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If you want to become a health physicist, you first need to determine if this career path is a good fit for you. If the following description sounds like you, then you’re probably well suited for a career as a health physicist:
Those who become health physicists have a keen interest in answering the question, “What dosage levels of radiation are safe, and how can they be measured reliably?”
Health physicists have a natural aptitude in science and mathematics, and an education in physics, biology, biochemistry, genetics, and physiology.
To become a health physicist, you need to be comfortable with the idea of working around radiation, as well as comfortable working others and sharing your opinions with them.
Who is a Health Physicist?
Health physicists are responsible for ensuring the safety of living organisms and the environment when work involving radiation and radioactive substances is being conducted. Health physicists that work in research are responsible for designing and conducting experiments and tests that serve to investigate principles by which radiation interacts with matter and living systems. They also study environmental levels of radioactivity and the effects of radiation on biological systems on earth and in space.
Health physicists may work in a variety of disciplines, including research, industry, education, environmental protection, and enforcement of government regulations. Although they typically specialize in one of these areas, they often perform duties that pertain to many different areas of health physics.
Education Needed to Become a Health Physicist
Health physicists hold responsible, technical positions in several disciplines; because of this you will need a broad background of education and experience if you want to become a health physicist.
Developing a thorough understanding of radiation biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, genetics, environmental science, biochemistry, physiology and toxicology will give you the background you need to become a health physicist. Knowledge in these areas is needed to answer such fundamental health physics questions as, "What is a permissible dose of radiation and how can it be measured accurately and reliably?"
To acquire this knowledge base and skill set you typically need to pursue an undergraduate degree in science, with a major in one of the aforementioned fields. Having an undergraduate degree in one of these areas will qualify you to work an entry-level health physics job, such as research assistant, or health physics technician. Training for health physics technicians is also available from schools that offer 2-year associate degrees and diplomas.
If you want to become a health physicist who works in consulting, research, or in one of many other applied health physics career fields, you will need a Master of Science degree in any of the above-mentioned fields, or a closely related field. To become a health physicist who works in senior research and university teaching positions a Ph.D. is typically needed.
Who Hires Health Physicists?
There are several types of organizations that create jobs for health physicists, including organizations that are involved in research, environmental protection & enforcement, consulting, academia and government.
Although health physicists are typically hired by an organization to ensure radioactive exposure and contamination are kept as low as possible, they may be hired for a variety of other purposes, including conducting research, purchasing & managing equipment and enforcing health and safety regulations.
Organizations that hire Health Physicists typically include:
• Federal and provincial/state government departments
• Colleges and universities
• Research facilities (operated by private companies, government or universities)
• Industry regulation organizations
• Nuclear energy facilities
• Radiation department of hospitals and other health care facilities
• Armed forces
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