Author: Manuel M. Arreola, Izabella L. Barreto, Amanda Schwarz 👨🔬
Affiliation: University of Florida, University of Florida College of Medicine 🌍
Purpose: In 2020, a medical physics undergraduate internship program was developed to attract competitive students to the field of medical physics.
Methods: The program offered a unique, immersive experience for four undergraduate STEM students per semester, each approved as hospital volunteers who underwent training in HIPAA compliance and MRI safety. Dedicating six hours weekly, interns engaged in lectures by medical physics faculty covering fundamental concepts and clinical applications, extensive clinical shadowing in radiology and radiation oncology departments, and hands-on experience with quality assurance activities. Interns also rotated through various medical physics research laboratories, with some undertaking independent projects mentored by faculty. The program emphasized mentorship and support, with dedicated graduate student mentors facilitating scheduling and providing personalized guidance. Interns were required to submit weekly reports reflecting on learnings and a final presentation summarizing their experience.
Results: Program evaluations consistently demonstrated high intern satisfaction, with 100% of interns strongly agreeing that the program was valuable for their academic and professional growth and would recommend it to others. Survey results revealed improvements in understanding medical physics concepts, communication and interpersonal skills in a hospital setting, technical writing and presentation abilities, and exposure to clinical teamwork and collaboration. Interns commented that the program was rewarding as it provided real-world exposure to medical physics, working alongside clinical professionals and learning the day-to-day tasks of a medical physicist. They also highlighted mentorship and access to expert guidance as valuable aspects of the program. Notably, 89% of interns indicated their intention to apply to medical physics graduate programs, and to date, at least 17 of the 24 participants have successfully applied to or enrolled in medical physics graduate programs.
Conclusion: This program demonstrates a successful model for attracting highly qualified students to medical physics, serving as a valuable blueprint for other institutions.