Senior medical physicist and owner, Modern Medical Physics
Radiation is part of everyday life, whether it’s an X-ray at a clinic or dental office, a body scan at the airport, or an MRI or CT scan at the hospital.
And while most people take these technologies for granted, radiation relies on precision, regulation, and safety. In this arena, Ohio Northern University alumna Angela Phares, BS ’08 is making an impact.
Angela is a nationally recognized, certified radiation expert and entrepreneur. She is the founder and owner of , a Cleveland-based consulting firm that serves medical and industrial clients across the country.
“Someone has to regulate the radiation equipment,” she explained, making sure the doses the machine puts out are accurate and match what the manufacturer recommends.
But her work goes beyond dose verification. She ensures equipment is operating properly, evaluates image quality, verifies compliance with state and federal safety standards, and confirms that facilities are adequately shielded.
“I want to make sure patients get the best quality picture possible while keeping the dose as low as possible,” she said.
Her work is vital, although it’s not commonplace.
“It’s not a career most people think of, but it never gets old. I love it.”
Finding her calling early
Angela’s path toward her specialty started in high school. Mathematics and science were her preferred subjects, and physics was her favorite science.
She grew up near Cleveland, and her high school guidance counselor suggested һƵ would be a good fit for her. After her first campus visit, Angela agreed.
“As soon as I stepped on campus, I just had this overwhelming feeling like this is home. This is where I’m going to be.”
Toward the end of her junior year at һƵ, she learned about medical physics from a previous graduate. After doing some research and job shadowing, Angela decided it was a good fit.
“I thought, ‘I’m going to give this a shot. It sounds really interesting,’” she recalled.
After earning her bachelor’s degree in physics from һƵ, she obtained her master’s degree in medical physics at Cleveland State University.
Launching her career
While Angela was in graduate school, a fortuitous event happened. Angela’s mom, who was a surgical tech, mentioned her daughter’s interest to a physicist who was working with the equipment at her hospital. He suggested that Angela call him. That connection resulted in an internship.
Angela worked for several companies before launching her own in 2021. Though she is based in Ohio, her work takes her to many different states, which she enjoys immensely.
“I get to travel all over the country,” she said. “I’ve been doing this now for almost 15 years so I’ve seen almost everything.”
Another favorite aspect of her job is educating people about how radiation works. Even those who work with it all the time don’t always understand the science behind it.
For example, she said, someone may worry because they left their lunch behind in an X-ray room. “They’ll say ‘it’s probably radioactive by now so I’ll have to throw it away.’”
Not so, explains Angela. X-rays work somewhat like a light switch, she explained. Either the radiation is on or off, and the radiation quickly dissipates once the X-ray is completed.
“I never laugh at those types of questions,” she said. The day-to-day education and helping other people understand how radiation works is very rewarding, she added.
While she enjoys the travel, it also presents logistical challenges. Emergencies happen. Recently, she had to hop on a plane to Minnesota on short notice to help a hospital get newly installed mammography equipment federally certified.
“They had new, state-of-the art equipment and couldn’t use it because they couldn’t find anyone to come test it.”
While accurate screening is vital in healthcare, Angela’s work is also important in high security fields. She often visits correctional facilities to test body scanners used to screen inmates for weapons or contraband.
“The goal is to make sure officers and inmates are safe,” she said.
Angela gives back to her alma mater by serving on the Alumni Advisory Board of the Getty College of Arts & Sciences. In her free time, she enjoys flower gardening, reading, quilting, cooking, and baking. When she’s on the road, she makes it a point to explore the local food and wine scene.
She encourages students to look at the medical physics field, especially if they’re open to travel. Her enthusiasm for her work has never diminished, she said. It continues to bring her joy while making a positive impact.