- Overview: The Part II Blueprint
- The "Big Five" 15% Domains
- Domain 3: Standards and Regulations
- Domain 4: Structural Shielding
- Domain 5: Radiation Oncology
- Domain 6: Diagnostic Imaging
- Domain 7: Nuclear Medicine
- The Supporting Domains (Instrumentation, Lab Design, Rad Bio, Non-ionizing)
- How Domains Show Up in Question Format
- Sequencing Your Study by Domain Weight
- FAQ
- Five domains - Standards and Regulations, Structural Shielding, Radiation Oncology, Diagnostic Imaging, and Nuclear Medicine - each carry 15%, totaling 75% of...
- The remaining four domains (Instrumentation, Laboratory Design, Radiation Biology, Non-ionizing Radiation) split the last 25% of scored content.
- Part II is a four-hour ExamSoft exam using single-answer, matching, choose-all-that-apply, and shared-stem Type S questions.
- The current blueprint is published in the ABMP information booklet revised May 2025 - always confirm you're studying the current version.
Overview: The Part II Blueprint
If you're preparing for Certification in Medical Health Physics through the American Board of Medical Physics (ABMP), the single most important document you'll reference isn't a textbook - it's the online content blueprint. That blueprint breaks the Part II Medical Health Physics specialty examination into nine weighted content areas, and understanding exactly how those weights are distributed should shape every hour you spend preparing.
This guide walks through all nine domains in the order that matters most for study planning: the five domains that dominate the exam, followed by the four supporting domains that round out the remaining quarter of questions. For a broader look at how to structure your overall preparation timeline, see the MHP Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. If you haven't yet confirmed you meet the prerequisites to sit for Part II, review MHP Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify before diving into domain-level study.
The "Big Five" 15% Domains
Five of the nine domains are weighted identically at 15% each, and together they account for 75% of the entire Part II exam. These are:
- Standards and Regulations - 15%
- Structural Shielding - 15%
- Radiation Oncology - 15%
- Diagnostic Imaging - 15%
- Nuclear Medicine (molecular imaging) - 15%
This is the defining structural fact of the Part II blueprint: three-quarters of your score depends on mastering these five clinical and regulatory areas equally. There is no single "hardest" or "most tested" domain among them - they are deliberately balanced. That has a direct implication for study time: if you allocate disproportionate hours to one of the Big Five at the expense of another, you're leaving points on the table in an area weighted exactly the same.
Key Takeaway
Because the Big Five domains are equally weighted, resist the urge to over-prepare in your strongest clinical area (say, Diagnostic Imaging if that's your daily job) while under-preparing in a domain outside your usual practice setting, like Radiation Oncology or Nuclear Medicine.
Domain 3: Standards and Regulations
Standards and Regulations (15%)
This domain tests your command of the regulatory framework that governs medical health physics practice - the rules, agency structures, and compliance obligations that apply across clinical radiation settings.
- Regulatory agency roles and jurisdiction in medical radiation oversight
- Licensing, reporting, and recordkeeping obligations for medical physics programs
- Radiation safety program requirements and administrative controls
- Applicable dose limits and occupational exposure standards
Candidates sometimes underestimate this domain because it feels less "technical" than shielding calculations or dosimetry. But at 15% of the exam, it carries the same weight as Radiation Oncology or Diagnostic Imaging, and questions here often hinge on precise regulatory language rather than calculation, which means memorization strategy matters as much as conceptual understanding.
Domain 4: Structural Shielding
Structural Shielding (15%)
This domain covers the physics and calculations behind designing adequate shielding for rooms housing radiation-producing equipment and sources.
- Barrier calculations for primary and secondary radiation
- Workload, use factor, and occupancy factor considerations
- Shielding material selection and thickness determination
- Application of shielding principles across different modality rooms
Structural Shielding tends to be one of the more calculation-heavy domains on Part II. Candidates coming from a strong diagnostic imaging or radiation oncology physics background often find the underlying math familiar, but the exam expects you to apply shielding logic across multiple equipment types and room configurations, not just the one you work with daily.
