Medical Radiation Physics and HSC Maths (1 Viewer)

[Bricktop]

Hey hey, I'm doing my HSC this year and I think I'm going to drop Ext One Maths, it's pretty hard for me and I think I'd be better off putting all my effort into 2 unit. I know that in the recommended studies for B.MedRadPhysics is HSC Extension Maths, so this is the only thing keeping me with 3 unit for the moment. My question is: What are MedPhys people's opinons on this? What is the Maths subject like difficulty-wise, is the degree very Maths orientated?

Also, I may as well ask if people like the degree itself. I don't hate maths, but I don't exactly enjoy it, I'm more interested in the physics/chemistry bit. Would I be better off pursuing another degree?

Cheers to anyone who replies.

PS: I don't know if this is the right place for this but I figured since I'm looking at going to UOW it might be kinda relevant haha.

 

[Ninga]

The degree isn't that maths orientated. You will need to understand some mathmatical concepts to be able to do some of the proofs in later years. In first year you do the basic first year maths (Math187/188). If you put the work in you should be fine, though you'll probably have a harder time than most to get a good mark. I did 4 units of maths when i did the HSC, so I didn't really find first year maths too hard. You also have to do some 2nd year maths too, differential equations, multivariate calculus and linear algebra.

The degree is ok. Don't get sucked in by Anatoly telling you about how great it is, etc. He does anything and everything to get as many students as he can. Look at the degree and judge it on its merits. Its really a specialised physics degree, majoring in radiation physics.

There is no chemistry bit?

Would you be better off pursuing another degree? Yes, I want/need a better chance of getting a good job. Just kidding. Depends what you want to do and what you're into. If you're interested in nuclear medicine, radiation physics, and all that kind of crap, then its a good degree. If not, then do something else.

Good luck!

 

[acullen]

I'm doing Medical Radiation Physics and I only did 2 unit maths in high school. First year maths isn't too bad as long as you put in enough effort.

There are 2 entry options regarding mathematics. You can do MATH187/188, or if you feel your mathematical ability isn't too great, you can do MATH141/142. Apart from some minor differences in the course structure, both maths subjects are similar, however you are required to attain a credit in MATH142 as opposed to just a pass in MATH188. But all that can be explained to you in more detail by the academics at January Options day in '07.

In terms of failure rates regarding first year subjects, I'd be more worried about Systemic Anatomy than maths. Nerves, veins and arteries are not your friend when you have to identify them on a cadaver (they look fairly similar).

There are no core chemistry subjects in this course. You have 2 electives in first year, and one each in second and third year respectively. So it is up to you if you decide to pick up chemisty.

I don't hate maths, but I don't exactly enjoy it

I have the same philosophy today.

As was said, Anatoly likes to draw in as many students as he can. But the great thing about this degree is that if you decide you don't want to specialise in MedRadPhys, you can easily transfer to the more general B.Sc Physics as late as the end of second year without having to do any catch-up subjects or adding any extra UOW-time to your life.

 

[poloktim]

You could always do MATH141/142. Those subjects are the easy first year maths subjects. They're designed to provide more assistance to students and to go slowly with them.

I'm doing MATH141 now, the fundamentals section was a nice revision from HSC maths, since it's been a while since I've done the HSC, and other than that, it's my slowest moving subject. Easy and fun.

 

[dawso]

u may as well do math187/8....

im doin it atm and if we are the ones moving 'quickly' then i dont wanna know how slow the 141 people go...

we sit there with maz going slow as hell and everyone just chattin away during the revision of general maths and then jimmy comes in and reads from the textbook and asks antwan questions to which the answer is normally written on the board anyway.....oh the fun times

 

[chinesefireball]

hey - we are in the same class (that is 187/188)

I agree we are going quite slowly - my old maths teacher would have gone at twice the speed. But then if you only did general maths you probably would want to do 141..

But as the thread starter is doing 2U - its a bit up in the air...

 

[dawso]

hey - we are in the same class (that is 187/188)

I agree we are going quite slowly - my old maths teacher would have gone at twice the speed. But then if you only did general maths you probably would want to do 141..

But as the thread starter is doing 2U - its a bit up in the air...

w00t, that makes at least 5 bosers in our class that i now of.....

did u see the photo of jimmy with a mullet about 2 weeks ago? that was the combined conspiracy of about 3 bosers

 

[Bricktop]

Wow thanks peoples! So I'm assuming that as long as I don't be a total dipshit and I put some effort in, it's very possible to succeed with having only done Advanced Maths for the HSC.

Awesome.

 

[chinesefireball]

I did see that pic og jimmy - pitty he didn't get to be reminded of himself

Once major difference between 187 and 141 though - 141 are given formula sheets, 187 are not. But then I can't see the point of formula sheets at the moment - there weren't (as far as i can remember) formulas for matrices, and then there is differentiation, but it is easy enough to dervive those ones

 

[dawso]

I did see that pic og jimmy - pitty he didn't get to be reminded of himself

Once major difference between 187 and 141 though - 141 are given formula sheets, 187 are not. But then I can't see the point of formula sheets at the moment - there weren't (as far as i can remember) formulas for matrices, and then there is differentiation, but it is easy enough to dervive those ones

nah, he did see it...

maz turned off the projector but left the computer at the photo, it then went 2 sleep, when jimmy came in he moved the mouse, and up came his photo, u should have seen his face.....absolute gold!

 

[Jaydels]

w00t, that makes at least 5 bosers in our class that i now of.....

did u see the photo of jimmy with a mullet about 2 weeks ago? that was the combined conspiracy of about 3 bosers

Make that 6
haha that photo was good...I'm so glad we don't have him anymore

 

[dawso]

Make that 6
haha that photo was good...I'm so glad we don't have him anymore

in fact we have him again later apparently....he aint that bad guys....tis just fun to pay him out

i sit in the front row and do fuck all every lecture, he loves me...or not

 

[acullen]

When you do Methods of Integration you'll wish you had a formula sheet. That topic is the only one it would be nice to have one for, apart from that there is really no need for one.

 

[Antwan23q]

we sit there with maz going slow as hell and everyone just chattin away during the revision of general maths and then jimmy comes in and reads from the textbook and asks antwan questions to which the answer is normally written on the board anyway.....oh the fun times

God damnit it i hated it when he did that.

Yes it was dawso and I who passed that photo of jimmy around the class
and me writing
NICE MULLET! ASSHOLE!

i like the guy we have now. he is pretty funny. but god the topic is boring as shit

 

[dawso]

God damnit it i hated it when he did that.

Yes it was dawso and I who passed that photo of jimmy around the class
and me writing
NICE MULLET! ASSHOLE!

i like the guy we have now. he is pretty funny. but god the topic is boring as shit

what is the topic? i walked out of his first lecture when he said "in 30 years of teaching, ive never done this, but the topic im about to teach you is boring as hell and you will most probably fall asleep whilst doing it"

 

[Antwan23q]

god i dont know
vectors.

think about complex numbers
then take out the imaginary numbers
and there u have what we are doing now

 

[dawso]

in other words...engineering finally something in this maths course that allows me to build a bridge and get over it

 

[chinesefireball]

god i dont know
vectors.

think about complex numbers
then take out the imaginary numbers
and there u have what we are doing now

I think you are thinking of the polars we were doing with maureen - the vectors is more like normal graph stuff, but with an extra coordinate

Looking forward to integration though - none of it is new if you did 4u

 

[dawso]

I think you are thinking of the polars we were doing with maureen - the vectors is more like normal graph stuff, but with an extra coordinate

Looking forward to integration though - none of it is new if you did 4u

yeah but with no table of standard integrals.....man that thing was the bible for me during the hsc. couldnt hav lived without it, stuff having to remember shite

 

[Jaydels]

yeah but with no table of standard integrals.....man that thing was the bible for me during the hsc. couldnt hav lived without it, stuff having to remember shite

shouldn't be too bad...if you do a bit of work they're not too hard to remember