Master of Science in Medical Physics Duke Kunshan University

Become a leader in the emerging field of Medical Physics, fusing your expertise in physics with improved medical care. This is a dynamic profession that applies the concepts of physics to the diagnosis and treatment of human disease, with career paths that include academic, research and clinical settings.

With an advanced degree in Medical Physics, you will be empowered to contribute cutting-edge medical care, whether in China or diverse international spheres. And there’s no better place to receive your professional training than through a program that delivers state-of-the-art classroom instruction and clinical exposure from Duke University, one of the most preeminent educational institutions in the world, with carefully designed study in the United States and China.

Build upon your talent for physics and apply it to the real-life needs of medicine- with a Master of Science in Medical Physics (MSc-MP) at Duke Kunshan University. Students studying in the program will specialize in one of following academic tracks or choose a multi-track path:

• Diagnostic Imaging Physics
• Radiation Therapy Physics
• Nuclear Medicine Physics

The curriculum blends in-classroom instruction with clinical practicum training, fieldwork, and thesis research. Students gain clinical exposure and basic clinical physics training with state-of-the-art technology and treatment methods at Duke University Medical Center and at partner hospitals in China. The program also requires independent research under the guidance of faculty working at the forefront of their fields.

Pre-requisites for Entering Program

Applicants to Duke Kunshan University’s graduate programs must hold the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.

1. Bachelor’s degree in Physics.The undergraduate coursework, in addition to basic and upper-level physics courses, should include 1 semester/course of the following: Chemistry, Biology, Electronics, Computer science/programming. OR

2. Bachelor’s degree in natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering with the following minimum college-level coursework (possibly met if the student has a minor in physics):

• Mathematics - 2 semesters/courses of calculus
• Physics - 2 semester/courses of general calculus-based physics + 3 semesters/courses of upper-level physics selected from courses including modern physics (preferred), electricity and magnetism, quantum mechanics, atomic structure, statistical mechanics, and mechanics
• Chemistry - 1 semester/course
• Biology - 1 semester/course
• Electronics - 1 semester/course
• Computer science/programming - 1 semester/course

Practicum

The practicum exposes students to the clinical aspects of the practice of medical physics. The practicum in diagnostic imaging offers hands-on experience in the essentials of clinical imaging physics. This includes such areas as computed tomography, radiography, mammography, fluoroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and informatics.

The radiation therapy practicum includes experience in linear accelerator calibration and quality assurance, patient simulation and treatment planning, and other clinical procedures such as brachytherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), total body irradiation (TBI), and total skin irradiation (TSI) The nuclear medicine practicum includes opportunities for the students to use gamma cameras, positron emission tomography (PET) systems, dose calibrators, and other nuclear medicine instruments, and practical experience with nuclear medicine phantoms and image reconstruction. In addition, students shadow nuclear medicine physicians, technologists, and other professionals.

During the first semester of Year 2, Duke Kunshan University Medical Physics graduate students undertake clinical practicum training at Duke University Medical Center, one of the leading hospitals in the world, featuring modern equipment and techniques. During the Kunshan-based portion of the program, the Duke Kunshan University Medical Physics program also includes field trip experiences at leading hospitals in the Yangtze River Delta Region. Students may also arrange additional experiences at nearby hospitals on their own.

Courses

The first year of study features core classes that provide a solid base in the fundamentals of Medical Physics. The second year focuses on specialization, with an advanced, track-specific class, a clinical practicum in the student’s chosen academic track, an elective class, and thesis research.

There is also a class on Frontiers of Biomedical Science. To give students access to the full complement of Duke University faculty for their thesis research, students spend the Fall semester of their second year at the Duke University campus, where they study with students in Duke University’s Medical Physics Graduate Program and work with their faculty advisors on thesis research. Both years include weekly seminars with guest speakers who provide exposure to a wide range of research and professional topics.

Program Duration: 21-24 months

1st Year Fall Semester (Duke Kunshan University Campus, Kunshan China)

• Radiation Physics (3 credit hours)
• Anatomy and Physiology for Medical Physicists (3 ch)
• Nuclear Medicine Physics (3 ch)
• Seminars in Medical Physics (1 ch)

1st Year Spring Semester (Duke Kunshan University Campus, Kunshan China)

• Radiation Therapy Physics (3 ch)
• Radiation Protection (3 ch)
• Modern Diagnostic Imaging Systems (3 ch)
• Seminars in Medical Physics (1 ch)

Summer after First Year (Duke University Campus, Durham, NC USA)

• Thesis research at Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
• Practicum at Duke University Medical Center, NC, USA

2nd Year Fall Semester (Duke University Campus, Durham, NC USA)

• Advanced Track-Specific Course (3 ch)
• Clinical Practicum and Shadowing (3 ch)
• Seminars in Medical Physics (1 ch)
• Thesis research (3 ch)

2nd Year Spring Semester (Duke Kunshan University Campus, Kunshan China)

• Elective Course (3 ch)
• Frontiers of Biomedical Science (3 ch)
• Seminars in Medical Physics (1 ch)
• Thesis research (3 ch)