Physics with Medical Physics

Physics with medical physics combines the fundamental rigour of physics as a discipline with a focus on its applications in medicine and healthcare, from diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy to the physics of biological systems and the measurement of physiological processes. Physics is the most mathematically demanding of the natural sciences, concerned with the fundamental laws that govern matter, energy, space, and time, and studying it at degree level develops analytical and quantitative skills that are among the most powerful any discipline can offer. The medical physics specialism connects these skills to one of their most direct and socially important applications.

At Cardiff University, this three-year full-time programme gives you a thorough grounding in physics, covering mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, and special relativity, alongside an introduction to the medical physics applications that define the specialisation. Medical physics encompasses the physics of medical imaging, including X-ray, CT, MRI, and ultrasound, the use of radiation in cancer treatment and nuclear medicine, and the development and clinical validation of physics-based medical technologies. Cardiff has links with the NHS in Wales, which provides context and in some cases direct experience of the clinical environments where medical physics is applied.

You will develop strong mathematical and analytical skills, laboratory competence, and the ability to apply physical reasoning to complex systems, whether those systems are fundamental phenomena or clinical technologies. The degree is accredited by the Institute of Physics, reflecting its standing as a rigorous physics education.

Graduates move into medical physics roles in the NHS, research careers in medical imaging and radiation science, the medical devices industry, and broader physics and engineering roles. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study, including clinical scientist training programmes within the NHS, which is the main route to professional registration as a medical physicist.