Information for Graduate Students
In Ottawa, graduate studies in medical physics are offered at the MSc and PhD level, with specializations in imaging, cancer therapy, and medical biophysics. Formally, medical physics studies comprise one component of the graduate program of the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Physics (OCIP), which combines the resources of the Physics Departments at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. The medical physics program is based at Carleton University.
Our PhD program is accredited by CAMPEP, the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs. CAMPEP is sponsored by five North American professional societies and its accreditation is the accepted standard for U.S. and Canadian graduate programs preparing students for a clinical career. Our program was first accredited effective 2010 January 1, and at the time was the first graduate program accredited by CAMPEP in Ontario. It was reaccredited effective 2015 January 1, and most recently 2025 January 1. On entering the CAMPEP-accredited PhD program the letter of offer specifies entry into the "Doctor of Philosophy: Physics (Medical) program'' and the graduation diploma attests to obtaining a "Doctor of Philosophy: Physics: Specialization in Medical Physics''.
The MSc program and the PhD program are research oriented. In addition to the requirement of formal courses, both degrees require a thesis project under the supervision of an OMPI member; for the PhD, the emphasis is heavily on the latter. There are typically around 15 to 20 graduate students enrolled in the program at any given time.