PhD in Medical Biophysics - Medical Physics Specialization

Students wanting to enroll in the Medical Physics PhD Specialization must first apply to and be accepted into the Medical Biophysics PhD program.

Admission consideration to the Medical Biophysics PhD requires:

• completion of an appropriate master's degree from a recognized university 

• a minimum A- average in the final two years of study. This is flexible for those demonstrating exceptional aptitude for research.

• submission and evaluation of all supplemental application material as outlined on the Admission Requirements and Deadlines page of our website.

• an admissions interview for all candidates who are a potential fit for the program.

To be eligible for admission to the Medical Physics PhD specialization, MBP PhD students must also have:

1. completed an undergraduate degree in physics or an equivalent, relevant quantitative physical or engineering science, or have least three upper level (3rd or 4th year) half-courses in traditional physics such as classical mechanics/dynamics, quantum mechanics, electromagnetic theory thermal physics, atomic/nuclear physics, optical physics, or laboratory physics.
   
   Applicants with a non-physics majors must have coursework that is equivalent to a minor in physics, as defined by the University of Toronto, involving upper-level physics (e.g., PHY356H1, PHY357H1) and calculus courses.

2. their supervisor's approval in order to be eligible for a transfer into the Medical Physics PhD Specialization. This type of transfer must be completed by the end of their first year of study as a PhD student.

3. submitted an official application to the Medical Physics Specialization within 1 year of beginning their PhD program, ideally within the first six months. See below for more information on the application process.

Please note that in order to apply for the MBP Medical Physics Specialization, you must be enrolled in the MBP PhD program.

MBP PhD students must apply to the Medical Physics Specialization within 1 year of beginning their PhD program, ideally within the first six months.

An official application to the MBP Medical Physics Specialization includes two main components:

1. A completed MBP Medical Physics Specialization Application Form.

2. Submission of post-secondary transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate programs taken, including your most up-to-date MBP transcript. Please note, any transcripts written in a language other than English must include an English translation.

Once completed, the application form and transcripts are to be emailed to Renata.Czech@uhn.ca.

Please be advised that an application make take several weeks to process. Should you have any questions during this time, please direct them to Renata.Czech@uhn.ca.

In addition to the mandatory course requirements of the MBP PhD program, students enrolled in the MBP PhD Medical Physics Specialization will be required to complete the following courses:

• MBP 1023H: Clinical Radiation Physics and Dosimetry

• MBP 1301H: Radiation Oncology: Clinical & Experimental Radiobiology

• MBP 1407H: Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Overview

• MBP 1411H: Overview of Medical Imaging

• MBP 1412H: Ultrasound Overview

• MBP 1415H: Radiotherapy Physics

• MBP 1416H: Anatomy & Physiology (for Non-Specialists or Physicists)

• MBP 1417H: Introduction to Health Physics

Please note that modules are available to all MBP students with suitable prerequisites. They can be taken pre-emptively by MBP MSc students who are considering reclassification into the PhD Specialization.

For more information about courses, including detailed course descriptions, please refer to the MBP Course Modules page.

CAMPEP (Commission on the Accreditation of Medical Physics Educational Programs) and SDAMPP (Society of Directors of Academic Medical Physics Programs) require all medical physics education programs to post and maintain data regarding student statistics as indicated below.

The Medical Physics Student Organization (MPSO) is a graduate student-led group that strives to provide professional development and mentorship opportunities for graduate students interested in pursuing a career as an accredited Medical Physicist. The group was created with the simultaneous launch of the Medical Physics CAMPEP PhD Specialization within the Department of Medical Biophysics in September 2023. 

Learn more on the MPSO website.

For inquiries related to the the PhD Medical Physics Specialization, please contact Program Director Dr. Jean-Pierre Bissonnette.