Activities	Radiation therapy is the use of radiation to treat cancer in the human body. As part of a medical radiation oncology team, radiation therapists use machines—called linear accelerators—to administer radiation treatment to patients.
Outlook	Faster-than-average-job growth
Median Income	$72,900 per year in 2008
Work Context & Conditions	Radiation therapists work in hospitals or in cancer treatment centers. These places are clean, well lighted, and well ventilated.
Minimum Education Requirements	Bachelor's Degree
Skills	Social Perceptiveness, Critical Thinking, Instructing, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Active Listening, Service Orientation, Equipment Selection, Time Management, Mathematics, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Operation Monitoring, Coordination, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Technology Design, Science
Abilities	Oral Expression, Deductive Reasoning, Problem Sensitivity, Written Comprehension, Near Vision, Speech Clarity, Information Ordering, Inductive Reasoning, Oral Comprehension
Interviews	Karen Lynne Ullman

Job Category		Healthcare Practitioners & Technical
Job Description		Radiation therapy is the use of radiation to treat cancer in the human body. As part of a medical radiation oncology team, radiation therapists use machines—called linear accelerators—to administer radiation treatment to patients. Linear accelerators, used in a procedure called external beam therapy, project high-energy x-rays at targeted cancer cells. As the x-rays collide with human tissue, they produce highly energized ions that can shrink and eliminate cancerous tumors. Radiation therapy sometimes is used as the sole treatment for cancer, but usually is used in conjunction with chemotherapy or surgery. The first step in the radiation treatment process is called simulation. During simulation, a radiation therapist uses an x-ray imaging machine to pinpoint the location of the tumor. The therapist also may use a computerized tomography or CT scan to help determine how best to direct the radiation to minimize damage to healthy tissue. The therapist then positions the patient and adjusts the linear accelerator so that, during treatment, radiation exposure is concentrated on the tumor cells. The radiation therapist then develops a treatment plan in conjunction with a radiation oncologist (a physician who specializes in therapeutic radiology), and a dosimetrist (a technician who calculates the dose of radiation that will be used for treatment). The therapist later explains the treatment plan to the patient and answers any questions that the patient may have. After simulation, the radiation therapist positions the patient and adjusts the linear accelerator to mirror the conditions that were established in simulation. Then the therapist leaves the room to administer the radiation treatment. From a separate room that is protected from the x-ray radiation, the therapist operates the linear accelerator and monitors the patient’s condition through a TV monitor and an intercom system. Treatment can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes and is usually administered once a day, 5 days a week, for a period of 2 to 9 weeks. During the treatment phase, the radiation therapist monitors the patient’s physical condition to determine if any adverse side effects are taking place. In addition, the therapist must be aware of the patient’s emotional condition. Because many patients are under stress, and are emotionally fragile, it is important for the therapist to maintain a positive attitude and provide emotional support. Radiation therapists also must keep detailed records of their patients’ treatments. These records include information such as the dose of radiation used for each treatment, the total amount of radiation used to date, the area treated, and the patient’s reactions. Radiation oncologists and dosimetrists review these records to ensure that the treatment plan is working, to monitor the amount of radiation exposure that the patient has received, and to keep unwanted side effects to a minimum. Radiation therapists also assist medical radiation physicists, who keep the linear accelerator working. Because radiation therapists often work alone during the treatment phase, they need to be able to check the linear accelerator for problems and make any adjustments that are needed. Therapists also may assist dosimetrists, who calculate the amount of radiation for each treatment. Therapists may perform the routine aspects of this process, called dosimetry, which involves complex mathematical computations.
Working Conditions		Radiation therapists work in hospitals or in cancer treatment centers. These places are clean, well lighted, and well ventilated. Therapists do a considerable amount of lifting and must be able to help disabled patients get on and off treatment tables. Therapists also work on their feet most of the time. Therapists generally work 40 hours a week, and, unlike other health care occupations, they normally work only during the day. However, because radiation therapy emergencies do occur, some therapists are required to be on call and may have to work outside of their normal hours. Because they work around radioactive materials, radiation therapists take great care to ensure that they are not exposed to dangerous levels of radiation. Following standard safety procedures can prevent overexposure.
Salary Range		Median annual earnings of radiation therapists were $72,900 in 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $59,100 and $87,900. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,900, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $104,400.

