Department of Medical Physics

Genesis

The M.Sc., Medical Physics Programme was started in the Department of Physics in the academic year 2002-2003 in collaboration with G. Kuppusamy Naidu Memorial Hospital (GKNM Hospital), Coimbatore.

The approval for RSO level-III Certificate was obtained from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai in 2004.

The Department of Medical Physics was established in the year 2007 and about 20 students are being accommodated in the M.Sc Medical Physics programme every year. Now, this department is a constituent of School of Physical Sciences, Bharathiar University. The M.Phil and Ph.D research programmes in Medical Physics are being conducted from 2009 onwards. As per the AERB guidelines, one year internship for the students who have successfully completed their course was implemented from 2013 onwards.

Presently, there are three faculty members and nine Mentor Professors from the Department of Medical Physics, Bharathiar University, three faculty members from PSG Hospitals, and two more faculty members from the Department of Physics and Department of Electronics and Instrumentation, Bharathiar University are actively involved in the teaching and research activities of the Department of Medical Physics.

Salient Features

The Department consists of four major laboratories namely Radiation Dosimetry, Radiation Protection, Molecular Modeling and Medical Biophysics laboratory for teaching and research. Some of the significant facilities available in these laboratories are OSL dosimetry, Gel dosimetry, MOSFET, Radiochromic film dosimetry, Nanodosimetry, Biological dosimetry, GM counter, Gamma Spectrometer, alpha, beta, gamma and neutron counting systems, computing nodes, survey meters and Treatment Planning Systems (TPSs).

Also, our students have the opportunity to get rich hands-on-experience and training from the facilities available in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy at PSG Hospitals. They are also exposed to field training in various cancer hospitals all over India.

Almost all of our students who completed their M.Sc Medical Physics Programme were employed as Medical Physicists and Radiation Safety Officers in cancer hospitals throughout the country. Also, some of our outstanding students are working in the World Health Organization (WHO) and few of them are pursuing research programmes in India and abroad.

Thrust Areas

Radiation Dosimetry

Radiation Protection

Molecular Design and Modelling

Medical Biophysics