Radiation Oncology Team

Radiation Oncologists

Radiation oncologists are the doctors who will oversee your radiation therapy treatments. These physicians work with other members of the radiation therapy team to develop your treatment plan and ensure that each treatment is given accurately. Your radiation oncologist will also monitor your progress and adjust the treatment as necessary to make sure the radiation is hitting its target while minimizing side effects. Before, during and after your radiation therapy treatments, your radiation oncologists work closely with other cancer doctors, such as medical oncologists and surgeons, to maximize the radiation’s effectiveness.

Radiation oncologists have completed at least four years of college, four years of medical school, one year of general medical training, and four years of residency or specialty training in radiation oncology. They have extensive training in cancer medicine and the safe use of radiation to treat disease. If they pass a special examination, they are certified by the American Board of Radiology. You should ask if your doctor is board certified.

Radiation Oncology Nurses

Radiation oncology nurses work collaboratively with radiation oncologists and radiation therapists to care for you and your family at the time of consultation, while you are receiving treatment and during your follow-up care. They will explain the possible side effects you may experience and describe how you can manage them. They will assess how you are doing throughout treatment and will help you cope with the changes you may experience. They will also provide support and counseling to you and your family.

Radiation oncology nurses are licensed registered nurses or licensed practical nurses. Many registered nurses in radiation therapy have additional accreditation in the specialty of oncology nursing. Advance practice nurses, including clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners, have completed a mater’s degree program.

Radiation Therapists

Radiation therapists work with radiation oncologists to administer the daily radiation treatment under the doctor’s prescription and supervision. They maintain daily records and regularly check the treatment machines to make sure they are working properly.

Radiation therapists go through a two-to-four year educational program following high school or college. They take a special examination and may be certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. In addition, many states require radiation therapists to be licensed.

Dosimetrists

Dosimetrists carefully calculate the dose of radiation to make sure the tumor gets enough radiation. Using computers, they develop a number of treatment plans that can best destroy the tumor while sparing normal tissue. Since treatment plans are often very complex, dosimetrists work with the radiation oncologist and the medical physicist to choose the treatment plan that is right for you.

Many dosimetrists start as radiation therapists and then, with very intensive training, become dosimetrists. Others are graduates of one-to-two year dosimetry programs. They are certified by the Medical Dosimetry programs.

Medical Physicists

Qualified medical physicists work directly with the radiation oncologist during treatment planning and delivery. They oversee the work of the dosimetrist, and help ensure that complex treatments are properly tailored for each patient. Medical physicists are responsible for developing and directing quality control programs for equipment and procedures. Their responsibility also includes making sure the equipment works properly by taking precise measurements of the radiation beam and performing other safety tests on a regular basis.

Qualified medial physicists have doctorates or mater’s degrees. They have completed at least four years of college, and then generally two-to-four years of graduate school. They also typically have one-to-two years of clinical physics training. Medical physicists are certified by the American Board of Radiology or the American Board of Medical Physics.