Medical physics is a branch of physics concerned with the application of physics to medicine, particularly in the diagnosis and treatment of human disease. The main areas of interest are in the treatment of cancer by ionizing radiation (radiation oncology), in diagnostic imaging with x rays, ultrasound and nuclear magnetic resonance (diagnostic radiology), in diagnostic imaging with radionuclides (nuclear medicine) and in the study of radiation hazards and radiation protection (health physics).
Medical physics courses were first offered at the UWI, Mona in 2008. In 2009, following the installation of new equipment sponsored under an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) project, the programme was expanded into a major and a minor within the Department of Physics.
UWI-Mona Department of Physics Mona offers an undergraduate major (BSc) in Medical Physics, Biomedical Radiation Sciences, a Master of Science (MSc) and a graduate diploma (Dip.) in Medical Physics and Clinical Medical Physics.
There are also numerous research opportunities in our Radioecological research Lab. The medical physics courses and research projects are designed to complement the quality of health care services offered in Jamaica. Students are exposed to state- of- the art equipment that assesses physiological measurements which includes heart rate, lead levels in blood and bone density. Current research projects seek to address local health problems such as heavy metal toxicity and radiation hazards and monitoring.