This program provides solid training in the theoretical and practical areas of both the physical fundamentals of radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging. In addition, it allows access to knowledge related to the use of new technologies and research on relevant topics in Medical Physics. Being an interdisciplinary program, students will have the opportunity to interact and cooperate in multidisciplinary work groups, allowing them to conduct research with applications in medicine, as well as prepare to continue their studies in a doctorate, or to develop specialized work in the clinical field or in the industry. The program is based on the international recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the International Organization of Medical Physics when it comes to objectives, admission criteria, and curricular content. For further information please click on the following image.
Curriculum sequence
Curriculum
Anatomy and Physiology for Medical Physics Radiological Physics and Dosimetry Radiation Biology and Radiation Protection Radiation Therapy Physics Medical Imaging Physics 40 credits in elective courses Seminar 2 thesis courses
Graduates from the Master’s program in Medical Physics will be able to understand the physical principles involved in the applications of Physics to medicine and, in general, to Life Sciences. This will enable them to employ analytical techniques towards the solution of problems and needs arising in the practice of medical sciences. Training will include applications in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, as well as the development of skills in medical research.
Students graduating from this program will possess the necessary competencies to develop a career in the clinical, academic and/or industrial setting and will be characterized by:
Knowing and applying the ethical considerations of medical practice
Knowing the general concepts of cellular biology, anatomy, and physiology essential for communication and collaboration with other professionals in the medical field
Having an advanced knowledge of Radiation Physics and Dosimetry.
Possessing a practical knowledge of the different current techniques of therapy and diagnosis.
Managing the concepts and legal scope related to the radiological protection of patients, professionally exposed personnel and the general public
Understanding the biological effects of radiation on healthy and tumor tissue.
Having the ability to design experiments, acquire and interpret data, and report results.
Having the ability to pose and solve problems related to Medical Physics.
Possessing the ability to work in teams, especially those with a multidisciplinary approach.
What requirements must I meet to enter the Master’s Program in Medical Physics?
For admission to the Master’s Program in Medical Physics it is required to have a Bachelor’s degree in Physics or its equivalent. This degree corresponds to approximately five years of university studies in Mathematics and Physics.
What do I need to apply?
Complete and attach the following requirements to the Application Form
Cover letter addressed to the Head of Program (must be submitted signed by the applicant and in PDF format).
Curriculum Vitae (in PDF format).
Degree certificate or a document issued by your university stating that you are in the final semester of your current program. If you completed your Bachelor’s Degree in Physics or Astronomy at UC, you can request this certificate from Carolina Meza, Undergraduate Coordinator (cmezar@uc.cl). If you come from a foreign institution, you must apostille the degree certificate or legalize it at the Chilean consulate in the country where you obtained your degree.
Undergraduate transcript of academic record. If from a foreign institution, you must submit a certificate issued by your university indicating the grading scale used, along with the minimum grade, maximum grade, and minimum passing grade.
Application fee invoice. You can pay it at the University Hall of the Casa Central Campus, at the University Hall of the San Joaquin Campus or follow the instructions in the document that you will find at the following link to pay it via webpay.
As an additional requirement, it is necessary to submit a minimum of two and a maximum of three letters of recommendation, which must be sent directly by the academics/researchers who will endorse your application, through the Letter of Recommendation Form. It should be noted that it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the letters are sent on time by their recommenders.
Health insurance certificate. Residents in Chile must submit a certificate of affiliation to Fonasa or Isapre.
Legalized Bachelor’s degree certificate (if from a Chilean university), or apostilled/legalized at the Chilean Consulate (if from a foreign university). (if a PUC applicant or from another national university), or apostilled/legalized at the Chilean Consulate (if an applicant from a foreign university).
Chilean ID or Passport copy.
The deadline for submitting the documentation will be communicated by the Postgraduate Coordinator by e-mail.
What are the regulations of the Master’s program in Medical Physics?
Students entering the Master’s program in Medical Physics must abide by the regulations in force.
Resources for conferences and scientific activities
The Postgraduate Department has funds available to support the participation of students of the Institute of Physics in conferences and scientific activities. To apply for this benefit, please complete the form available below.
