Master of Medical Physics

Your learning environment will include a broad mix of study modes including lectures, seminars, workshops and practical classes, using face-to-face, online and other flexible delivery mechanisms.

Site visits to external facilities as well as lectures by guest presenters from industry will enhance your understanding while providing valuable real-world context.

The majority of this program consists of specialisation courses supported by interdisciplinary studies, while the rest focuses on an industry-partnered research project.

You’ll apply your knowledge to design and conduct a research project that addresses a practical challenge facing scientists in these fields. This capstone project will provide you with an opportunity to collaborate with an industry partner or external institution.

The Master of Medical Physics is closely linked with all major Melbourne hospitals through teaching and research collaborations.

Other organisations, such as radiation protection authorities, research facilities, government agencies and private industries are also closely connected employers of our graduates.

Courses taught in the program have been developed in consultation with practising professionals in the fields of radiotherapy, oncology, medical imaging, nuclear medicine, and radiation protection.

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is embedded throughout this degree, via course content, guest speakers, industry designed assessments, and in the research project.

You’ll either identify a research project from a workplace scenario you have encountered or will selectfrom topics proposed by your academic supervisors and industry collaborators in relation to their research activities or clinical responsibilities.

Your capstone research project will have an industry consultant as a co-supervisor, who will help guide the project and jointly assess the project outcomes with your academic supervisor. You will be encouraged to spend time immersed in the industry environment, liaising and interacting with experienced professionals. This experience enables you to get to know a range of workplaces and to connect with potential future employers.

Students present their project outcomes at a special seminar night held by the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine. This calendar highlight welcomes an audience of medical physics professionals to RMIT, eager to meet the next generation of up and coming scientists.

The Master of Medical Physics consists of 192 credit points (2 years of full-time study). Approximately 75 per cent (144 credit points) of this degree consists of coursework components. Several of the highly specialised courses are offered in alternate years. The remaining 25 per cent (48 credit points) consists of a research project, conducted in the second year of the program.

The research project is conducted over two semesters, to build and develop a deep understanding of the project objectives and context in close partnership with industry collaborators. You'll be assisted by an industry consultant as a co-supervisor to complete a research project relevant to an industry or clinical setting. The research project will be assessed partially via a submitted thesis, as well as by project planning, progress reporting, and oral presentation.

Examples of subjects offered include:

• Radiotherapy Physics and Modelling
• Medical Imaging Physics
• Advanced Medical Imaging
• Introduction to Human Biosciences
• Radiation Physics and Radiation Protection
• Radiobiology for Medical Physicists
• Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Radiotherapy Treatment Planning
• Practical Data Science with Python
• Research Methods
• Research Project.

These subjects provide an understanding of fundamental physics topics such as: radiation physics, detectors, measurement, and radiotherapy dosimetry, as well as cross-disciplinary studies in data science and basic human biology, structure, and function.

The technical aspects of medical physics will be covered in courses concerning medical imaging, radiotherapy, and radiation transport modelling.

You’ll also apply your knowledge in courses related to radiation protection, radiobiology and the process of radiotherapy treatment planning.

This program is accredited by the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) who oversee a professional accreditation program that recognises and certifies experienced medical physicists.

To be certified as a professional medical physicist in Australia, you must complete the requirements stipulated by the ACPSEM. These include:

• undergraduate Bachelor of Physics, or Bachelor of Science, with a Physics major, or ACPSEM approved equivalent degree with strong physics and maths subjects
• an ACPSEM accredited postgraduate degree in medical physics (masters or higher), or ACPSEM approved equivalents. You must also meet the bachelor degree requirements (above)
• completion of the ACPSEM Training, Education and Accreditation Program (TEAP) while employed as a Medical Physics Registrar at an accredited clinical training centre

Exemptions

If you have successfully completed one of the following qualifications majoring in physics you will be eligible for exemptions as follows:

Applicants with Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Master or PhD qualification majoring in a different discipline may also be eligible for exemption of up to 48 credit points (equivalent to one semester of full-time study).

Information is available on the RMIT University website about how to apply for Credit Transfer or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Upon completion of the following courses totalling 96 credit points you will be eligible to exit the program with the Graduate Diploma in Medical Physics.

Upon successful completion of this program you may be eligible to undertake further studies in related programs at RMIT University, including PhD in Physics by research, subject to each program’s entry requirements.