Education Required		Employers generally require applicants to complete an associate or a bachelor’s degree program in radiation therapy. Individuals also may become qualified by completing an associate or a bachelor’s degree program in radiography, which is the study of radiological imaging, and then completing a 12-month certificate program in radiation therapy. Radiation therapy programs have core courses on radiation therapy procedures and the scientific theories behind these procedures. In addition, such programs often include courses on human anatomy, human physiology, physics, algebra, precalculus, writing, public speaking, computer science, and research methodology. Experienced radiation therapists may advance to manage radiation therapy programs in treatment centers or other health care facilities. Managers generally continue to treat patients while taking on management responsibilities. Other advancement opportunities include teaching, technical sales, and research. With additional training and certification, therapists also can become dosimetrists, who use complex mathematical formulas to calculate proper radiation doses.
Recommended High School Courses		Computers and Electronics, Biology, English
Postsecondary Instructional Programs		Education and Training, English Language, Psychology, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Customer and Personal Service, Medicine and Dentistry
Certification and Licensing		Some States require that radiation therapists be licensed by a State accrediting board. Some States, as well as many employers, also require that radiation therapists be certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). In order to become ARRT-certified, an applicant needs to complete an accredited radiation therapy program, adhere to ARRT ethical standards, and pass the ARRT certification examination. While enrolled in an accredited radiation therapy program, students who wish to become ARRT-certified must take classes that are related to the subject matter of the certification examination. The certification examination covers radiation protection and quality assurance, clinical concepts in radiation oncology, treatment planning, treatment delivery, and patient care and education. Candidates also must demonstrate competency in several clinical practices, which include patient care activities; simulation procedures; dosimetry calculations; fabrication of beam modification devices; low-volume, high-risk procedures; and radiation treatment procedures. AART certification is valid for 1 year, after which therapists must renew their certification. Requirements for renewal include abiding by the ARRT ethical standards, paying the annual dues, and satisfying the continuing education requirements. Continuing education requirements must be met every 2 years and include either the completion of 24 credits of radiation therapy-related courses or the successful attainment of ARRT certification in a discipline other than radiation therapy. Renewed certification, however, may not be required by all States or employers that require initial certification.

Interest Area		Social Involves working and communicating with, helping, and teaching people.
Work Values		Moral Values Never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong. Social Service Do things for other people. Security Have steady employment. Co-workers Have co-workers who are easy to get along with.
Skills		Social Perceptiveness Be aware of others' reactions and understand why they react the way they do. Critical Thinking Use logic and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches. Instructing Teach others how to do something. Operation and Control Control operations of equipment or systems. Quality Control Analysis Conduct tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance. Active Listening Listen to what other people are saying and ask questions as appropriate. Service Orientation Actively look for ways to help people. Equipment Selection Determine the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job. Time Management Manage one's own time and the time of others. Mathematics Use math to solve problems. Active Learning Work with new material or information to grasp its implications. Complex Problem Solving Solving novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings. Operation Monitoring Watch gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly. Coordination Adjust actions in relation to others' actions. Reading Comprehension Understand written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. Speaking Talk to others to effectively convey information. Technology Design Generate or adapt equipment and technology to serve user needs. Science Use scientific methods to solve problems.
Abilities		Oral Expression Able to convey information and ideas through speech in ways that others will understand. Deductive Reasoning Able to apply general rules to specific problems to come up with logical answers, including deciding whether an answer makes sense. Problem Sensitivity Able to tell when something is wrong or likely to go wrong. This doesn't involve solving the problem, just recognizing that there is a problem. Written Comprehension Able to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Near Vision Able to see details of objects at a close range (within a few feet of the observer). Speech Clarity Able to speak clearly so listeners understand. Information Ordering Able to correctly follow rules for arranging things or actions in a certain order, including numbers, words, pictures, procedures, and logical operations. Inductive Reasoning Able to combine separate pieces of information, or specific answers to problems, to form general rules or conclusions. This includes coming up with a logical explanation for why seemingly unrelated events occur together. Oral Comprehension Able to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

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Job Outlook		Good job opportunities are expected. Applicants who are certified and who possess a bachelor’s or an associate degree or a certificate in radiation therapy should have the best prospects. Employment of radiation therapists is projected to grow faster than average for all occupations during the 2008-18 period. As the U.S. population grows and ages, demand will increase for radiation treatment. As radiation technology advances, radiation treatment will be prescribed for an increasing proportion of cancer patients. In addition to new jobs created over the projection period, a number of job openings will result as experienced radiation therapists retire or leave the occupation for other reasons. Radiation therapists held about 15,200 jobs in 2008. About 70 percent worked in the health care industry, primarily in hospitals and in physicians’ offices. Another 18 percent worked in offices of physicians.
More Information		American Society of Radiologic Technologists, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
References		Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Radiation Therapists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos299.htm O*NET OnLine, on the Internet at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/29-1124.00