How Does Physics Affect the Practice of Medicine? You Might Be Surprised.

Physics plays a large role in the field of medicine.  Just think about the techniques used to identify illness, with X-rays, MRI, ultrasound and nuclear imaging.  They all spring directly from research done in physics labs.  But less obvious is the use of physics in the treatment of disease, especially cancer, where high energy X-rays are the most common tool.  The specialized training required for this field is given by graduate programs in Medical Physics, like the one at the Medical School of  Washington University St. Louis.  Dr. Rao Khan, who is the graduate director of this program, stops by STEM Spots to chat with us about the science, training and opportunities available for those in the profession.