Learning Outcomes: 1. Apply physics concepts, such as force, energy, and pressure, to the study of human physiology
Audience: Undergraduate

2. Describe the relevance of physics concepts to the etiology of major disease, such as heart failure, sudden cardiac death, obstructive lung disease, and nerve conduction disorders
Audience: Undergraduate

3. Explain the principles of medical imaging based on x-rays, gamma rays, sound, and other physical phenomena
Audience: Undergraduate

4. Understand the principles of radiobiology that underlie radiation sickness and radiation therapy
Audience: Undergraduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Gain an understanding of the physical, chemical and molecular basis of the action of radiation on biological systems
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Describe the radiobiological principles forming the basis for the use of radiation as a cancer therapy
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Understand the potential deleterious short and longer-term effects of radiation on normal tissues and organs and on the whole body
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Describe how chemotherapy and molecularly targeted agent can alter response of biological systems to radiation.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Understand the principles of radiation protection
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Use the physics of microscopic structures of nucleus, nuclear decay, electronic structure of atoms to calculate nuclear decay lifespan and solid state energy band structure
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Calculate the radiation power spectrum for an accelerating charge particle under different physical conditions
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Calculate cross-sections for the following interaction processes between photons and matter: Rayleigh scattering, photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, and pair production
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Calculate the scattering cross-section of Coulomb scattering and energy transfer cross-section in collisions processes and radiative energy loss processes
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Calculate radiation dose for both external photon beams, neutron beams, and charged particle beams
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

6. Identify open research topics in radiation imaging, radiation therapy, and radiation protection fields
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Use an industry-relevant software package to perform Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations for analysis of fixed source and/or multiplying systems
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Explain how random processes are used to simulate a single particle transport history through an engineering system, including source, streaming and collisions
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Explain how the paths of many particle transport histories are combined to provide estimates of engineering results
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Analyze the statistical performance of a simulation and suggest ways to improve that performance
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Apply Monte Carlo radiation transport to a problem related to your research
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Explore a new phenomenon or modality in the medical physics area and apply the knowledge gained to research in the field
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Describe fundamental biomolecule and molecular biology principles and their common applications in medical physics.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Describe fundamental cellular biology principles and their common applications in medical physics.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Describe fundamental radiation biology principles and their applications in medical physics.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Describe fundamental immunology principles and their applications in medical physics.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

6. Demonstrate an ability to integrate key fundamental principles of immunology and cellular, molecular, and radiation biology in medical physics applications in both imaging as well as therapy.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

7. Propose and discuss example medical physics applications of fundamental principles of immunology and cellular, molecular, and radiation biology.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Derive and solve bioheat transfer problems relevant to therapeutic hyperthermia and hypothermia
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Explain changes at the tissue and cellular levels during thermal therapies
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Analyze technologies that apply electromagnetic and acoustic energy to tissue
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Discuss medical applications and regulatory guidelines/requirements involving energy-tissue interactions
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Demonstrate an advanced ability to synthesize recent literature, formulate technical problems, and describe plausible solutions
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify the components of radioactive decay that are relevant to nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging and radionuclide therapy.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Apply important nuclear physics concepts to understand the design of nuclear medicine imaging systems and scanners.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Differentiate the characteristics of radiotracers that make them suitable for research and clinical applications in human physiology.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Identify the defining strengths and limitations with utilizing the imaging modalities for conducting research investigations of human physiology and disease.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the potentials and limits, with respect to fundamental physics, of ionizing radiation production and therapy
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Apply the concepts and/or techniques of radiation physics in cancer therapy
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Accurately compute radiation dose and dose delivery for clinically acceptable conditions
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Communicate applied concepts in a clear and understandable manner
Audience: Undergraduate

