Diagnostic Medical Physicist-SOM-M89935Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU's sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer. The Division of Diagnostic Medical Physics in the Department of Radiology at VCU Health is seeking a clinically oriented Diagnostic Medical Physicist to join our team of medical physicists. The candidate will provide comprehensive imaging physics support across VCU Health's hospitals and outpatient sites and contribute to our clinical, educational, and quality/safety missions. The position includes responsibilities in diagnostic imaging physics as well as support of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging services, including Y-90 radioembolization and other potential theranostic programs.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Provide medical physics support for all major imaging modalities, including: General radiography, fluoroscopy, interventional radiology, and mobile C-arms, CT, Mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), MRI, and ultrasound. Serve as the primary medical physics support for the Y-90 radioembolization program, including treatment planning support, dose verification activities, regulatory compliance, multidisciplinary coordination, and procedural coverage in collaboration with Interventional Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, and Radiation Safety personnel. Perform acceptance testing, commissioning, and periodic performance evaluations of diagnostic imaging equipment in accordance with state and federal regulations, ACR/MQSA/TJC requirements, and institutional policies. Develop, implement, and maintain quality assurance programs for imaging systems, including oversight of technologist-performed QC and use of enterprise QC management tools. Support and advise clinical staff on radiation safety, imaging protocols, CT dose optimization and tracking, fluoroscopic dose management, and MRI safety. Perform shielding design and evaluation for new or renovated imaging suites and verify compliance with applicable national standards and Virginia regulations. Prepare and maintain documentation to demonstrate compliance with: The Joint Commission (TJC), ACR accreditation programs (CT, mammography, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine/PET, as applicable), FDA, MQSA, and state (VDH) regulatory requirements.
Education/Training:
Participate in the didactic and clinical education of Diagnostic radiology residents, Graduate students in the CAMPEP-accredited Medical Physics program, Medical physics residents (as applicable), Technologists and other clinical staff (e.g., modality-specific QC, dose optimization, and radiation safety in imaging). Contribute to curriculum development and formal course teaching in diagnostic medical physics as appropriate. Participate in the education and training of physicians, residents, technologists, nurses, and other clinical staff involved in nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and theranostic procedures. Research/Scholarly Activity: Collaborate with radiology, medical physics, and other departments on clinically focused imaging and radiation safety research projects, quality improvement initiatives, and protocol optimization studies. Mentor residents, fellows, and graduate students in scholarly projects when feasible. While this is a primarily clinical position, opportunities exist to participate in funded or unfunded research consistent with departmental priorities and candidate interest. Service: Participate in departmental, School of Medicine, and health-system committees related to imaging quality, radiation safety, and accreditation. Contribute to professional organizations and continuing education activities as appropriate.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
Master's degree (M.S.) in Medical Physics, Radiological Physics, or a closely related discipline. Board certification in Diagnostic Radiological Physics / Diagnostic Medical Physics by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) or equivalent upon hire, or board eligible with the expectation of achieving certification within 2 years of hire. Demonstrated clinical experience in diagnostic medical / imaging physics in a hospital or health-system environment, including routine QA, acceptance testing, and regulatory/accreditation support. Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.Eligibility for permanent employment in the United States.
Preferred Qualifications:
Ph.D. or D.Sc. in Medical Physics or related field.
ABR certification in Nuclear Medical Physics or equivalent (strong plus, but not required).MQSA-qualified medical physicist with experience in mammography and DBT clinical programs.
Experience with ACR accreditation processes for CT, mammography, MRI, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine, and familiarity with state and federal regulatory requirements for diagnostic imaging equipment.
Experience with enterprise radiation dose monitoring, CT protocol management, and radiation safety program support.
Operational knowledge and experience supporting nuclear medicine and hybrid imaging systems, including PET/CT and SPECT/CT, with the ability to provide coverage flexibility and collaborate in performance evaluations and surveys of these systems.
Experience with radioactive materials programs, radiation safety principles, or theranostic procedures sufficient to support clinical nuclear medicine operations.
Programming and data-analysis skills (i.e., MATLAB, Python, or similar) for protocol optimization, dose tracking, and image quality assessment.
Prior academic teaching experience with radiology residents, medical physics trainees, or technologist programs.
Salary Range:
CommensurateFLSA Exemption Status: ExemptORP Eligible: NoRank: OpenTenure: Ineligible
Months: 12 months
Contact Information:
Contact Name: Ryan Wargo Contact Email: richard.wargo@vcuhealth.orgEach agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia is dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and maintaining a competent and diverse work force. Equal Opportunity Employer
