How competitive is the medical physics STP?
In England’s 2025 recruitment round, there were 386 applications for 29 posts listed as “Medical Physics – non defined”: about 13 applications per place. The figures below show the different specialties in that round.
Applications per place in 2025
These are the NSHCS figures for direct-entry posts in England. The specialty names match its published table.
| Published specialty | Applications | Direct-entry posts | Applications per post |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Physics – non defined | 386 | 29 | 13.3 |
| Imaging with Non-Ionising Radiation | 44 | 7 | 6.2 |
| Nuclear Medicine | 84 | 10 | 8.4 |
| Radiation Safety and Diagnostic Radiology | 68 | 11 | 6.1 |
| Radiotherapy Physics | 135 | 21 | 6.4 |
What do the ratios tell you?
A competition ratio is the number of applications divided by the number of places. It gives you a sense of demand, but not your own chance of getting an offer. The number of places, applicants and eligible applications can change each year.
Choosing a specialty
Start with the work you would like to do and the skills you can bring. A small difference in last year’s ratio is less useful than understanding which specialism suits your interests.
Some Medical Physics posts are listed as undefined. Check the employer’s information to understand when and how a specialism is allocated.
Clinical Scientific Computing
The 2025 table also recorded 92 applications for nine Clinical Scientific Computing posts, a ratio of 10.2. This is a separate Physical Sciences specialty that may interest you if you enjoy software, data and modelling.
Prepare for your application
Collect examples that show how you meet the skills and qualities in the person specification.
Sources
Guidance checked: 18 August 2026