5. Communicate complex applied concepts in a clear and understandable manner, including concepts of medical imaging, radiation biology, radiation production, and radiation detection as they apply to radiation physics in cancer therapy
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Learn the physics and technology of medical x-ray system design and the parameters that determine image contrast, noise, spatial resolution, and patient radiation dose.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Gain a detailed knowledge of x-ray sources, x-ray detectors, and data acquisition strategies used in radiography, mammography, fluoroscopy, angiography and computed tomography.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Apply a knowledge of x-ray systems and physics to analyze and compare the performance of different medical x-ray imaging systems.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Through laboratory modules, receive hands on experience concerning the first three objectives. This includes learning the proper means for evaluating the performance and conducting measurements on x-ray systems which are commonly done by a clinical medical physicist.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Identify the defining strengths and limitations with utilizing the imaging modalities for conducting research investigations of human physiology and disease.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify the mechanisms in which nuclear magnetic resonance harnessed for imaging
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Differentiate the different MRI sequences used and the appearance of disease aspects in each of these sequences
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Evaluate potential biological effects of imaging on patients and effects of patients on imaging
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Contextualize the acquired knowledge to formulate research questions to solve specific clinical needs
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Investigate theoretical concepts that are used in radiation safety practice.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of radiation safety practice considering theoretical, economic, political, and societal perspectives.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Consider the ethical consequences of radiation safety regulations.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Integrate knowledge into research and/or clinical work
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Summarize the utility of signal analysis in one and several dimensions
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Identify and apply convolutions and Fourier Transforms in one and several dimensions
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Apply the properties of the Fourier Transform in medical physics and other biomedical settings
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Illustrate the limitations of the Fourier transform, and recall the advantages of alternative signal analysis tools (e.g. wavelet transform)
Audience: Graduate

5. Distinguish between types of optimization problems, including convex vs non-convex, and unconstrained vs constrained
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

6. Recognize the relative performance of basic optimization algorithms
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

7. Formulate image reconstruction as an optimization problem
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

8. Formulate therapy planning as an optimization problem
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

9. Implement practical optimization algorithms using computational methods
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain principles underlying ultrasound propagation and biological effects of ultrasound.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Apply knowledge of clinical uses and limitations/artifacts of ultrasound imaging.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Recall the technical details of modern medical ultrasound devices and methods to measure acoustic parameters.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Utilize and integrate ultrasound imaging approaches for diagnostic and therapeutic research and clinical applications.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Accurately describe, using the correct mathematics and terminology, how the signals for MRI and ultrasound are generated, the sensitivity of these techniques to tissue variations
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Accurately describe, using the correct mathematics and terminology, spatial encoding methods for MRI and ultrasound and trade offs in imaging parameter and hardware selection
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Identify and develop strategies to mitigate common artifacts
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Understand how to apply the knowledge to their own research projects
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify the physical principles underlying imaging technologies used in radiology and nuclear medicine: radiography, mammography, fluoroscopy, computed tomography (CT), scintigraphy, single-photon emission tomography (SPECT), and positron emission tomography (PET).
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Describe each imaging modality in terms of a general imaging framework in which (i) a form of energy or probe is introduced to the body, (ii) a clinically interesting signal is generated within the body, and (iii) this signal is detected and spatially localized to form an image.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Apply physics and engineering concepts to understand how the design and operation of an imaging system determines the contrast, noise, and spatial resolution of the images produced by the system.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Differentiate the characteristics of radiotracers that make them suitable for research and clinical applications in human physiology.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Identify the defining strengths and limitations with utilizing the imaging modalities for conducting research investigations of human physiology and disease.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify the physical components of diagnostic x-ray imaging equipment
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Summarize the operation and clinical uses of these imaging systems
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Test and analyze the performance characteristics of diagnostic x-ray imaging equipment
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Investigate factors that affect image quality and patient dose in x-ray imaging systems involving their use and design
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Apply investigative thinking to the solution of image problems and artifacts
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

