Brown medical physics master’s program gains momentum with strong graduate outcomes, Ph.D. plans

With a dozen students now graduated through Brown’s Master’s Program in Medical Physics, its co-director, Michelle Schwer, MSc, DABR, is proud of the relatively new program as it looks to the future.

“There’s still a lot of building to do, but we’re tapping into the resources here at Brown,” she says. “We’re trying to work with other departments—for example, biology and traditional physics—to make sure we can do some truly cross-disciplinary research.”

The two-year Master of Science degree, originally led by Eric Klein, PhD, professor emeritus of radiation oncology, and Edward Walsh, PhD, assistant professor of neuroscience (research), graduated its first class in 2023, says Schwer. The curriculum includes topics like radiation instrumentation, radiation biology, medical bioinformatics, and the physics of medical imaging.

Schwer says that while medical physics is a “niche field,” she emphasizes its importance to a clinical ecosystem. After the radiation oncologist prescribes the radiation plan, medical physicists ensure equipment is working properly, imaging is properly aligned, and the correct dose is delivered accurately.

“I would describe it as what a pharmacist does for the physicians,” she says. “In a way, we make sure that prescriptions are filled correctly.”

With their technical skills, medical physicists bring unique perspectives to diverse clinical settings and partnerships, Schwer says. Brown’s program places a great focus on didactic training, and students shadow clinicians, learning to work with linear accelerators and gaining deeper understanding of clinical vernacular. Such experience allows medical physicists to better understand patients' conditions, like tumors, while also developing and redesigning technology to reduce toxicity and spare healthy tissue.

“They bring a lot of troubleshooting skills, and a lot of times approaching issues from the standpoint of, yes, we’ve always done it this way, but do we have to? Physicists that are involved in these radiation-producing machines are also highly involved in clinical research trials,” Schwer says.

Schwer is hopeful Brown will offer a PhD in medical physics by 2028, but planning for this stage is in its infancy. Residencies in medical physics are typically two- to three-year programs, working directly under radiation oncology faculty and physicians, focusing on both conventional radiation therapy and learning about emerging technologies and treatments, like proton radiotherapy.

“Of our 12 students, three have gone on to PhD programs, so I think it’s something we want to pursue. I think it will be a good option to attract more students,” she says.

Makenna Zapzalka ScM'25, who matched with a residency at the University of Minnesota, her home state. She studied radiation physics at Oregon State University and then had to decide between an academic or a clinical career.

“I was lucky that one of my professors went down the same clinical route,” Zapzalka says. Her choice of Brown’s medical physics program came down to its “community feel,” and she loved the smaller class size, which was similar to her undergraduate program.

The intersection between medicine and hard science appealed to Zapzalka, and she says she appreciated the flexibility, mentorship, and extensive clinical exposure. The experience appears to have paid dividends; when she was applying for residency, she says, representatives from other institutions were “blown away” by the program and what it offered.

“They were asking me about being able to work within clinics or how the program incorporates thesis research, as that’s apparently unheard of for a two-year master’s program,” Zapzalka says.

Julia Marks ScM'25, who matched with Brown University Health, describes the program as a “cornerstone” of different scientific principles.

“I like when that line is a little blurred,” says Marks, who is from California and previously studied physics at University of California, Berkeley. “I enjoyed having a taste of biology, some engineering, and then of course the physics presence.”

She liked Brown and its flexible learning environment so much that she made it her first choice for residency.

“We were given the autonomy to explore research topics that truly interested us. Without a rigid framework, we had the opportunity to grow our creative problem-solving and analytical skills throughout the process," she says. "Learning is inherently vulnerable. The environment they created embraced mistakes, encouraged curiosity, and stimulated our imaginations.”