Medical Dosimetrists
The occupation Medical Dosimetrists covers people who generate radiation treatment plans, develop radiation dose calculations, communicate and supervise the treatment plan implementation, and consult with members of radiation oncology team. O*NET rates it as considerable preparation, which usually means a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience. It leans on critical thinking, reading comprehension, and active listening. You may also need to design the arrangement of radiation fields to reduce exposure to critical patient structures, such as organs, using computers, manuals, and guides. The strongest interest signal is Investigative (5.3 of 7), then Conventional (5.0) and Realistic, which gives it the code ICR. It tends to suit people who want research, analysis and working through hard problems, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.
What they do
Generate radiation treatment plans, develop radiation dose calculations, communicate and supervise the treatment plan implementation, and consult with members of radiation oncology team.
Main tasks
- Design the arrangement of radiation fields to reduce exposure to critical patient structures, such as organs, using computers, manuals, and guides.
- Plan the use of beam modifying devices, such as compensators, shields, and wedge filters, to ensure safe and effective delivery of radiation treatment.
- Identify and outline bodily structures, using imaging procedures, such as x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography.
- Calculate the delivery of radiation treatment, such as the amount or extent of radiation per session, based on the prescribed course of radiation therapy.
- Calculate, or verify calculations of, prescribed radiation doses.
- Develop radiation treatment plans in consultation with members of the radiation oncology team.
Skills
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Judgment and Decision Making
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
- You are comfortable relying on critical thinking and reading comprehension.
May not suit you if
- You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.3 out of 7 here.
- You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ICR takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.
Preparation
Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- CMD (Certified Medical Dosimetrist)
- Dosimetrist
- Medical Dosimetrist
- Medical Physicist
- Radiation Oncology Medical Physicist
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.