Medical Physics

Overview

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. 

The Medical Physics program from Duke Kunshan University offers students a unique opportunity to study in both the United States and China. Students successfully completing the program will receive a Duke University degree.

The Duke Medical Physics family includes programs at Duke Kunshan University and Duke University. The Duke University Medical Physics program is one of the largest and most highly regarded medical physics programs in the United States. Students in the Duke Kunshan Master of Science in Medical Physics program earn the same degree as students in the Duke University Medical Physics program. 

An Educational Experience in China and the United States

The Duke Kunshan Medical Physics program offers students a unique opportunity to study the discipline and work with professionals in both the United States and China. Students spend Year 1 and the second semester of Year 2 of the Duke Kunshan Medical Physics program at the Duke Kunshan campus in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China. During Year 2, students will spend the first semester at the Duke University campus in Durham, North Carolina, United States. The program also includes the option to spend the summer between Years 1 and 2 at the Duke University campus. Kunshan and Durham are both scenic and historical centers of their respective countries and provide students with numerous travel and recreational opportunities.

Training for Globally Minded Careers

The Duke Kunshan Medical Physics program prepares students for careers all over the world. For students whose first language is English, the program provides an op­portunity to study in their native language while experiencing the cultural, historical, and economic vibrancy of China. This experience will broaden their horizons and prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly global economy. Students who are native speakers of other languages will have an advantage in multinational organizations and international collaborations. Combined skills in English and another language are of high value to the private sector and are a strong asset in many aspects of academic, government, and clinical work.

A Wide Range of Research Experience

All students in Duke Kunshan Medical Physics program have the option of conducting a thesis research project, an option that most students in the Duke University Medical Physics program choose to complete their degree requirements. Thesis research topics may relate to radiation therapy, imaging or other fields. Duke Kunshan Students may work on their MS thesis research at the Duke Kunshan University campus and the Duke University campus. Faculty advisors may be from Duke Kunshan University, Duke University, or both. Advisors are not assigned, but are instead chosen by mutual agreement of the student and the faculty member or members. More information about the Duke University Medical Physics faculty and their research interests can be found on the faculty homepage. An extra high-speed internet connection facilitates communication between the two campuses.

Careers

Experts recognize that there is a severe shortage of medical physicists in China and Asia and in many countries worldwide. Our Medical Physics graduates can choose from a wide range of career options, such as

• Hospital clinics, particularly in radiation oncology

• High technology medical companies

• Government facilities and agencies

• Academia

• Versatility - careers that blend these different types of work