(this website has been updated as of June 2025)
Overview: Medical Physics Track in the Master’s Program
After acceptance into and completion of the medical physics (MP) track – note that it is equivalently referred to as a concentration – the student is accredited by the partnering cohorts (the Cleveland Clinic and the Case Western Reserve University physics department) and the national Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics in Education Programs (CAMPEP). Acceptance is sought through the application step described below.
Completion of the track curriculum also is described below. Upon completion the student transcript will have an MP MS inscription distinguishing it from other non-MP MS tracks.
Completion of this MS track enables the degree holder to apply for CAMPEP accredited MP residencies, after which one can enter the rewarding accredited MP employment world.
Overview: Medical Physics Certification Accreditation Program
After acceptance into the certification program and completion of the medical physics core courses (described below), the student is accredited by the partnering cohorts (the Cleveland Clinic and the Case Western Reserve University physics department) and the national Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics in Education Programs (CAMPEP).
Postdoctoral students accepted into this program register as non-degree students. Predoctoral students include the core courses along with their Ph.D. requirements. These courses may or may not count toward the completion of the Ph.D.
The completed core courses appear on the student CWRU transcript. The CWRU-CCF medical physics steering committee will provide a letter of confirmation upon completion of all core requirements.
The confirmation letter enables the degree holder to apply for CAMPEP accredited MP residencies, after which one can enter the rewarding accredited MP employment world.
Application Details
As noted in the Academics Programs section, the application form for the standard Ph.D. and M.S. programs A and B in Physics and for the M.S. Physics Entrepreneurship track is also used for the Medical Physics M.S. track and for the Medical Physics Certification program (available to postdoctoral students and to students as they work toward a Ph.D.).
Clarifying instructions for the steps in the application form relevant to medical physics students are as follows.
CAS Program Info:
- This is also the Form Title.
- Degree Type is either Medical Physics M.S. Track or Certification Program.
- Program is Medical Physics Program.
- Option is NA (not applicable).
- Specialty Select up to two is NA.
- Semester in which you intend to begin your studies is Fall 20xx for M.S. and Fall or Spring 20xx for Certification work.
- Degree Load is Full time for M.S. and Variable for Certification work.
Biographical Information: This is self-explanatory.
Additional Materials: Ignore multiple requests and submit just one resume/CV and one (brief – one page or less) statement of purpose. In the statement of purpose, refer to any anatomy/physiology course and any other core course (see below) you may have already taken. If our steering committee approves, they may satisfy the core requirement (up to two such waivers are possible).
Academic History: This is self-explanatory (both past and present history is required for the Certificate track). Note: All applicants must have a physics degree (or presently enrolled in a physics Ph.D. program for the Certification program) or have a physics minor in a closely related field such as engineering, etc.
Transcripts:
- Transcripts from all undergraduate schools attended.
- Certification program requires undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Students presently studying for their Ph.D. should include their transcript record to date.
Letters of Recommendation:
- Three required – form and instructions self-explanatory.
Overview of Admission Policy and Curriculum
Master’s Degree
The admission policy for the Medical Physics Track/Concentration in the Master of Science in Physics program is described by the general MS admission policy: https://physics.case.edu/graduate-studies/masters-gradstudies/ This includes a rolling policy, Fall admission, limitations on the number of acceptances, physics or related bachelor’s degrees (with physics minors for medical physics) prerequisites, application fees, and, in general, no availability of tuition or stipend support  See above for application details.
Students will receive notification of acceptance or non-acceptance into this track in a timely fashion after submission of the application form.
The MP track curriculum most closely resembles the program A track (30 credits) – program A is an MS with thesis, in which students take the graduate courses Quantum Mechanics I, Classical Electromagnetism (six credit hours), and 18 hours of additional, unspecified graduate course work plus the two-semester (6 hour) thesis work.
In the MP track, there are now 21 additional credit hours, and most are specified. That is, there is a practicum (i.e., clinical rotations and ethics discussions), and the remainder is graduate course work made up of five (or six) MP core courses. The core consists of radiation nuclear and dosimetry physics, radiation therapy physics, radiation safety physics, radiobiological physics, imaging physics, and, if the student lacks this background upon entrance (waivers are available if there is this background), there are options for an anatomy/physiological introduction. If the student comes in with a/p experience, a free elective replaces it. (To ensure that all students have a best-practice ability to delineate imaging scans, a zero-credit course is required.) Â Finally, a written MP thesis and oral defense is necessary for the two-semester thesis (six credit) work. The 33 hours (which may vary depending on waivers and the a/p option) Â enable completion within four semesters. See below for a detailed curriculum.
Certification Program
The admission policy for the Medical Physics Certification Program includes a rolling policy, Fall or Spring admission, and limitations on the number of acceptances. The candidate’s PhD can be in any STEM field, if the undergraduate degrees are in physics or include a physics minor in a closely related field. There are no admission fees. In general, there is no availability of tuition or stipend support. See above for application details.
Students will receive notification of acceptance or non-acceptance into this program in a timely fashion after submission of the application form.
Completion of the core of five courses, the zero-credit course, plus the a/p introductory requirement if it is not waived enables postdoctoral students and students working on their PhD to gain accreditation for residency as another pathway to an MP career.
Medical Physics Coursework
Master’s Degree
The 1st Semester
PHYS 423, Classical Electrodynamics  (3 credits)
PHYS 481, Quantum Mechanics IÂ Â (3 credits)
EBME 410, Medical Imaging Fundamentals ( 3 credits)
The 2nd semester
PHYS 539 (a)*, Radiation Physics/Dosimetry  (3 credits)
PHYS 539 (b)*, Radiobiological Physics  (3 credits)
PHYS 539 (c)*, Radiation Safety Physics  (3 credits)
The 3rd semester
PHYS 539 (d)*, Radiation Therapy Physics  (3 credits)
Elective or Anatomy/Physiology – if needed – credits can vary  (3 credits)
PHYS 651, Research thesis  (3 credits)
The 4th semester
PHYS 651, Research thesis  (3 credits)
PHYS 545, Clinical Practicum and Ethics Seminar  (3 credits)
PHYS 601, Cross-sectional Images and Contouring Lab  (0 credits)
* Interim class label – generic label used in trials to be replaced by standard numbers at a later date.
Certification Program
The certification student is asked to take the core courses shown in italics in the above master’s curriculum. Except the radiation therapy course for which the radiation physics/dosimetry is a prerequisite, the remaining courses may be taken in any order by any certification student in good standing.
Accomplishments of Interest
This webpage/website will in the coming time show, annually, the numbers of applicants to the program, of students offered admission, of students matriculated, and of graduates. It will also publicize the achievements of the MP students and graduates, and the different residencies and industrial positions attained after graduation, respecting anonymity where appropriate. Similar reporting will appear here with respect to the certificate accreditation students.