The Carleton medical physics graduate program offers some degrees that are CAMPEP-accredited and some that are not.
CAMPEP-accredited programs
• Ph.D. in Physics (Specialization in Medical Physics)
• M.Sc. in Physics (Specialization in Medical Physics) Non-Thesis pathway (**CAMPEP accreditation pending**)
Non-accredited programs
• M.Sc. Physics (Specialization in Medical Physics) Thesis pathway
The degree requirements for these different programs are described below.
Ph.D. in Physics (Specialization in Medical Physics) (from the M.Sc.)
The minimum number of single-term courses of 0.5 credit each (known as "half courses" at Carleton) for the PhD is four. Most of the load in the PhD is original research.
By the end of the PhD, you must have completed Phys 5203 Medical Radiation Physics, Phys 5204 Physics of Medical Imaging, Phys 5206 Medical Radiotherapy Physics, Phys 5207 Radiobiology, Phys 5208 Radiation Protection, Phys 5209 Medical Physics Practical Measurements, and Phys 5211 Anatomy, Physiology and Ethics for Medical Physicists.
If you complete the MSc at Carleton, then some of these courses will already have been completed before you enter the PhD. During the PhD you will complete the rest of them.
In addition, there is the OCIP graduate student seminar series in which all students participate, and medical physics graduate students also present their work at the monthly seminars of the OMPI.
Students with strong performance in courses and research during their first year of their MSc will be offered the opportunity to fast track into the PhD. This reduces the time to completion of the PhD compared to an MSc + PhD pathway by one year.
M.Sc. in Physics (Specialization in Medical Physics) Non-Thesis pathway
*This program is currently not admitting students, pending CAMPEP-accreditation*
The courseload for this program is seven single-term courses plus a 1-semester research project. By the end of this program you will have completed the CAMPEP course requirements: Phys 5203 Medical Radiation Physics, Phys 5204 Physics of Medical Imaging, Phys 5206 Medical Radiotherapy Physics, Phys 5207 Radiobiology, Phys 5208 Radiation Protection, Phys 5209 Medical Physics Practical Measurements, and Phys 5211 Anatomy, Physiology and Ethics for Medical Physicists.
M.Sc. in Physics (Specialization in Medical Physics) Thesis pathway
The courseload for this program is five single term courses. About half the load in the MSc is coursework and the remaining half is thesis research.
All incoming students can expect to take the foundation course Phys 5203 Medical Radiation Physics. This course introduces the basis of the application of ionizing radiation in medicine and opens the door to many applications in imaging and therapy. Incoming students are also expected to take Phys 5002 Statistical Data Analysis Techniques for Physics.
All medical physics students must take one course in physics outside of medical physics, such Phys 5601 Experimental Techniques of Nuclear and Particle Physics, Phys 5302 Classical Electrodynamics, Phys 5313 Physical Applications of Fourier Analysis or Phys 5318 Modern Optics. You may also choose a graduate physics course from the University of Ottawa. Formally the graduate physics programs of Carleton and the University of Ottawa are under the umbrella of the Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Physics (OCIP) and students from either university may choose to take elective courses from the other university.
The remaining courses are typically selected based on the area of specialization of the student’s thesis research. For example, students specializing in imaging normally take Phys 5204 Physics of Medical Imaging while students specializing in cancer therapy take Phys 5206 Medical Radiotherapy Physics. Students specializing in medical biophysics need Phys 5207 Radiobiology.
List of Physics graduate courses in med phys program and semester of offering
PHYS 5002: Phys 5002 Statistical Data Analysis Techniques for Physics (Fall)
PHYS 5203: Medical Radiation Physics (Fall)
PHYS 5204: Physics of Medical Imaging (Winter, offered in alternating years)
PHYS 5206: Medical Radiotherapy Physics (Winter, offered in alternating years)
PHYS 5207: Radiobiology (Fall, offered in alternating years)
PHYS 5208: Radiation Protection (Fall, offered in alternating years)
PHYS 5209: Medical Physics Practical Measurements (Fall, offered in alternating years)
PHYS 5211: Anatomy, Physiology and Ethics for Medical Physicists (Winter, offered in alternating years)
PHYS 5313: Physical Applications of Fourier Analysis (Fall)
PHYS 5XXX/6XXX: Half Course Outside of Medical Physics (Fall or Winter)