Even those in the world of medical imaging may not be aware of a critical – and growing - support role ensuring safe and reliable imaging for patients and professionals. A medical physicist assistant (MPA) is a fascinating position that bridges the responsibilities of imaging technologists and medical physicists. Thus, the career of an MPA offers a valuable and rewarding alternative for anyone in medical imaging seeking something beyond the traditional paths of patient-facing work or management.
The following draws upon our conversation with Dee Ball, RT(R)(M) — an MPA who works for a large healthcare system in Wichita, Kansas, with only one physicist and one MPA. Having started as an X-ray technologist who has now spent more than 30 years in the field, including management experience, Ball has integrated her wealth of technical expertise into her role as a medical physicist assistant since 2020.
What Is Medical Physics?
Medical physics is a specialized field of healthcare dedicated to the application of physics in medicine, primarily for diagnosis and treatment. Medical physicists, then, work with medical imaging technologies such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, and ultrasound. These professionals ensure the safe and effective use of radiation and imaging technologies to provide optimal patient care.
Medical Physicist Assistant (MPA)
According to the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), a medical physicist assistant, or MPA, is an essential but often overlooked role. Despite the increasingly critical role, growing demand, and career opportunities related to these medical physics jobs, MPAs remain relatively unknown — even within the medical imaging community.
What Do Medical Physics Assistants Do?
Handling day-to-day operational oversight, an MPA primarily provides critical support under the supervision of a certified medical physicist. Across various clinical settings, this type of assistant medical physicist focuses on quality assurance aspects of imaging or treatment systems, with duties like:
- Conducting equipment testing
- Ensuring radiation machines are calibrated correctly
- Working with data collection and analysis tools that monitor system performance
- Monitoring and sending out dosimetry reports to maintain patient (and technologist) safety
- Training and advising clinical staff on proper use of radioactive equipment
For instance, Ball emphasizes her role in overseeing pediatric CT protocols and managing Leapfrog reporting (which benchmarks pediatric radiation safety practices against other hospitals). She takes care of all the regular radiology rooms, portable machines, portable C-arms, DEXAs, and their dosimetry program. She also handles monthly and quarterly badge exchanges, reviews dosimetry reports, and manages CT dose programs to help ensure compliance with pediatric dose protocols.
When it comes to testing machine functionality, Ball says checking for uniformity is key: “We check image quality, low contrast, high contrast, spatial resolution, and uniformity on all radiographic room & portable DR detectors. Radiation output, mA, kVp, and timer accuracy on the generators are tested as well. With C-arms, all those same components are tested as well as the center of rotation & shutter functionality.”
Medical Physics Subfields
Qualified medical physicists (QMPs) may only practice in their certified subfield (or subfields). Examples of these specialties include:
- Diagnostic medical physics – Professionals who fall under this category often deal with diagnostic imaging like X-ray and CT.
- Therapeutic medical physics – These professionals typically work in cancer centers, overseeing radiation therapy.
- Nuclear medical physics – This field involves nuclear medicine imaging (like PET scans).
- Medical health physics – These professionals are focused on radiation safety and dosimetry across healthcare settings.
- Magnetic resonance imaging physics – This is dedicated specifically to MRI technologies and safety.
While MPAs do not have official subfields for certification, some MPAs may end up focusing on specific modalities or imaging team’s equipment like QMPs. This focus may come from their previous work experience as a technologist, or simply from the type of work they do as an MPA, especially in healthcare organizations with more than one MPA or medical physicist.
How to Become a Medical Physics Assistant
Because this role is less officially dictated than some other roles in medical imaging, becoming an MPA is not as straightforward or standardized as becoming an X-ray or MRI technologist. Ball’s unique career journey from tech to Director of Radiology, Manager OP Imaging Center, and eventually MPA exemplifies how the position opening up was an ideal fit for her career goals: “I started as an X-ray tech in 1993, moved into management — and then I wanted to do something a little less stressful and less time-consuming, where I didn't have my evenings and weekends on call all the time.”
