Medical Physics

An MSc in Medical Physics immerses you in the application of physics principles to medicine, covering radiotherapy, diagnostic imaging, radiation protection, and nuclear medicine. You study how radiation interacts with biological tissue, how imaging technologies such as MRI, CT, and PET function, and how treatment planning systems are designed for cancer care. Practical clinical training is a central feature, with placements in HSE hospitals where you work alongside medical physicists, radiation oncologists, and radiographers. A typical week combines lectures and lab sessions with hospital-based work, and you complete a substantial research project or thesis. Some programmes offer opportunities for international collaboration or Erasmus exchanges with European clinical physics centres.

Entry to an MSc in Medical Physics typically requires an NFQ Level 8 Honours Bachelor degree (minimum 2.1) in physics, applied physics, engineering physics, or a closely related discipline such as biomedical engineering. A strong grounding in mathematics and physics at undergraduate level is essential, and experience in programming or data analysis is increasingly valued. Applicants from cognate science or engineering backgrounds may be considered if they can demonstrate relevant physics content in their degree. There is no direct CAO entry at this level; you apply through the university's postgraduate admissions system. Mature applicants or those with relevant clinical or research experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Graduates of Level 7 programmes would generally need to first complete a Level 8 qualification before applying.

Demand for qualified medical physicists in Ireland is strong and growing, driven by expanding cancer services and significant investment in radiotherapy infrastructure under national cancer strategies. The HSE actively recruits Clinical Medical Physicists, and there is a recognised shortage of professionals qualified to Irish and European standards. Registration and career progression are guided by the Irish Institute of Physics in Medicine and the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics (EFOMP). Salaries for clinical medical physicists in HSE Grade VII to Senior Physicist roles range broadly from approximately €50,000 to €80,000 gross per annum, with senior and specialist grades earning more.