A medical dosimetrist creates radiation treatment plans, calculates dosages, and operates radiation equipment for cancer patients. They work closely with the radiation oncology team and require knowledge of physics, mathematics, anatomy, and radiobiology. Certification is not required in the US, but proposed legislation may change this. In some countries, the roles of dosimetrist and radiation therapist are interchangeable.
A medical dosimetrist is an allied healthcare professional who creates radiation treatment plans, calculates dosages for medical radiation, and operates radiation equipment. An allied health professional is one who works in the medical field but does not have a medical license. Still, these positions are essential to keeping a health care system running smoothly. Other allied health careers include midwifery, optometry, and clinical psychology.
After a cancer patient is prescribed radiation, they then turn to a medical dosimetrist. Based on the prescription, the dosimetrist designs a course of treatment using computerized or manual calculations. Radiotherapy has serious side effects in humans, including loss of essential organ function and death. The dosimetrist must balance delivering the correct prescription and limiting negative side effects on the patient.
A dosimetrist works closely with the other members of the radiation oncology team, including the radiation oncologist, the medical doctor, and the radiation therapist. For example, the dosimetrist can develop the computerized plans with the help of the medical physicist. Then she can have those plans approved by the radiation oncologist. She may eventually supervise a radiation therapist or technician to see that the plans are implemented.
Dosimetrists must have knowledge and understanding of physics and mathematics, as well as anatomy and physiology. They must also understand radiobiology and the psychology of cancer. Even if they are not the ones operating the radiation treatment machines, they must have advanced knowledge of radiation equipment and be able to troubleshoot problems. Good communication and analytical skills are also important for the dosimetrist.
The requirements to become a medical dosimetrist are different in each country. In the United States, the most common route is to obtain a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Medical Dosimetry. Another way is to earn a bachelor’s degree in medical radiation science and become licensed as a radiation therapist. The therapist will then work in that field, being trained by a medical dosimetrist until they have gained enough work experience to qualify for the position. The process for joining formal and informal training programs is very competitive.
Only those who wish to be certified need to take and pass the Certified Medical Dosimetrist (CMD) exam, awarded by the Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board. A dosimetrist does not need to be certified to legally practice in the United States. There are some cancer treatment centers that require an employment certification. Proposed future legislation may change certification laws for this field.
Note that in some countries, a medical dosimetrist and a radiation therapist are interchangeable positions. In the United States, the dosimetrist generally has more education and hands-on training. Although the duties of these professions often overlap, in larger institutions, one dosimetrist may be responsible for training and supervising multiple radiation therapists working with large numbers of patients. In smaller institutions, there may be only one or two dosimetrists and no radiotherapists working with patients.
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