Stockholm university

Medical Radiation Physics

As a medical physicist you are the radiation expert in healthcare. Independently and in collaboration with others, you apply physical methods to diagnose and cure diseases such as cancer. To this end, you need profound knowledge not only in physics, but also in biology and medicine.

Subject description

Ever since the discovery of X-rays and radioactivity in the late 1800’s, ionizing radiation has been used in medicine for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Today, half of all the cancer patients in the world are treated with radiotherapy, and diagnostic methods based on both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation represent a major cornerstone of modern medicine.

As a medical physicist, you are the medical expert on both the physical and biological aspects of radiation, and you are responsible for the safe and optimized use of radiation in the clinic.

To be eligible for the he master’s programme in medical radiation physics, knowledge corresponding to the first three years of the medical physics programme is required. This includes basic knowledge in mathematics and physics, but also in basic anatomy including medical terminology in Swedish.

The master’s programme is focused on the biological and medical aspects of both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. You will learn about radiation biology, radiation protection and all of the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of radiation in the hospital. Several of the courses include clinical practice at the hospital.

The degree project in the final semester will give you not only a master’s degree in medical radiation physics, but also a degree as medical physicist which you can use to apply for a license to practice medical physics in the hospital. The license is issued by The National Board of Health and Welfare, and requires that you demonstrate sufficient knowledge in Swedish to work at a hospital.

Career opportunities

Our dual-degree programme provides you with the profound, interdisciplinary knowledge required to fulfil the clinical responsibilities, as well as trains you to be a leader in the constant development of the clinical practice. It also prepares you for a career in the industry, at the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, and in research.

Courses and programmes

Degree

To obtain a master’s degree in Medical Radiation Physics you can follow the master’s programme in Medical Radiation Physics listed under Education.

Research

The Medical Radiation Physics division at the Department of Physics conducts research in collaboration with both national and international institutes and companies.

Several of the research projects are focused on how physical and radiobiological methods can be applied to improve the outcome of radiotherapy. We also do research in radiation protection and radiation emergency preparedness.

For more information please visit fysik.su.se/english/research