6. Apply what has been learned to their current research project
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Develop a basic understanding of magnetic resonance imaging, anatomical imaging methods, functional BOLD MRI (fMRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Learn and apply basic methods for statistical image analyses.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Gain hands-on experience with tools for processing and analyses of fMRI, DTI and anatomic brain images.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Develop and demonstrate skills to independently process, analyze, troubleshoot and interpret MRI neuroimaging data
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe the major components and geometry of radiographic, fluoroscopic and mammographic x-ray systems and how they function
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Describe the characteristics of radiation dose in radiographic, fluoroscopic and mammographic x-ray systems scanning including the x-ray dose index, average dose in the scanned volume and effective dose; as well as the effect of scan parameters on the radiation dose to the patient
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Perform a physicist’s evaluation of a radiographic, fluoroscopic and mammographic x-ray systems including measurements of geometric accuracy, image quality and radiation dose
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Explain the characteristics of radiographic, fluoroscopic and mammographic x-ray systems quality including pixel values, contrast, noise, low contrast detectability and spatial resolution
Audience: Graduate

5. Demonstrate understanding of some of the basic system tests, as recommended by the American College of Radiology (ACR), that are performed during routine quality assurance testing of a radiographic, fluoroscopic and mammographic x-ray systems
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify the basic methods for the production of radionuclides used in nuclear medicine imaging, including cyclotron produced parent / progeny generators.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Illustrate how to perform evaluations/ testing of the nuclear medicine imaging systems for proper performance. This includes scanner characteristic measures that would be made for acceptance test and periodic QC measures.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Perform these evaluations/tests in an accurate fashion.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Analyze the results of these tests.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Create a report of these results which document the findings and communicate them to someone who is not a scientist.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

6. Properly use individual radiation protection techniques during the testing.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

7. Describe how radionuclides are synthesized into radiopharmaceuticals for human use. This includes how quality control tests are performed and the significance of each test.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Learn about health physics instrumentation through hands-on experiments
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Operate health physics instrumentation to address relevant health physics problems
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Learn statistical principles of laboratory data analysis.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Communicate lab results clearly and effectively through high quality written reports.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Integrate knowledge into other course material, research and/or clinical work.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Describe the major components and geometry of current computed tomography (CT) scanners and the factors affecting image quality and radiation dose in CT scans.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Explain the characteristics of CT image quality including pixel values, contrast, noise, low contrast detectability and spatial resolution.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Describe the characteristics of radiation dose in CT scanning including: dose profiles, the CT dose index, average dose in the scanned volume and effective dose; as well as the effect of scan parameters on the radiation dose to the patient.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Perform a physicist’s evaluation of a CT scanner including measurements of geometric accuracy, image quality and radiation dose.
Audience: Graduate

5. Explain the safety screening process that all patients must undergo in order to determine whether they are eligible to safely undergo an MRI exam.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

6. Describe the function of i) the major components of the MRI system, including the main magnetic field, the radiofrequency transceiver, and the magnetic field gradients, ii) the elements included in every MRI room, including the radiofrequency shielding, the magnet rundown unit, and the cryogen exhaust system, and iii) patient safety considerations related to these components.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

7. Understand some of the basic system tests, as recommended by the American College of Radiology (ACR), that are performed during routine quality assurance testing of an MRI system.
Audience: Graduate

8. Identify the components of a digital subtraction angiography system.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

9. Understand the basic properties of DSA systems; contrast, signal to noise ratio, image dynamic range, and logarithmic image processing.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

10. Understand dual-energy subtraction and its advantages and disadvantages compared to time subtraction.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Provide a technical overview of ultrasound scanner operations, including relevant tissue properties involved in forming images, ultrasound transducer properties and types, signal processing, image frame rate limitations, and typical instrument controls.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Demonstrate basic operation of an ultrasound scanner (GE Logiq E9 or Siemens Acuson Sequoia). This will be done using basic ultrasound QA phantoms.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Describe Doppler and color flow modes and indicate technical factors needed to measure blood flow accurately.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Show how instrumentation settings affect gray scale imaging and Doppler data from selected sites, such as the human carotid artery, the heart, or the abdomen.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

