M.S. in Medical Physics Program
The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

  1. Coursework

    2. The student must complete a minimum of 34 semester hours of didactic coursework, including 32 hours of required courses and 2 hours of electives.

    1.  Required Courses (semester hours in parentheses)

    (3) GS020183 Mathematics for Medical Physics (Quantitative)
    (3) GS020093 Introduction to Medical Physics I: Basic Interactions
    (3) GS020103 Introduction to Medical Physics II: Medical Imaging
    (3) GS020113 Introduction to Medical Physics III: Therapy
    (3) GS020193 Introduction to Medical Physics IV: Nuclear Medicine
    (3) GS020203 Electronics for Medical Physicists
    (3) GS020053 Radiation Detection, Instrumentation, and Data Analysis
    (3) GS020133 Introduction to Radiation Protection
    (1) GS020731 Medical Physics Seminar (3 semesters x 1 hour/semester)
    (2) GS020042 Radiation Biology (Cellular)
    (2) GS020142 Anatomy and Oncology for Medical Physicists (Systems)
    (1) GS210051 The Ethical Dimensions of the Biomedical Science (Ethics)

    2.  Available Electives (semester hours in parenthesis)

    (4) GS010014 Biomedical Statistics
    (2) GS020012 Physics of Positron Emission Tomography
    (2) GS020032 Principles of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
    (2) GS000610 Special Radiation Therapy Procedures
    (3) GS000610 Special Projects Course: Digital Processing of Biomedical Images
    (2) GS000610 Special Projects Course: Radiation Transport Methods
    (2) GS000610 Special Projects Course: Volumetric Image Reconstruction
    (X) Other electives within GSBS, Rice University, or University of Houston  

  2. Thesis

    3. A thesis of quality sufficient for publication in a refereed journal is required.  The student must register for thesis credit for at least 1 semester.  The student is admitted to candidacy upon the GSBS Academic Standards Committee approving that the planned program of coursework, abstract of the proposed research*, and proposed members of the Supervisory Committee meet Program standards.  The student must be admitted to candidacy before receiving credit for the first semester of Thesis.

    The M.S. thesis is considered complete when the final written version is signed by all members of the student's Supervisory Committee and after the student's delivery of a public seminar and successful passing of an oral examination on the thesis by members of the Supervisory Committee and other interested faculty.

    The student is expected to prepare a first draft of at least one paper based on the thesis work for submission for publication in an appropriate peer-reviewed scientific journal.  

  3. Clinical Rotations

    4. The student must complete two clinical rotations of 200-300 hours:

    (4) GS020154 Radiation Therapy Physics Rotation
    (4) GS020174 Diagnostic Imaging Physics Rotation

  4. Supplementary Training (non-mandatory)

    5. Students receive supplementary training by taking short courses in Therapeutic Radiological Physics offered by the Department of Radiation Physics/MDACC and Diagnostic Physics offered by the Department of Imaging Physics/MDACC. Formal credit is not awarded for these courses.  Formal credit is not awarded for these courses. Students should arrange for enrollment in consultation with the Department of Imaging Physics Executive Director for Educational Programs (Georgeanne Moore).

    * The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences only requires that the student submit a 1-page abstract. However, Medical Physics Program Advisory Committees may require the M.S. student to do a proposal in NIH format.  The Advisory Committee will let the student know early on which is required.  First year students are given a lecture on preparing a research proposal in NIH format as part of the Spring Medical Physics Seminar course.