Domain 5: Radiation Oncology
Radiation Oncology (15%)
This domain assesses knowledge relevant to the physics, equipment, and safety considerations specific to therapeutic radiation delivery.
- Treatment planning and delivery physics fundamentals
- Equipment quality assurance relevant to therapy units
- Radiation safety considerations unique to oncology settings
- Dose calculation principles as they apply to therapeutic contexts
Because Radiation Oncology sits alongside Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine at equal weight, candidates whose clinical background is concentrated in only one of these three modality-specific domains need a deliberate plan to build competency in the other two. This is one of the most common gaps flagged in discussions of How Hard Is the MHP Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 - breadth across modalities, not just depth in one.
Domain 6: Diagnostic Imaging
Diagnostic Imaging (15%)
This domain covers the physics, quality control, and safety principles underlying diagnostic radiographic and fluoroscopic imaging.
- Image quality factors and their relationship to dose
- Equipment performance evaluation and quality control testing
- Patient and staff radiation protection in imaging settings
- Technology-specific considerations across imaging modalities
Diagnostic Imaging questions on Part II often blend technical physics with practical safety judgment - expect scenario-based items that ask you to evaluate a described imaging setup or QC finding rather than simply recall a formula.
Domain 7: Nuclear Medicine (Molecular Imaging)
Nuclear Medicine / Molecular Imaging (15%)
This domain addresses the physics, radiopharmaceutical handling, and safety practices associated with nuclear medicine and molecular imaging procedures.
- Radiopharmaceutical handling, administration, and safety protocols
- Detector and imaging system physics specific to nuclear medicine
- Radiation safety and contamination control in molecular imaging environments
- Regulatory and dosimetric considerations unique to unsealed sources
This domain rounds out the Big Five and completes the 75% core of the exam. Candidates who work primarily in academic or research settings, rather than daily clinical nuclear medicine, often need extra deliberate review here since it's frequently the least "hands-on" of the three modality domains for non-clinical physicists.
The Supporting Domains: Instrumentation, Laboratory Design, Radiation Biology, and Non-ionizing Radiation
The remaining 25% of the blueprint is split across four domains, unevenly weighted between them.
Domain 1: Instrumentation (10%)
Covers detection and measurement instrumentation used across medical health physics practice.
- Detector types and their appropriate clinical applications
- Calibration principles and measurement accuracy considerations
- Instrument selection for specific monitoring or survey tasks
Domain 2: Laboratory Design (5%)
Focuses on the layout and safety design considerations for laboratories handling radioactive materials.
- Ventilation, containment, and workflow design principles
- Safety infrastructure for handling unsealed radioactive sources
Domain 8: Radiation Biology (5%)
Covers the biological effects of ionizing radiation exposure relevant to clinical practice.
- Deterministic versus stochastic effects
- Dose-response relationships and biological mechanisms of radiation damage
Domain 9: Non-ionizing Radiation (5%)
Addresses safety and physics principles for non-ionizing sources encountered in medical settings, such as those used in certain imaging or therapeutic technologies.
- Non-ionizing radiation safety principles
- Applicable exposure guidelines and protective measures
Instrumentation, at 10%, deserves more attention than the three 5% domains individually - it's worth roughly double the study time of Laboratory Design, Radiation Biology, or Non-ionizing Radiation on a pure weight basis. But don't dismiss the three smaller domains entirely: combined, they still represent 15% of the exam, equal to any single Big Five domain.
