Program overview

Program length: 10 weeks
Class size: 1-2 students
Location: Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona

The Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Medical Physics Summer Fellowship is a 10-week program at the Mayo Clinic campus in Phoenix, Arizona, intended to introduce highly motivated undergraduate students to medical physics research. As a student, you will participate in a medical physics research project and gain introductory exposure to the clinical medical physics environment.

You'll select from a list of available projects provided by physics faculty in the Department of Radiation Oncology. Active research areas include detector development, radiation treatment plan optimization, treatment outcomes modeling, medical imaging, and proton therapy.

Recent summer research fellows have matriculated in medical physics doctoral programs at the University of Wisconsin, University of Texas MD Anderson, and University of Chicago.

The Medical Physics Summer Fellowship aims to:

• Introduce undergraduate students to the field of medical physics
• Make a significant contribution to a medical physics research project
• Provide introductory exposure to the role of a clinical medical physicist

Graduation and certification 

After successfully completing this program, you will receive a certificate of completion from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.

Application process

The fellowship accepts undergraduate junior- or senior-level students majoring in physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, or engineering. 

The application cycle will open Dec. 1, 2023, and will close Feb. 5, 2024. Your application and all supporting documentation must be received by Feb. 5 at 5 p.m. (MST). Candidates will be notified of their application status by Feb. 19. The program begins in May or June, according to the availability of the selected student.

Prerequisites 

To be eligible for the Medical Physics Summer Fellowship, you must:

1. Have completed your sophomore or junior year of an undergraduate degree in physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, or engineering, before the start of the fellowship
2. Have current undergraduate status, with at least one undergraduate semester remaining after completion of the fellowship

Candidates are selected based on grades, research, and work experiences, as well as the candidates’ interests and personal qualities as described in a personal statement and a letter of recommendation. All candidates will be notified via email of their application status by Feb. 19.

Application instructions

Complete the following steps to apply:

1. Create an account to begin the online Application for Admission
   • Select - Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
   • Select - Medical Physics Summer Fellowship
2. Complete each section of the application and submit
3. After submission, view the required Supplemental Items and Documents
   • Upload each required item in the Supplemental Items section
   • Complete the Recommendation Request section

Additional required items

• CV/resume.
• Essay is to include your background and your interest in this fellowship and then be uploaded in the Supplemental Items section. The essay should be less than 500 words.
• One letter of recommendation is required and must be completed in the Recommendation Request section. The recommender will receive an email with a link to complete a rating form and upload a letter.
• Professional: Choose a person familiar with your professional qualifications and your potential for success in the field of medical physics. References may include someone who is/was an authoritative figure in your life such as a professor, adviser, supervisor, or someone similar.

Acceptance 

Candidates selected for the fellowship will be contacted by email, followed by an acceptance letter. The selected candidate will be introduced to available mentors to discuss potential research projects. Candidates contacted by email should reply within three days. If you receive an acceptance letter, your reply is expected within 10 days. 

Admission policies

See further Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences admissions policy information.

Non-U.S. citizen applicants

Admission to Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences is open to U.S. workers in the four categories below. Therefore, visa sponsorship is not available.

1. U.S. citizens
2. U.S. nationals
3. Lawful permanent residents
4. Asylees and refugees

Applicants whose primary language is not English must submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based test (TOEFL iBT). Scores from the speaking portion of the exam are given particular consideration in admission decisions. Learn more about the exam and register online at the Educational Testing Service.

The Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences code for the TOEFL iBT is 5784.

Educational transcripts from schools outside the U.S. must be translated (if they are not already in English) and evaluated for U.S. equivalence by an accredited credential evaluation service company prior to submission. Please refer to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services for a list of qualified companies. The applicant pays for the examination and credential-evaluation services.

Stipend and benefits

A stipend of $6,000 for the Medical Physics Summer Fellowship is paid to you in biweekly installments over the course of the 10 weeks. There are no tuition fees. 