1. Discover MPA Role and Value
Many imaging professionals aren’t even aware of the MPA role. Ball herself notes that, even being in the field for decades, she didn’t know it was an option until 2020. However, in the coming years, MPAs will likely be in higher demand due to declining numbers of qualified medical physicists, who do not have the bandwidth to take on the full range of responsibilities on their own. The MPA has a key part to play in assisting physicists and relieving some of that burden. Illustrating this need, Ball notes that her organization has been trying to find a second physicist for several years to no avail.
Ultimately, MPAs also have a crucial impact on the outcome of every patient. If machines aren't calibrated correctly and examining patients with complete accuracy, individuals may be misdiagnosed — which, of course, could lead to serious consequences.
2. Leverage Existing Experience
It is common for MPAs to start as imaging technologists, making the most of their previous clinical experience and knowledge in that realm and applying on-the-job training to fill in the gaps. Aside from hands-on field experience, MPAs need structured educational experience in radiation physics, too, either with a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in health physics, radiology, nuclear medicine, or other related subjects.
3. Supplement With Training
For those interested in transitioning into an MPA role, consider finding an institution that offers specialized training programs and physics continuing education to help solidify your skill set. These courses can provide foundational knowledge and practical competencies essential for working alongside qualified medical physicists, helping you become more prepared and desirable for an MPA position.
4. Working With Your Qualified Medical Physicist (QMP)
A key aspect of being an MPA involves collaboration and close communication with the qualified medical physicist. Ball shares how crucial this working relationship is. “Anything that I test, I don't just do the reports and sign off on them myself,” she says. “Our physicist reviews everything and signs off. It's dependent on the individual physicist and what they allow the MPA to do.”
Is an MPA Career Right for You?
Choosing an MPA career can be an excellent option for imaging technologists seeking change. A few considerations and perks include:
Schedule, Lifestyle, and Work-Life Balance
Without demanding schedules, on-call duties, and weekend shifts, the MPA can offer an attractive alternative to traditional imaging tech roles. Ball says she appreciates having evenings and weekends off without worrying about taking calls, emphasizing that the job offers less stress with a more regular schedule.
Earning Potential
MPAs often enjoy a very competitive salary along with regular weekday hours, with the potential to make six figures depending on your experience and the specific role.
Skill Set and Interests
If you are detail-oriented, mechanically inclined, and a methodical thinker with the ability to follow instructions and processes well, this role could be a great fit — and you do not have to be naturally math- or science-oriented to thrive. “Physics used to be something I disliked and found boring, yet here I am doing it. Now that I get hands-on experience, I find it very interesting and rewarding.” Ball says. “It's different when you're learning physics and having to read stuff than it is when you're actually getting to put it to use hands on.”
Less Direct Patient Care
With the above in mind, the MPA career certainly encompasses fewer elements of direct patient interactions. But that doesn’t mean there’s less to do. In fact, Ball enjoys how occupied her current position keeps her: “I like being busy. I'm not someone who likes to sit idle. So, for me, I like the fact that I get to do so many different things; it never gets boring.”
Despite less frequent contact with patients, she finds the role equally rewarding while getting to interact with technologists and their managers daily. “Before, I was helping the patient directly,” she says. “Now, I'm helping the people who help the patient.”
MTMI’s Continuing Education and Cross-Training for MPAs
Offering a full spectrum of training for physicists and adjacent medical imaging professional, MTMI is here to help build your skill set, with continually evolving courses to serve current professionals and future MPAs. Whether you’re looking to update your knowledge in nuclear medicine or CT protocols and beyond, browse our educational offerings and enroll today to support your path toward becoming a medical physicist assistant.
MTMI programs are taught by experts with national reputations in their fields and cover many modalities. Our cross-training courses, offered in classroom as well as via webinars, prepare you for registry exams and take your career to the next level. Check out our full catalog of programs or contact us with questions today!
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