Treatment of cancer takes many forms and radiation is one way. It is a treatment that involves the direction of a beam of radiation or radioactive seeds insertion near or inside cancerous tumors. As radiation therapy is carried out, it helps in shrinking a tumor significantly although it could end up damaging healthy organs and tissues. This is where a medical dosimetrist comes in to ensure the treatment through radiation ends up doing a lot of good with very little harm if any to the cancer patient.
Role[/b]
This is why a medical dosimetrist is one of the most important individuals within the oncology radiation team that is usually made up of radiation therapists, nurses, medical physicists and radiation oncologists, among others. After the prescription of radiation therapy to a patient, it is the medical dosimetrist who ascertains the best way of delivering the dose of radiation.
Through a 3D-computer model, the medical dosimetrist is able to first calculate exactly how and where the radiation will be distributed. To ensure the surrounding tissues are not damaged, the dosimetrist could decide to make the most of a device that modifies the beam towards better targeting with radiation. It is also important to indicate that specialized equipment might be needed to immobilize or cover certain body parts of the patient towards total protection against radiation exposure.
Computer simulations [/b]
Prior to the patient receiving the right treatment, the professional usually does a couple of computer simulations followed by the necessary adaptations to ascertain the plan is working as designed. After this is done, the medical dosimetrist will then keep on supervising the work of the radiation therapist as the treatment plan is implemented. It goes without saying that radiation treatment might need a single does or a couple of scheduled treatments for weeks or a number of days.
Apart from radiation treatment planning, the dosimetrist can help in calibrating the machinery of the radiation oncology and educate students in medical dosimetry as well as join research teams aiming at enhancing radiation therapies efficiency. A medical dosimetrist has to be good in communication and be able to listen carefully at first to radiation oncologists if a treatment plan is to be comprehended. The dosimetrist has to understand the treatment plan so that he or she can document it carefully to explain it to the one responsible for the implementation of the plan; radiation therapist.
Conditions at work [/b]
Since medical dosimetrist usually work in centers of cancer treatment and in hospitals, they mostly work about 40 hours every week. Computers are highly used by these professionals in design and testing treatments through radiation. They also take some amount of time to document treatment plans while doing consultation with physicians, oncology radiation team and patients. It is also worth noting the work of a medical dosimetrist puts them very close to radioactive surroundings and good safety precautions have to be put in place if exposure is to be minimized.
The annual salary range of a medical dosimetrist falls within the $81,000-$112,000 level and it is one of the occupations that have a wonderful job outlook as a result of an aging population and prevalence of cancer as the technology used in radiation therapy is also advancing a lot and turning out to be really effective in cancer treatment. At the same, a huge number of medical dosimetrists today are aging and almost retiring.
healthcareerexplorer.com is a website where you can get top quality information on various health careers you can opt for.
Role[/b]
This is why a medical dosimetrist is one of the most important individuals within the oncology radiation team that is usually made up of radiation therapists, nurses, medical physicists and radiation oncologists, among others. After the prescription of radiation therapy to a patient, it is the medical dosimetrist who ascertains the best way of delivering the dose of radiation.
Through a 3D-computer model, the medical dosimetrist is able to first calculate exactly how and where the radiation will be distributed. To ensure the surrounding tissues are not damaged, the dosimetrist could decide to make the most of a device that modifies the beam towards better targeting with radiation. It is also important to indicate that specialized equipment might be needed to immobilize or cover certain body parts of the patient towards total protection against radiation exposure.
Computer simulations [/b]
Prior to the patient receiving the right treatment, the professional usually does a couple of computer simulations followed by the necessary adaptations to ascertain the plan is working as designed. After this is done, the medical dosimetrist will then keep on supervising the work of the radiation therapist as the treatment plan is implemented. It goes without saying that radiation treatment might need a single does or a couple of scheduled treatments for weeks or a number of days.
Apart from radiation treatment planning, the dosimetrist can help in calibrating the machinery of the radiation oncology and educate students in medical dosimetry as well as join research teams aiming at enhancing radiation therapies efficiency. A medical dosimetrist has to be good in communication and be able to listen carefully at first to radiation oncologists if a treatment plan is to be comprehended. The dosimetrist has to understand the treatment plan so that he or she can document it carefully to explain it to the one responsible for the implementation of the plan; radiation therapist.
Conditions at work [/b]
Since medical dosimetrist usually work in centers of cancer treatment and in hospitals, they mostly work about 40 hours every week. Computers are highly used by these professionals in design and testing treatments through radiation. They also take some amount of time to document treatment plans while doing consultation with physicians, oncology radiation team and patients. It is also worth noting the work of a medical dosimetrist puts them very close to radioactive surroundings and good safety precautions have to be put in place if exposure is to be minimized.
The annual salary range of a medical dosimetrist falls within the $81,000-$112,000 level and it is one of the occupations that have a wonderful job outlook as a result of an aging population and prevalence of cancer as the technology used in radiation therapy is also advancing a lot and turning out to be really effective in cancer treatment. At the same, a huge number of medical dosimetrists today are aging and almost retiring.
healthcareerexplorer.com is a website where you can get top quality information on various health careers you can opt for.