Overview

An overview of the division of Medical Physics in the Department of Radiation Oncology

The Division of Medical Physics, located in VCU’s Massey Cancer Center, serves the radiation oncology clinic by developing and maintaining the equipment, radioactive sources and other technologies used for radiation treatment.

Medical physicists collaborate and consult with physicians and researchers within the Department of Radiation Oncology to provide compassionate, comprehensive care and ensure the safety of patients undergoing radiation therapy.

Mission

Information about our mission

Our mission is to provide consultation in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions requiring radiation therapy, advance the field through innovative translational research and prepare students for careers in medical physics through hands-on clinical education.

Educational Programs

Information about the educational programs supported by the Division of Medical Physics

Through foundational professional training, hands-on clinical experience and rigorous scientific research, our education programs prepare students for careers as clinical medical physicists, independent investigators and active contributors in the field of medical physics. The Division of Medical Physics supports various educational programs:

Graduate Degrees and Certificate

The VCU Medical Physics Graduate Program offers three tracks for students:

Master’s Degree
Doctoral Degree
Graduate Certificate

Graduate education within the Division of Medical Physics prepares students for careers as clinical medical physicists, independent investigators and active contributors to the field of medical physics. We initially received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP) in 2010 for the master’s and doctoral programs and began accepting students for the certificate program in 2015.

For a fall semester start, the deadline for application is January 15.

Clinical Residency

Accredited by CAMPEP, this two-year program provides clinical training in all aspects of radiation oncology physics for individuals with an M.S. or Ph.D. in physics, medical physics or a closely related field.

Medical Physics Clinical Residency

A two-year medical physics residency program in the Department of Radiation Oncology at VCU Massey Cancer Center. The objective of the program is to provide clinical training in all aspects of radiation oncology physics and prepare the resident for board certification.

Medical Physics Graduate Degrees and Certificate

Its CAMPEP-accredited certificate program began accepting students in 2015. Our students enter the program from diverse undergraduate backgrounds, including physics, nuclear engineering, bio-medical engineering and other fields, and go on to a variety of positions following graduation.

Our Research

Information about the Division of Medical Physics research

We encourage all faculty, students and residents in the Division of Medical Physics to participate in research during their time at VCU and submit their findings to conferences and journal publications.

The growing field of medical physics provides a broad spectrum of research opportunities, with areas including but not limited to:

Computation physics
Medical device development
Translational cancer research
Nano-particle pre-clinical research
Imaging techniques
Brachytherapy
Interoperability of computer systems
Radiotherapy of gynecologic and gastrointestinal malignancies
Quality improvement with treatment planning
Characterization of OBI photon spectrum and its impact on reconstructed images

Resources

Resources available to faculty, students, and researchers in the Division of Medical Physics

To assist current and prospective members of the Medical Physics program, we have prepared a collection of resources and relevant links. These will help ensure that you get the most out of your experience in the program and that you will remain up-to-date with everything related to medical physics.

2023-2024 Student Handbook
The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) is the primary professional society for medical physicists. Its website contains general information about the field, as well as specific information regarding medical physics education, research, and employment. The AAPM's Medical Physics Residency Application Program (MP-RAP) offers insights and information regarding residency training programs.
VCU participates in the international academic virtual exchange network known as Red de Intercambio Académico Virtual Estudiantil (Red IAVE) to encourage international exchange of information between medical physics students and professionals. The IAVE Facebook page showcases posts of interest and networking events.

Our Faculty

Meet our highly-skilled and motivated faculty team members who are dedicated to the practice and research efforts of medical physics.

In addition to providing full-time clinical support to both the Departments of Radiation Oncology and Radiology, our faculty members guide the next generation of medical physicists in their academic studies, engage in cutting-edge research and bring our physics family closer together through social and professional outings.

Faculty Directory

Contact Us

For official correspondences with the Medical Physics Educational Programs, please address requests and inquiries to the following address:

VCU Department of Radiation Oncology
Medical Physics Educational Programs
Adult Outpatient Pavilion, 3^nd Floor
1001 East Leigh Street
Campus Box 980058
Richmond, VA 23219

P: +1.804.628.6965
F: +1.804.828.7981
E: medphys@vcu.edu

Social Media

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For additional information regarding our educational programs, prospective student and resident tours, or admissions, please contact our amazing program director and coordinator: