Balancing work and family in medical physics

Level Up Your Career: How to Thrive as a Medical Physicist

Lena Kashyap in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Uncover the hidden challenges and surprising solutions for achieving work-life balance and career success in medical physics."

The field of medical physics, like many STEM areas, faces ongoing challenges in achieving gender equity and supporting work-life balance for all professionals. While progress has been made in increasing the representation of women, significant hurdles remain, particularly in senior roles and in balancing career demands with family responsibilities. The Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) conducted a workforce survey to investigate these issues and identify potential solutions.

This article delves into the qualitative findings of the ACPSEM survey, exploring the aspirations, motivations, and workplace experiences of both female and male members. We'll uncover key themes related to role models, work satisfaction, career progression, and the impact of organizational factors, offering a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the field.

Whether you're a seasoned medical physicist, a student considering this career path, or an employer seeking to create a more supportive environment, this article provides valuable insights and actionable strategies to foster a more equitable and thriving profession for everyone.

Breaking Barriers: Key Challenges & Solutions for Medical Physicists

Balancing work and family in medical physics

The ACPSEM survey revealed several interconnected challenges that impact the work-life balance and career progression of medical physicists, particularly women. These include:

To address these challenges and create a more equitable and supportive environment, the survey participants suggested several key strategies:

Finding & Cultivating Role Models: Seek out and connect with professionals who successfully balance their careers with personal lives. Mentorship can provide invaluable guidance and support.
Improving Management Skills: Encourage training for managers and administrators to develop skills in workload management, resource allocation, and flexible work arrangements.
Advocating for Change: Support initiatives that promote work-life balance, gender equity, and flexible career paths within the medical physics profession.
Promoting Flexible Work Arrangements: Implement policies that support part-time work, telecommuting, and flexible schedules to accommodate diverse needs and responsibilities.

By addressing these challenges and implementing these strategies, the medical physics profession can create a more inclusive and supportive environment that allows all individuals to thrive, regardless of gender or family responsibilities.

Empowering the Future of Medical Physics

The findings of the ACPSEM workforce survey highlight the need for ongoing efforts to address gender inequities and promote work-life balance within the medical physics profession. By implementing the strategies outlined in this article, we can create a more supportive and inclusive environment that empowers all individuals to reach their full potential.

It's essential for professional organizations, employers, and individual practitioners to actively champion these changes and create a culture that values both professional excellence and personal well-being. This commitment will not only benefit current medical physicists but also attract and retain future talent, ensuring a vibrant and thriving profession for years to come.

Ultimately, the success of medical physics depends on creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to contribute their unique skills and perspectives. By working together, we can build a more equitable and fulfilling profession for all.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1007/s13246-018-0706-z, Alternate LINK

Title: Women And Men In The Australasian College Of Physical Scientists And Engineers In Medicine: Workforce Survey

Subject: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging

Journal: Australasian Physical & Engineering Sciences in Medicine

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Eva Bezak, Roksolana Suchowerska, Elizabeth Claridge Mackonis, Heath Pillen, Anna Ralston, Annette Haworth, Natalka Suchowerska

Published: 2018-11-02

Everything You Need To Know

What key findings came from the ACPSEM survey regarding medical physics?

The Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) survey investigated the challenges within medical physics. It examined aspirations, motivations, and workplace experiences of members, uncovering key themes. These included role models, work satisfaction, career progression, and the impact of organizational factors. The survey aimed to understand the hurdles faced by medical physicists, particularly in achieving gender equity and work-life balance, offering insights into creating a more thriving profession.

Why are role models so important in medical physics?

The lack of role models, in the context of medical physics, particularly impacts career progression and work-life balance, especially for women. Role models provide guidance and support, demonstrating how to successfully navigate career demands and personal responsibilities. Finding and cultivating role models can provide invaluable support. They offer insights and strategies for managing the unique challenges within the field, such as workload management and advocating for change. The presence of role models can significantly improve work satisfaction and career progression.

What do flexible work arrangements look like and why are they important in medical physics?

Flexible work arrangements in medical physics involve policies that support part-time work, telecommuting, and flexible schedules. These arrangements are important to accommodate diverse needs and responsibilities, such as family obligations. The implementation of flexible work arrangements is crucial for creating a more inclusive and supportive environment. This directly addresses challenges related to work-life balance and gender equity, allowing medical physicists to thrive regardless of their gender or family responsibilities. This requires training for managers and administrators to develop skills in workload management and resource allocation.

What is work-life balance and why is it important in medical physics?

Work-life balance in medical physics is a significant challenge. It involves managing the demands of a career while maintaining a fulfilling personal life. The ACPSEM survey revealed that many medical physicists, particularly women, struggle with this balance. The strategies outlined in this article, such as finding role models and advocating for change, are designed to address these challenges. Work-life balance is crucial for career progression and job satisfaction within the field.

What does advocating for change entail in the context of medical physics?

Advocating for change in medical physics involves supporting initiatives that promote work-life balance, gender equity, and flexible career paths. This includes speaking up about issues and supporting policies and initiatives. This can lead to a more equitable and supportive environment, fostering a more inclusive profession. It directly addresses the interconnected challenges identified in the ACPSEM survey, such as the lack of role models and the absence of flexible work arrangements. By advocating for change, medical physicists can help to create a workplace where everyone can reach their full potential.