Medical Physics
Medical physics is the application of the principles and methods of physics to medicine, primarily in the context of diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy and the design and quality assurance of medical equipment. Medical physicists work in hospitals and research institutions alongside radiologists, oncologists and other clinical specialists, providing the scientific expertise that makes advanced medical technologies safe and effective. The field encompasses the physics of X-ray imaging, MRI, nuclear medicine, ultrasound and radiotherapy, as well as broader applications in healthcare technology development and regulation.
At University College London this four-year MSci programme offers an additional year beyond the standard BSc, allowing you to extend your knowledge through advanced modules in a research-active environment. UCL is one of the UK's leading research universities and its physics department has strong connections to clinical and research communities in London's academic health science centres. You will study the core of undergraduate physics, including mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics and optics, alongside the specialist medical physics content covering imaging physics, radiation physics, nuclear medicine, MRI and the biological effects of radiation.
The four-year structure gives you sufficient time to reach a high level in both the foundational physics and the medical applications.
Graduates of medical physics typically pursue clinical registration as a medical physicist within the NHS, working alongside clinical teams in radiology, radiotherapy, nuclear medicine and diagnostic imaging departments. The Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine provides the professional framework for clinical medical physicists, and most NHS medical physics graduates undertake a structured training programme towards registration. Academic research in medical imaging, dosimetry, radiation biology and health physics is a further career path, and the physics training is also valuable in the broader healthcare technology and medical device industries.
Some graduates go on to postgraduate research, including doctorates in medical physics, biophysics or healthcare engineering.