Section on biophysics, biomedical physics and chemical physics

Information on the study program Biomedical Physics

  1. Name of study program: Biomedical Physics
  2. Number and name of branch of study: 4.1.1 Physics and 7.1.1 General Medicine
  3. Study level: master
  4. Guarantor and co-guarantor of the study program:
    • doc. RNDr. Libuša Šikurová, PhD. (functional professor, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University)
    • Co-guarantor: prof. MUDr. Ladislav Zlatoš, DrSc. (functional professor, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University)
  5. Program relationships: The master program is a follow-up of the bachelor biomedical physics program. The post-graduate program "Biophysics" is a follow-up to this master program.
  6. Expected number of students in class: 25
  7. Brief history of the study program:
    The continually increasing application of electronics, computers, up-to-date physical and engineering technologies, new methods of information technology and biotechnology have naturally lead to establishment of study lines in biomedical physics, which, at the end of the 20th century, became part of study programs of most prominent universities in the world. At Comenius University in Bratislava , Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, in cooperation with the School of Medicine , launched the biomedical physics study program in academic year 1995/1996 as a 5 year physics master program. The newly accredited study programs (bachelor and master) are based on the tradition and experience acquired in the biomedical physics program cycles of the last years.
  8. Requirements upon applicants (qualification conditions):
    An applicant for master study in biomedical physics shall be bachelor in biomedical physics or a related program. Admission without further requirements is conditional on bachelorship in biomedical physics. Bachelors of related study lines may be admitted to the master program on condition of taking differential exams and additional required courses. Selection procedure and requirements upon applicants are set out on annual basis by the line's guarantor according to the Study and Testing Statute of the Faculty.
  9. Educational and professional goals:
    Train specialists in the interdisciplinary field at the frontiers of natural sciences and medicine, comprising physics, mathematics, informatics, medicine, biology and chemistry. In the master study the program is focused more on applications of acquired physical knowledge and skills in medicine and biology.
  10. Lines of courses read ("subject lines") and their brief description:
    The biomedical physics master program is composed as a direct follow-up of the bachelor biomedical physics program, in which students obligatorily take courses in general physics and theoretical foundations of medicine. Therefore, in the master study the program is focused more on applications of acquired physical knowledge and skills in medicine and biology. To complete the biomedical physics study program and a balanced proportion of all the necessary constituents of this interdisciplinary study, students take courses in physics, theoretical medicine, necessary fundamentals of mathematics and informatics and the respective interdisciplinary disciplines within a single study block. Students can compose their study program by choosing from a number of obligatorily optional and optional courses in the physical (F), medical (M), and informatics (I) block, though the latter classification is not strict and the courses may overlap areas. The students are not bound to hold to a single block and the classification is aimed to provide some assistance in selecting the appropriate courses according to the optional subject of the final exam.
    Aside from the above-mentioned blocks, students may also choose from all-faculty courses (philosophy, sports and languages).
  11. Profile of graduates:
    Biomedical physics master is able to pursue the career of a biomedical physics specialist, having knowledge and skills in special methods of physical, biomedical and interdisciplinary fields and their applications in various areas of biomedical research and biomedical practice. He has also command of the physical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, methods of biosignal processing and medical imaging. He can, on his own, solve theoretical problems based on the corresponding mathematical methods, formulate mathematical models, design and carry out computer simulations of physical and biomedical phenomena, has a command of at least one programming language. He can use statistical data processing techniques, spreadsheets, text processors, and hypertext authoring tools, presentation authoring tools and report generators, he can communicate in a foreign language and has a command of professional terminology (physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, and medicine). The master is able to work independently in interdisciplinary teams of hospitals and specialized laboratories, where he can use contemporary diagnostic tools, monitor, process and evaluate signals, develop and improve methods of detection and physical and physico-chemical therapy. He can also work independently in interdisciplinary research teams of universities or research institutes, as well as in other areas, where he can design, operate and review complex experimental and technological devices, solve a variety of mathematical, physical and biomedical tasks, create computer models and use information systems in medicine. He is able to independently process, publish or otherwise present the results of scientific or professional activities, and can also communicate physical and biomedical knowledge to broader public in popular form. All acquired knowledge, abilities and skills are formed and developed with focus on humanity, respect of human rights, ethical conduct with respect to economic, legal and social contexts, which is reflected in inclusion of the corresponding courses to the common basic block and availability of signing in these courses throughout the study program.
    The master study creates a pre-requisite for taking a doctorate program in biophysics.
  12. Level of and career opportunities for graduates:
    Based on experience with the previous 5 year master program, graduates in the biomedical physics master program shall not have problems with finding enough opportunities to pursue their careers in the field or can employ their education in a variety of related fields.
    The most typical examples of careers taken by biomedical physicists are:
    • health-care facilities or specialized laboratories (operation of medical equipment, monitoring, processing and evaluation of signals, improvement of physical therapies)
    • basic research (institutes of Academy of Sciences, international research centres, foreign and domestic scientific centres), bachelors can only take part in teams under supervision of experienced specialists.
    • public health stations (taking and analysis of samples for radioactivity, pollution monitoring, radiation control etc.)
    • development laboratories
    • environmental and veterinary facilities
    • sales companies trading in medical and laboratory equipment, technical service, production facilities
    • universities and education institutions
    • computer centres, banking (data processing, statistical analyses)
    Graduates in biomedical physics have good language skills (especially in English) and, owing to the quality and content of education, may seek career opportunities worldwide.
  13. Other:
    Graduates can gain the "RNDr" title shortly after graduating from the masters program.
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