At the time of writing, a quick search for “radiation therapy” (no location specified) yielded 2, 273 jobs on LinkedIn, 3, 664 jobs on Glassdoor.com and 829 jobs on Indeed.com.
The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) recently released its Radiation Therapy Staffing and Workplace Survey 2020. According to the survey, “the vacancy rate for radiation therapists was 7.2 percent in 2020, up from 3.2 percent in 2018. Vacancy rates in medical dosimetry increased from 2.4 percent to 9.6 percent over the same period. Vacancy rates represent the percent of positions that are open and actively being recruited.” In its news release, ASRT cautioned that the survey results were collected before COVID-19.
Forbes recently published its article “Here’s How Much Money Radiation Therapists Make In Every State.” The author writes, “The annual mean wage for radiation therapists is $104, 160 in outpatient care centers, while the annual mean is $87, 920 for radiation therapists working in general medical and surgical hospitals.” It provides a chart that lists mean annual wage for each state from 2014 through 2019. The author also points out that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of radiation therapists is projected to increase by 9% over the years 2018 to 2028, which is faster than the average growth for all occupations.”
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According to ’s 2018 Benchmarking Survey, the highest and lowest reported salaries for licensed radiation therapists was $93, 600 and $65, 094, respectively, with median bonuses of $2, 000 and $900, respectively. Administrators reported that bonuses were not typical. encourages member administrators to participate in the 2020 Biennial Benchmarking Survey.
The hiring trend appears more promising compared to a couple of years ago when published an article in 2017 about RT hiring trends. If the market is favorable, there may be more mobility as radiation therapists leave their current jobs for more lucrative opportunities or for positions that offer more growth and responsibility. States and smaller centers with lower salaries may find it harder to recruit radiation therapists.
Radiation therapy employers can take several steps to make their positions attractive to prospective hires: they can ensure the job description accurately reflects the job duties; they can offer benefits such as bonuses, paid professional development and other non-monetary perks; and they can create a welcoming “team first” environment. Employers need to think beyond the need to fill a position to selecting a candidate that they feel with enjoy coming to work and be happy with the people they work with, including their supervisor. And when recruiting, employers may look to strike a balance between the number of experienced and new therapists to ensure continuity in their RT workforce.
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Being flexible about location can help RT graduates secure their first job. By being open, they can gain invaluable experience that they can leverage for future opportunities. And they might just find a place to stay in an unexpected place.A radiation therapist will work under the guidance of a Radiation Oncologist, in a team of health professionals who care for and treat cancer patients. They are usually assigned to work on a rotating basis in one of three main areas: simulation, planning and treatment.
Simulation involves the gathering of all relevant data to plan and treat the patient. The radiation therapist will read through the patient’s notes and look at any tests or radiographic scans suchas x-rays, CT and MRI the patient may have had, to determine where the tumour is located.
When the patient arrives, the radiation therapist will explain the process to the patient and answer any questions. It is important the radiation therapist is empathetic, yet professional as it can be an emotional time for the patient and their family.
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The radiation therapist will use a simulator (a machine similar to the treatment machine) or a CT scanner to gather the data that will be used for planning the patient’s treatment. The patient lies in the same position they will be treated in.
This may involve the use of equipment such as a special thermo-plastic mask, or neck and knee rests to keep the patient as immobile as possible.
The radiation therapist draws marks onto the patient’s skin as an external indicator of where the treatment will be directed. After the CT scan or simulation, these marks will be tattooed onto the patient in the form of small permanent dots, the size of a freckle.
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The radiation therapist will document information such as the patient’s position, equipment used, where the tattoo dots are located and any relevant measurements.
This is usually done on the computer. The oncologist will indicate where the treatment needs to be delivered and what dose of radiation the patient will receive.
The radiation therapist is responsible for deciding the best way to aim the radiation at the cancer with the least effect on normal, or surrounding tissues.
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The radiation therapist must also work to ensure that sensitive tissues such as the eyes, heart or rectum receive as small a dose as possible, to limit long-term side effects of the treatment. The oncologist will approve the plan before the treatment starts.
When the patient arrives for treatment, the radiation therapist is responsible for ensuring the patient is treated accurately as well as providing them with emotional support.
Before a patient’s first treatment, the radiation therapist will check through all of the planning information and make sure all relevant equipment is in the treatment room. The radiation therapist will explain the procedure to the patient and answer any questions.
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They will align the tattoo dots that were placed during the simulation process with laser lights in the treatment room to ensure the patient is in the same position each day, as accuracy of treatment is very important.
The radiation therapist will operate the Linear Accelerator (treatment machine), which can be moved from inside the room, however the radiation dose will only be given once all staff are outside the treatment room.
Part of their role is to listen to the emotional concerns and anxieties of the patient and refer them appropriately if needed.
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The radiation therapist will also assess the patient’s reaction to treatment, providing advice on the side effects of treatment and methods of alleviating these.
Radiation therapists often develop close relationships with their patients, as they usually see them five days per week for between three and seven weeks.
Radiation therapists may hold extra responsibilities such as QA testing of the simulation and treatment machines or checking weekly patient x-rays for treatment accuracy.
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Radiation therapists usually work eight hours per day, five days per week. They may be on-call during the weekends to treat emergency cases.
The average salary for a radiation therapist in Australia is around $80, 000 per year. Entry level or graduate positions generally start at $70, 000 while more experienced and seniors workers can make up to $125, 000 per year.
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