This position is not eligible for Mayo Clinic's benefits package. You're expected to maintain your own medical insurance during the course of the fellowship.

Living expenses such as transportation, housing, and meals are your responsibility. Assistance with locating temporary housing can be provided if needed.

Curriculum

The Medical Physics Summer Fellowship is a research experience in the Department of Radiation Oncology, where the selected undergraduate student works closely with a faculty mentor on an individual project. The goal of the program is to introduce promising undergraduate students to the field of medical physics and to contribute meaningfully to a research project. 

As a fellow, you will select your specific project from a list of available projects provided by the medical physics faculty. This process typically occurs in the months between the selection of the fellow and the summer start date.

Examples of past projects include:

Year	Project title	Faculty mentor
2023	Explorations in AI auto-segmentation	Yi Rong, Ph.D.
2022	Margin consideration and intra-fractional motion tracking for intact prostate patients	Yi Rong, Ph.D.
2022	Novel glass scintillator characterization	Daniel Robertson, Ph.D.
2021	Iterative cone-beam computed tomography for real-time dose validation in adaptive radiotherapy	Yi Rong, Ph.D.
2021	Monte Carlo simulations of low energy electrons using TOPAS-nBio	Martin Bues, Ph.D.
2019	Photon and electron dose distribution measurement with a large scintillator block and digital camera	Daniel Robertson, Ph.D.
2018	Proton patient log file analysis for machine performance evaluation	Daniel Robertson, Ph.D.
2017	Novel 3-D dosimeter and biosensor development	Aman Anand, Ph.D.
2016	Application of operational research techniques to intensity-modulated proton therapy	Wei Liu, Ph.D.
2015	Biological effectiveness of intensity-modulated proton therapy	Wei Liu, Ph.D.

Over the course of the 10-week program, you will meet regularly with your faculty mentor who will guide your project to completion. At the culmination of the program, you will present your work to the department staff. Exceptional work may be submitted to local or national meetings or for publication.

In addition to your research, you will have significant opportunities to observe all aspects of the clinical radiation oncology environment at Mayo Clinic and, specifically, the role of the medical physicist in facilitating safe and effective radiation treatments. The department hosts medical and physics residency programs, and you're invited to attend regular meetings and seminars associated with these programs to facilitate your education.

Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences is committed to developing and maintaining the best education programs. The curriculum and other aspects of this program are routinely assessed and changed as necessary to ensure the highest quality training.

Schedule

For the majority of the fellowship, your learning schedule includes eight-hour days during normal business hours, with occasional deviations as needed to acquire data on clinical equipment outside of treatment hours.  

Facilities

Mayo Clinic has two campuses in Arizona. The Phoenix campus includes the state-of-the-art Mayo Clinic Hospital, the first hospital entirely designed and built by Mayo Clinic. It has been recognized several times by Phoenix magazine as the "Best Hospital in Phoenix."

The campus also includes a state-of-the-art education and conference center, which has a 330-seat auditorium and adjacent meeting rooms. The facility serves all types of learners engaging in lifelong learning. Services in numerous medical and surgical disciplines are provided, including outstanding programs in cancer treatment and organ transplantation. 

The Mayo Clinic campus in Scottsdale is centered around a beautiful, five-story outpatient clinic. This modern facility contains extensive exam rooms, an outpatient surgery center equipped for general anesthesia, a full-service laboratory, pharmacy, patient education library, endoscopy suite, and a 188-seat auditorium for patient, staff, and student education programs.

Faculty

The Medical Physics Summer Fellowship in Arizona is coordinated and taught by the clinical, scientific, and technical staff of Mayo Clinic. Faculty members are chosen for their commitment to teaching, as well as their clinical practice and research. Many have published and lectured extensively and are highly regarded in their fields.

You have direct access to these individuals throughout your training, giving you the opportunity to learn from experienced practitioners in medical physics.

Accreditation information

See accreditation information for Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.