De La Salle University - Manila

Physics Department

Bachelor of Science in Physics with specialization in Medical Instrumentation

The Bachelor of Science in Physics with specialization in Medical Instrumentation program is an eleven-trimester (plus one trimester practicum) program that prepares students for possible careers as medical physicists.  The main objective of the program is to produce graduates who by having a solid grounding in physical concepts and principles, and having a basic understanding of radiation therapy, medical imaging and medical instrumentation, will pursue graduate studies to enable them to become practicing medical physicists in the country. It is also the aim of the program to produce researchers who can contribute to the development of new medical instruments.
Graduates of the program can immediately work as associate medical physicists. At the same time, they can readily go to graduate programs in medical physics, preparing themselves for careers as full-fledged medical physicists.  Being in a full physics program, graduates of this track are also open to other opportunities available to graduates of BS Physics programs. Since the program already includes a substantial number of Chemistry and Biology courses, it will take only a few more subjects to enable one to take the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT) and proceed to medical school.

Program Structure

The students spend their first year in preparatory studies, particularly on mathematics. Introductory-level physics and mathematical methods for physics courses are taken from the second to the sixth trimester of the program, preparing the students for the core physics courses (mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics and statistical physics), which are taken in the junior and senior years.
Aside from the core physics courses taken in a BS Physics program, the Medical Instrumentation track also has 20 units of Chemistry and Biology, 34 units of medical instrumentation and radiation physics, radiation therapy and nuclear medicine courses, including electronics, computer programming and computational methods.