5. Show the difference between cystic and solid lesions using phantoms; demonstrate image guided interventions using phantoms.
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

6. Complete the tests (i.e., system set up and scanning) and report writing for basic quality assurance testing following American College of Radiology (ACR) guidelines.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Explore a new phenomenon or modality in the medical physics area and apply the knowledge gained to research in the field
Audience: Graduate

2. Identify the physical principles underlying imaging technologies used in radiology and nuclear medicine: radiography, mammography, fluoroscopy, computed tomography (CT), scintigraphy, single-photon emission tomography (SPECT), and positron emission tomography (PET).
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

Learning Outcomes: 1. Integrate the physics and operation of ionization chambers and electrometers
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Integrate the physics and operation of other instruments used for dosimetry
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Analyze and apply the luminescent process and its use in metrology
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Evaluate and demonstrate principles of uncertainty involved in metrology
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Apply concepts learned in coursework to real life situations
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

2. Read and effectively analyze scientific literature
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

3. Develop critical, analytical, and independent thinking skills
Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad

4. Create literature reviews and publications
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Recall and discuss the rationale behind the ethical principles governing medical physics practice
Audience: Graduate

2. Apply these principles to ensure the confidentiality of the patients, and the safety and respect of the research subjects (humans and animals).
Audience: Graduate

3. Ensure proper and honest data collection and analysis
Audience: Graduate

4. Identify and prevent conflict of interest
Audience: Graduate

5. Discuss and define authorships, and basic intellectual property concepts for the academic- and industry- based environment.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Be conversant with several definitions and styles of leadership, as well as with research on how leadership and gender intersect/interact, particularly in an academic context.
Audience: Graduate

2. Reflect on personal leadership goals and skills based on readings, discussion, and online reflection assignments.
Audience: Graduate

3. Demonstrate knowledge of effective evidence-based leadership strategies.
Audience: Graduate

4. Consider the integral link between women leaders and the advancement of women’s health.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Recall and apply principles of MR signal generation, relaxation, echo generation, and spatial encoding.
Audience: Graduate

2. Compose and test concepts of advanced MR image reconstruction concepts including partial Fourier MRI, parallel MRI, non-Cartesian MRI, compressed sensing.
Audience: Graduate

3. Apply and judge image processing methods for the analysis of MR images for biomarkers such as T1 and T2 mapping and metabolite maps.
Audience: Graduate

4. Summarize and organize advanced MR applications used in the clinic and research including quantitative MRI, BOLD MRI (fMRI), MR Angiography with and without contrast agents, motion sensitive MRI, perfusion and diffusion MRI, and PET-MRI.
Audience: Graduate

5. Organize and compose concepts on sampling theory, signal-to-noise, artifacts, and pulse sequences to design protocols for MRI data acquisition, reconstruction, or processing.
Audience: Graduate

6. Demonstrate scientific communication skills for MRI research by composing oral presentations, written reports, and critiquing the work of others.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Apply ray and wave based light propagation models
Audience: Graduate

2. Explain the process of image formation in conventional imaging systems using theory and computational models
Audience: Graduate

3. Select and combine the different components required in an imaging system to perform light manipulation, collection, and image reconstruction
Audience: Graduate

4. Apply the linear matrix and integral operators that model light propagation
Audience: Graduate

5. Apply the linear inverse algorithms that allow an imaging system to reconstruct properties of the scene from collected data
Audience: Graduate

6. Simulate different computational imaging systems and perform computation on simulated datasets
Audience: Graduate

7. Understand the most common computational imaging techniques and be able to use and adapt them for their own applications
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Provide a clear, concise oral presentation critiquing a paper in the literature
Audience: Graduate

