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How Do I Become a Medical Dosimetrist?
There are two options for becoming a medical dosimetrist: 1) a formal educational program; or 2) completion of on-the-job training as a medical dosimetrist. Formal educational programs are listed on the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) website at www.jrcert.org. On-the-job training is a position offered within a radiation oncology department therefore requiring supervision by a certified medical physicist or certified medical dosimetrist. To acquire on-the-job training, one is usually a Radiation Therapist first. This requires attending a formal radiation therapy educational program. These programs may also be found on the JRCERT website.
To enroll in a formal educational program:
- Most programs require the applicant to be a registered radiation therapist or an individual with a baccalaureate degree with physical science pre-requisites.
- Courses such as biology, physics, calculus - trigonometry, chemistry, anatomy & physiology, computer science, medical terminology and general health care are examples of typical pre-requisites.
- The applicant will be required to interview with an admissions committee and is selected on a competitive basis
- Most programs require that a previous observation be completed in medical dosimetry to ensure the applicant knows what the profession is and if they truly want to do this.
A medical dosimetrist:
- will use their knowledge of physics, math, anatomy & physiology, and radiobiology to develop an optimal arrangement of radiation portals to spare normal tissues while applying a prescribed dose to the targeted disease volume.
- has the education and expertise necessary to generate radiation dose distributions and dose calculations.
- has knowledge of the overall equipment and treatment machines.
- has knowledge of radioactive isotopes and the application and procedures involved in using these sources.
- is a member of the radiation oncology team who works closely in collaboration with radiation therapists, medical physicists and radiation oncologist.
The skills needed to become a medical dosimetrist include, but are not limited to:
- An understanding of the technical aspects of radiation oncology and medical physics to meticulously derive computerized treatment plans, and then communicate these aspects to the radiation oncologist for approval and then to the radiation therapists for plan implementation
- Good oral and written communication skills
- Working knowledge of radiation safety and regulations
- Interpret and execute treatment plans as defined in relevant treatment protocols
- Good math and anatomy skills, while able to visualize the three-dimensional concepts needed for the planning process
- Experienced and confident with computer operations and functions
- Excellent analytical skills and an ability to critically evaluate data
The Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board (MDCB) sets the standards on eligibility for the certification board exam. The eligibility requirements are listed on their website at www.mdcb.org.
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