PET, and MRI images. | Recommended: Human Anatomy & Physiology, 9/e. E. Marieb and K. Hoehn Benjamin Cummings (January 16, 2012) ISBN-13: 978-0321743268 (Course content is developed from this text) Retail Price: $214.34 Anatomy & Physiology, 8/e. K. Patton and G. Thibodeau Mosby (April 10, 2012) ISBN-13: 978-0323083577 Retail Price: $196.00 |
| MP590 Medical and Professional Ethics (1cr) | This course focuses areas that require an understanding of medical ethics. Emphasis will be placed on Patient Data, Patient Records, Publications, Presentations, General Professional Conduct, Medical Malpractice, and Research. | Required: No text required. Materials will be provided as needed. |
| MP599 Seminars (1cr) | The seminars course is designed to provide informational seminars on new and emerging technologies, research, and relevant topics related to Medical Physics. The student will write a number of white papers on the subjects of these seminars. | Required: No text required. Materials will be provided as needed. |
| STAT501 Statistical Methods (3cr) | This course focuses on the fundamentals of statistical analysis for biostatistics. Emphasis is placed on statistic nomenclature, probability evaluation, hypothesis testing and evaluation, experimental design, regression models, variable/data analysis, nonparametric tests, and survival analysis. | Required: Biostatistics for the Biological and Health Sciences, 3/e Triola Marc; Triola Mario; Roy, Jason;. Pearson; February 17, 2023 ISBN-13: 9780137863877 MyLab Statistics Series Microsoft Excel and any Statistical Tool such as SPSS, Minitab, StatCrunch, Statdisk, PhStat, etc. https://www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com/northamerica/mystatlab/ |
| MP699 Clinical Internship (4cr) | The internship is designed to give the student laboratory/clinical instruction in specific areas of medical physics or dosimetry practice. The student keeps a daily journal of their progress on each of the course competencies, to include not only assigned calculations and discussions but also relevant notes and observations on clinical practice. | Required: No text required. Materials will be provided as needed. |
| MP611 Physics of Brachytherapy (3cr) | This course focuses on introducing fundamental radiation physics and safety of Brachytherapy. Special emphasis is placed on both LDR and HDR Brachytherapy. | Required: No text required. Materials will be provided as needed. Recommended: Brachytherapy: Applications and Techniques, 1/e Phillip M. Devlin Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (Oct. 20, 2006) ISBN-13: 978-0781762779 Retail Price: $214.99 |
| MP613 Physics of Nuclear Oncology (3cr) | This course introduces the new emerging field of Nuclear Oncology. Topics covered include: liver microsphere treatment imaging and treatment, I-131 thyroid ablation, and high dose I-131 thyroid ablation, Sr-89 treatment, and new experimental isotopes. | Required: No text required. Materials will be provided as needed. |
| MP615 Physics of Proton Therapy (2cr) | This course gives the student a background in the fundamental science underlying proton and heavy ion therapy. The radiological physics of these particles is treated first to give the student background necessary for the remainder of the course. The remainder of the course emphasizes the unique challenges faced and opportunities made possible in the use of these types of treatments; these points are presented in contrast with standard x-ray and electron therapy. | Required: Proton and Charged Particle Radiotherapy, 1/e Thomas F. DeLaney and Hanne M. Kooy Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins (Sept. 1, 2007) ISBN-13: 978-0781765527 Retail Price: $219.99 |
| MD689 Medical Dosimetry Lab (1cr) | The ability to create a workable treatment plan is the fundamental responsibility of the medical dosimetrist, and is a skill that a medical physicist must keep well in practice. To give the student some experience in treatment plan creation, this course asks the student to create a series of deliverable treatment plans in the form of labs pertaining to each body site. The student will be competent in every aspect of the treatment plan, including common prescriptions and target volumes, dose constraints to critical structures, and plan evaluation. | Required: No text required. Materials will be provided as needed. Recommended: Radiation Therapy Planning, 2/e Gunilla Bentel McGraw-Hill Professional (Oct. 1, 1995) ISBN-13: 978-0070051157 Retail Price: $98.29 |
| MHP601 Shielding Design (2cr) | This course focuses on technical aspects of Radiation Shielding fundamentals. Emphasis is placed on facility shielding for radiation devices to include: x-ray units, CT units, HDR Brachytherapy units, and therapy treatment units. | Required: No text required. Materials will be provided as needed. |
| MATH502 Advanced Mathematical Methods (2cr) | This course focuses advanced statistical analysis. Emphasis is placed on Multiple Data Comparisons, Clinical Regression Models, Time Series Analysis, Forecasting, Survival Analysis, Clinical Study Design, and Statistical Quality Control. Prerequisite: Math 401 | Required: Statistics for Engineering and the Sciences, 5/e William Mendenhall and Terry Sincich Prentice Hall (July 23, 2006) ISBN-13: 978-0131877061 Retail Price: $310.00 |
| MP520 Computer Systems in Medicine (2cr) | This course gives the student a background in the fundamental science underlying proton and heavy ion therapy. The radiological physics of these particles is treated first to give the student background necessary for the remainder of the course. The remainder of the course emphasizes the unique challenges faced and opportunities made possible in the use of these types of treatments; these points are presented in contrast with standard x-ray and electron therapy. | Essentials of Health Information Management: Principles and Practices, 5/e. Mary Jo Bowie MindTap + eBook ISBN-13: 9780357624333 |