Degree: Physics BS
Current Job: Medical Physicist Assistant at Radiation Physics Consultants
Why Physics?
Kalven chose to study physics in college because he really enjoyed his physics class in high school. He also knew he was interested in medical physics and radiation therapy, and a physics degree was the next logical step on his path to a career in that field.
Kalven values the research experience he gained as an undergraduate, saying that it "has helped my career path because employers value candidates who are excited to develop new ideas."
Overall, Kalven enjoyed his time at the University of Minnesota. "I would like to acknowledge that the faculty and staff provided me with all of the resources that I needed throughout my time as an undergraduate," he says.
Into the World of Medical Physics
After graduating, Kalven got a job as a diagnostic medical physicist at Radiation Physics Consultants. His job is to travel around Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota performing quality assurance and safety inspections on X-Ray equipment. With just a Bachelor's degree, he is limited in the types of equipment he can inspect. He cannot inspect MRIs, CTs or mammography units, but he does inspect X-Ray rooms, including the X-Ray tube and the detector.
Looking to the Future
Kalven's eventual goal is to get more into the radiation therapy side of Medical Physics. He plans on earning his PhD, and then completing a Medical Physics Certification program. This would allow him to test more advanced modalities, such as MRI and CT machines. However, he would really like to have a job similar to Christina Barrow, another Medical Physicist profiled on our page of Master's Degrees and on the APS website.
Kalven says that a Master's degree (or higher) is very helpful to have in the field of Medical Physics, although it is still a very good career path with just a Bachelor's degree. In fact, his Physics Bachelor's degree has been a very valuable step in his career. "A degree in physics is more than just a piece of paper which states 'you are qualified for this job'," he says. "For me personally, the problem solving skills that I acquired throughout the process of obtaining my degree have helped me tremendously."