| Domain | Weight | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Standards and Regulations | 15% | Core (Big Five) |
| Structural Shielding | 15% | Core (Big Five) |
| Radiation Oncology | 15% | Core (Big Five) |
| Diagnostic Imaging | 15% | Core (Big Five) |
| Nuclear Medicine (molecular imaging) | 15% | Core (Big Five) |
| Instrumentation | 10% | Supporting |
| Laboratory Design | 5% | Supporting |
| Radiation Biology | 5% | Supporting |
| Non-ionizing Radiation | 5% | Supporting |
How Domains Show Up in Question Format
Understanding domain weight is only half the picture - you also need to know how ABMP tests these domains structurally. The Part II exam is delivered over four hours through ExamSoft, administered on your own compatible computer at a designated testing venue, and uses several distinct question formats:
- Single-answer multiple choice - the most common format, testing direct recall or single-step application across any domain
- Matching - often used within domains like Standards and Regulations or Instrumentation, where terms, agencies, or equipment types must be paired with definitions or functions
- Choose-all-that-apply - frequently seen in safety and regulatory contexts where multiple correct actions or conditions exist
- Shared-stem Type S questions - a scenario or case description followed by multiple related questions, common in the clinical modality domains (Radiation Oncology, Diagnostic Imaging, Nuclear Medicine) where a single clinical scenario can test shielding, safety, and equipment knowledge together
This mixed format means domain preparation isn't just about knowing facts - it's about being able to apply that knowledge across different question structures. A shared-stem scenario in Nuclear Medicine, for example, might weave in elements of Standards and Regulations or Instrumentation within the same case. For a deeper breakdown of exactly what score you need across these formats, see MHP Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass, and for a full analysis of exam difficulty by format and domain, see How Hard Is the MHP Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Key Takeaway
Nonprogrammable scientific calculators and supplied scratch paper are permitted during Part II. Practice calculation-heavy domains like Structural Shielding and Instrumentation using only the calculator type you'll actually have on exam day.
Sequencing Your Study by Domain Weight
Rather than studying domains in blueprint order, most successful candidates sequence their review by weight and personal familiarity - tackling unfamiliar Big Five domains earliest, when there's the most runway to close gaps.
Weakest Big Five Domain First
- Identify which of Standards and Regulations, Structural Shielding, Radiation Oncology, Diagnostic Imaging, or Nuclear Medicine is least familiar from daily practice
- Build foundational notes and work through practice questions in that domain specifically
Remaining Big Five Domains
- Rotate through the other four 15%-weighted domains, spending roughly equal time on each
- Use shared-stem practice scenarios to connect modality knowledge with shielding and regulatory content
Instrumentation Deep Dive
- Dedicate focused time to Instrumentation given its 10% weight - heavier than any of the remaining domains individually
The Three 5% Domains
- Cover Laboratory Design, Radiation Biology, and Non-ionizing Radiation together in a single focused block
- Run full-length timed practice sessions mimicking the four-hour format
This sequencing approach - front-loading unfamiliar high-weight content and consolidating low-weight domains near the end - is one piece of a broader preparation strategy covered in the MHP Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. It's worth pairing domain-based review with realistic practice questions well before exam day; the practice test platform can help you gauge domain-by-domain readiness rather than just overall confidence.
Once you've registered, don't lose sight of scheduling logistics alongside content prep - testing windows and deadlines are covered separately in MHP Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling. And if you're weighing whether the investment of time and fees is worthwhile relative to career outcomes, Is the MHP Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and MHP Jobs offer more context on how the credential is used by employers.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are nine weighted domains: Instrumentation, Laboratory Design, Standards and Regulations, Structural Shielding, Radiation Oncology, Diagnostic Imaging, Nuclear Medicine (molecular imaging), Radiation Biology, and Non-ionizing Radiation.
Standards and Regulations, Structural Shielding, Radiation Oncology, Diagnostic Imaging, and Nuclear Medicine each carry 15%, together making up 75% of the Part II blueprint.
Instrumentation is weighted at 10%, making it the largest domain outside the five 15%-weighted core areas, and larger than Laboratory Design, Radiation Biology, or Non-ionizing Radiation individually.
ABMP publishes the online blueprint alongside its information booklet, with the current version revised May 2025. Always confirm domain weights directly from ABMP's official test information pages before finalizing your study plan.
Yes. The exam uses single-answer multiple choice, matching, choose-all-that-apply, and shared-stem Type S questions, with shared-stem scenarios especially common in the clinical modality domains like Radiation Oncology, Diagnostic Imaging, and Nuclear Medicine.