A medical dosimetrist is responsible for understanding the characteristics and operation of radiation oncology treatments and has expertise in calculating the appropriate radiation dosage. The education and training needed to become a dosimetrist is summarized here.
What is a Medical Dosimetrist?
Medical dosimetrists are integral members of radiation oncology treatment teams. They use the prescriptions of radiation oncologists to determine, either manually or using computer software, the most effective radiation therapy plans for cancer patients including dose distributions. Once a treatment program has been selected, dosimetrists will often assist radiation therapists with its implementation. Dosimetrists can also help develop improved process quality procedures, conduct clinical research in an academic role plus teach medical dosimetry to radiation oncology residents and radiation therapy and medical dosimetry students.
The following table provides further information about a career as a medical dosimetrist:
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Required</b> </td><td> Graduate certificate or master's degree</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Education Field</b> </td><td> Medical dosimetry</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Key Responsibilities</b></td><td> Produce radiation therapy plans based on oncologist's prescriptions; generate calculations and computer simulations to ensure effective and safe delivery; assist radiation therapists with treatment implementation; clinical research and teaching (optional)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Optional Licensure</b> </td><td> Certification from the Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board (MDCB)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Growth (2020-2030)</b></td><td> 9%* (<i>for all radiation therapists</i>)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b> Median Salary (2020)</b> </td><td> $86,850 (<i>for allradiation therapists</i>)*, $123,732 (<i>radiation therapy dosimetrist</i>) (2021)**</td></tr>
</table><p><i>*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>, <i>**Salary.com</i>
</p><h2 id="section---HowToBecomeAMedicalDosimetristIn5Steps">How to Become a Medical Dosimetrist in 5 Steps</h2><h3 id="section---Step1EarnAHighSchoolDiploma">Step 1: Earn a High School Diploma</h3><p>Aspiring medical dosimetrists will first need to get a <b>high school diploma</b> or <b>GED</b> to be able to enroll in a higher education program. If offered by your school, it would a great idea to take a vocational course in nursing to get some foundational knowledge of patient care. Math, biology and physics courses will prove to be very useful as well.
</p><h3 id="section---Step2GetABachelorSDegree">Step 2: Get a Bachelor's Degree</h3><p>Budding medical dosimetrists will next need to earn a bachelor's degree. Colleges do not offer a specific dosimetry degree but completing a degree program in one of the sciences is an ideal foundation for a dosimetry career. For example, a <b>physics</b> degree will cover material on electro-magnetism, radioactive decay and fundamental particles. Alternatively, <b>biology</b> programs will educate students on human anatomy, cell structure and physiology, and molecular biology.
</p><h3 id="section---Step3CompleteAMedicalDosimetryCertificateProgram">Step 3: Complete a Medical Dosimetry Certificate Program</h3><p>Once an appropriate bachelor's degree has been obtained, the completion of a <b>medical dosimetry training program</b> represents the next step on the dosimetry career pathway. The training program should be accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology.
</p><p>The training program courses should address the following subjects:
</p><ul><li>Radiation and cancer biology
</li><li>Clinical radiation oncology
</li><li>Brachytherapy dosimetry
</li><li><a href="https://learn.org/articles/Where_Can_I_Find_an_Anatomy_and_Physiology_Course_Online.html">Human anatomy</a>
</li></ul><p>There should also be supervised clinical practicums to enable candidates to get hands-on experience with patients in a real radiology oncology department.
</p><h3 id="section---Step4ObtainCertification">Step 4: Obtain Certification</h3><p>All candidates must graduate from a formal dosimetry program to be able to take board exams given by the <b>Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board</b>. Many employers now require candidates to be certified. The Board exam consists of 155 multiple-choice questions which candidates have 3 hours and 50 minutes to answer. Results are made available approximately 6 weeks after taking the exam.
</p><h3 id="section---Step5GetAJob">Step 5: Get a Job</h3><p>While the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not publish specific salary data for medical dosimetrists, it does state that the median salary for radiation therapists (which is a related field) as of May 2020 was <b>$86,850</b>. In December 2021, the site salary.com published some further information regarding a medical dosimetrist salary. They suggested radiation therapy dosimetrists earned an average salary of <b>$123,732</b>.
</p><p>The BLS projects that job growth amongst radiation therapists between 2020 and 2030 will be <b>9%</b>. This growth will likely be fueled by an aging population and the increased sophistication of cancer detection methods and technology.</p>