Medical Physics is an area of science that applies the concepts and methods of Physics to Medicine. For more information review our Research Areas. The sub-areas or research topics developed by the program’s academics currently allow students to conduct research in the following areas:
Dosimetry
One of the options when treating a cancer patient is the use of ionizing radiation to eliminate tumor cells, a technique known as radiotherapy. One of the most important aspects of treatment delivery is the precise determination of the energy deposited (radiation dose) in both the cancerous and the healthy tissues. Accurate determination of the radiation dose is also fundamental in radiodiagnostic applications, particularly in the context of radioprotection of the patient and operators.
The UC Medical Physics group performs studies in dosimetry in photon and neutron irradiations in a wide spectrum of geometries and energies. For this, several dosimetric systems are used, including ionization chambers, radiochromic films, semiconductor detectors, thermoluminescent crystals, alanine pellets, among others. In a complementary way, and due to the stochastic nature of radiation, Monte Carlo simulations provide an ideal tool for the estimation of energy deposited in tissues. In particular, this technique is used as a reference in the evaluation of analytical algorithms for radiotherapy treatment planning and dosimetry in non-standard situations. Work is currently underway on the development of new detectors and the evaluation of tissue-equivalent materials with dosimetric potential. In addition, anthropomorphic mannequins are developed to simulate treatments in conditions similar to real ones.
Radiobiology
Another important aspect in radiotherapy is the biological effect of ionizing radiation on tissue. In the optimal case, it is expected to maximize the destruction of cancerous tissue while protecting healthy tissue. Radiobiology deals with the individualized optimization of treatments based on radiobiological models of tumor control, radiotoxicity and the growth of secondary cancer.
The UC Medical Physics group works on the modeling of secondary cancer risk associated with the peripheral dose of neutrons and photons in photon radiotherapy treatments. In this area, mathematical modeling of the growth and response of tumor tissue is also studied. In this context, functional images (FDG-PET, FMISO-PET, MRI) are used which provide relevant biological information for such models.
Currently, the group is also working on the development of DNA damage models based on Monte Carlo techniques, to study the effect of different types of ionizing radiation on both tumor and healthy cells. An important area of work is also experimental radiobiology, carried out in the group’s laboratories. In particular, the relationship between hypoxia and radiotherapy, and the combination of radiotherapy with photodynamic therapy are studied.
Medical images
Medical images are used as a tool for diagnosis and study of pathologies in radiology. In addition, they provide anatomical and functional information of the patient, used to plan different treatment strategies and estimate volumetric dose distributions for the patient in the context of radiotherapy.
Regarding the use of images in radiotherapy, the optimization of volumetric images with kilovoltage conical beams and the use of portal images for the reconstruction of the doses received by patients during their treatment are studied. Tools are also being developed for the generation of personalized synthetic computed tomography images and for the application of automated learning algorithms for treatment response prediction and diagnosis of diseases, based on medical images.
Currently, the UC Medical Physics group is also investigating the development of brain function through nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. Specifically, it studies how physics and statistical methods can improve signal capture in functional magnetic resonance studies and mitigate disturbances in these signals, and thus, have a better understanding of neurocognition.
Biophotonics
In addition to ionizing radiation, an area of interest in Medical Physics is the application of visible light to Life Sciences. This area is called Biophotonics. Among the many possibilities, light can be used for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. Photodynamic therapy, for example, combines light with a photosensitive molecule, which generates reactive oxygen species, and causes the cell to die.
Biophotonics can be an important tool for the treatment of different diseases, including cancer and infections by microorganisms. In addition, there is the so-called Photothermal Therapy, which uses light and nanotechnology to produce heat, which also leads to cell death.
Currently, the UC Medical Physics group is involved in projects ranging from basic studies of the interaction of light with different photosensitizers and nanoparticles, to the application in in vitro and in vivo experiments, leading to clinical trials.
The Medical Physics Group has two laboratories dedicated to experimental research in the area: the XPHYBIO laboratory and the BIOPI laboratory.
The first is a laboratory that has a specific room for working with live cells and self-shielded Ionizing Radiation equipment, which guarantees the radiological safety of researchers and students who operate it. This equipment for experimental research in radiobiology and dosimetry was acquired through a Fondequip Project led by the academic Beatriz Sanchez. The BIOPI laboratory, headed by the academic Hilde Buzza, is focused on research with visible light, such as photodynamic therapy. In turn, this laboratory is equipped with a room for the cultivation and handling of cells and other microorganisms such as photosynthetic microalgae, bacteria, as well as the in vivo model of the chorioallantoic membrane in eggs.
Where do our students come from?
Graduate performance
Scientific collaboration networks: UC Institute of Physics is connected with researchers around the world
