Among its main commitments, the Bologna Process dictates the establishment in all European countries of a level of postgraduate studies with coordinated courses that lead to the achievement of a Master’s or Doctoral Degree. These studies are designed to provide students with advanced and specialised training in a specific scientific, technical or artistic field while simultaneous promoting research training. Collaboration among university departments and with other universities, both Spanish and international, is highly encouraged as it enables the establishment of joint postgraduate programmes to earn a single or double master’s or doctoral degree.

In Spain, as in the rest of Europe, the applications of physics in health sciences is becoming increasingly important, both in the basic functioning of living organisms and in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. In fact, physicists are in growing demand in health-related fields, such as related industry, electromedical, radiodiagnostic and radiotherapeutic services in hospitals, and in health administration itself.

Medical physics is concerned with providing the scientific basis for the use of new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies (conventional, computerised and digital radiology, magnetic resonance, tomography, particle accelerators, etc.), establishing criteria for correct use of physical agents used in medicine (ionising radiation, microwaves, lasers, etc.) and for the pradiological protection of workers and patients, participating in the design of auxiliary instruments and establishing standards for the measurement of many biological variables.

Fortunately, the use of the most advanced diagnostic techniques and therapies in the health field is widespread in the healthcare system. Almost without exception, the development of these techniques is linked to physics. In every hospital in Spain there are radiophysicists working with the most cutting-edge equipment to ensure its condition and functionality. Physicists specialised in medical physics are also needed in marketing companies and in all areas that in one way or another relate to the use of physics in medicine.

With regard to the European Union's initiatives pertaining to the Master's in Medical Physics, it can be observed that the process of study convergence is occurring to a greater or lesser extent in various countries, notably the Scandinavian countries, the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands.

Spain is one of the few European countries that lacks formal education in this discipline. Currently, training is conducted within the industry itself, within hospitals, or in university departments. However, these activities are conducted in a highly isolated manner, as there are only a limited number of university research groups that focus on this area.

Physicists in hospitals assist in specific tasks such as the planning of radiation treatments, the management of radiography equipment, the design and control of radiological facilities, the supervision of personnel and areas exposed to radiation, and so forth. These tasks are governed by Royal Decree 220/1997 of 14 February, which establishes the criteria for obtaining the qualification of Specialist in Hospital Radiophysics and regulates the awarding of this title. This qualification, which is required for employment in hospitals, is obtained exclusively after passing a national examination administered by the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs. The examination selects applicants who have graduated in Physics or other higher degrees in scientific and technological disciplines of a training period of three consecutive years in the teaching units accredited for the training of Hospital Radiophysics Specialists.

Please note that the Master’s Degree in Medical Physics does not qualify students for the title of Specialist in Hospital Radiophysics. This can only be obtained as indicated above. The programme is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in the physical and technological aspects of Medical Physics, which will serve as a basis for further study in this field. Our students receive training in the physics of radiation (ionising and non-ionising) in its application to medicine. This enables graduates with different backgrounds to be well-placed to pass the national entrance exam for specialist training or to enter the fields of research or industry associated with Medical Physics.