2. Write a hypothesis driven research proposal and present an oral defense
Audience: Graduate

3. Write a critical written assessment of literature papers
Audience: Graduate

4. Use course concepts to better design experiments and extract quantitative information
Audience: Graduate

5. Articulate a fundamental understanding of the function of a microscope
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of common brachytherapy source isotopes, including energy, source construction, and half-life, as well as their clinical use in the treatment of gynecological, breast, prostate, and other cancer types.
Audience: Graduate

2. Create clinical treatment plans for gynecological, breast, and prostate brachytherapy treatments.
Audience: Graduate

3. Explain and understand each component of the TG-43 brachytherapy dose calculation formalism
Audience: Graduate

4. Gain familiarity with HDR afterloaders and the required quality assurance
Audience: Graduate

5. Demonstrate an understanding of LDR brachytherapy concepts including safe source handling, calibration, and quality assurance
Audience: Graduate

6. Understand radiation protection concepts relevant to brachytherapy including state/national regulations and the components of a quality management program for brachytherapy
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Design simple and intermediate forward-based photon and electron external beam plans using beam arrangements/energy, wedges and blocks intelligently with regards to underlying physics
Audience: Graduate

2. Create target and region at risk planning volumes, setup objectives for, and optimize, inverse planned intensity modulated plans.
Audience: Graduate

3. Evaluate dose distributions using a variety of metrics.
Audience: Graduate

4. Understand beam model commissioning process and limitations including data requirements and processing.
Audience: Graduate

5. Understand dose algorithms used in radiation therapy (including but not limited to: convolution superposition, Monte Carlo, pencil beam.)
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Provide detailed physical explanations, based on advanced mathematical grounds, of (a) the basic principles of the propagation and interactions of mechanical waves in tissues, and (b) several ultrasound-based structural and functional imaging techniques
Audience: Graduate

2. Critically assess recent technological developments in medical ultrasound imaging by appraising the motivation, strengths, and limitations of published research in this area
Audience: Graduate

3. Based on a critical review of the state of the art of biomedical ultrasound, define the goal and specific aims of a research proposal focused on addressing a knowledge gap in the field and/or solving a relevant clinical problem using advanced concepts of ultrasound image acquisition, formation, and processing
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Understand the basic principles of x-ray CT imaging systems
Audience: Graduate

2. Understand the mathematical foundation of basic CT reconstruction algorithms
Audience: Graduate

3. Be able to implement filtered backprojection (FBP) reconstruction algorithms for various CT geometries
Audience: Graduate

4. Understand CT image quality metrics and their dependence on CT system properties
Audience: Graduate

5. Understand the physical origin of common CT image artifacts and the corresponding correction methods
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Critically read and evaluate peer-reviewed journal papers describing machine learning applications in ultrasound imaging.
Audience: Graduate

2. Apply, implement and expand upon ideas from these publications to applications in ultrasound imaging.
Audience: Graduate

3. Present the results of their critical evaluation and implementation to the class.
Audience: Graduate

4. Write a research paper based on their findings suitable for publication.
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Understand fundamental principles of pharmacokinetic modeling within the context of biomedical imaging
Audience: Graduate

2. Implement appropriate mathematical models for given biological tracer systems
Audience: Graduate

3. Apply these skills to biomedical research questions
Audience: Graduate

4. Analyze biomedical imaging data to investigate pharmacokinetic properties
Audience: Graduate

5. Create a publication quality research paper
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Understand the various areas of Medical Physics given in seminars
Audience: Graduate

2. Explore the subject of a seminar and understand medical terms
Audience: Graduate

Learning Outcomes: 1. Conduct independent and focused research using a variety of approaches.
Audience: Graduate

2. Analyze and think critically to address research challenges.
Audience: Graduate

3. Exhibit and foster professional and ethical conduct in their research.
Audience: Graduate

4. Collaborate with other investigators within or outside their lab.
Audience: Graduate