Radiation Therapist Training

Before you can become a radiation therapist, you must first go to school for training. Radiation therapy schools offer degrees and certification programs for students. These schools teach students how to use equipment and other radiation technologies. Training programs usually offer a combination of classroom and hands on training so that students get a well rounded feel of working as a radiation therapist. Working with real equipment in training is a must because you are using radiation to destroy tissue. If you are not properly trained, medical accidents could easily happen. Schools also train students to work with a medical team of radiation oncologists, doctors, physicists, and dosimetrists. Most radiation therapy schools have an affiliation with hospitals and students would be able to work at the hospital to get real world experience. Students will get hands on experience working as interns in these hospitals since they will know how to interact with everyone.

Most radiation therapy schools have some basic requirements before you can apply. These requirements include having a high school diploma or GED, having a GPA above 2.0, taking an entrance exam, interviewing with the school before being accepted, completing some prerequisite courses including math and science, and also completing the application form for the school.

You may also wish to take radiation therapy courses online. Online courses usually involve lectures, discussions, and tests done online. The benefit of this is that you do not have to travel much and can do everything right on your own computer. However, you will still need to do hands on training through a hospital. Many courses might require that you be in class too in order to do lab work. So for the most part, any class that you can take that is fully online would only be the general education classes.

Radiation Therapist Education Requirements

Before you can work as a radiation therapist, you have to go through a training program offered by colleges or technical schools. These schools should be approved by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) since accredited programs are usually a requirement by many employers.

Different programs vary in the amount of time it takes to complete. Some programs only take 1 year while other can take 4 years. Completing a certification program in radiation therapy takes 1 year while getting a bachelors degree will take 4 years. The certification programs are for those who want to get an entry level job right after graduating. Employers typically would like people that have a bachelor’s degree in radiation therapy. These degrees could include residency programs at hospitals and clinics.

People that plan on pursuing a graduate degree in radiation therapy would probably work in cancer treatment centers or other research centers. They may also plan on becoming a professor at a college. The requirements for getting into a radiation therapy program can vary depending on the school. Usually the school will require a high school diploma or GED. Requirements for getting a job in radiation therapy can be different for each state. A good way to find out what the requirements are is to call the employer and ask them. For the most part, employers will require an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree, ARRT certification, internships and clinical experience.

Work experience is very important for becoming a radiation therapist since you would be working with radiation. Most degree programs typically require their students to have hands on training in a clinical environment. Some schools might have cancer treatment centers on their campus where you may work at. If schools do not have a cancer treatment center, they might be connected with other medical centers where you could get some work experience.

Radiation Therapist Salary

Considering the salary of a career you plan on going into is very important. Before studying radiation therapy, you should get a good idea of the salary. Since radiation therapists have to go through a specialized training program to use radiation, their salaries are usually higher than other medical technicians. The radiation therapist must also understand how to give treatment prescribed by the oncologist.

The radiation therapist can make anywhere from $22 to $43 per hour. Overtime rates could go from $34 to $56 per hour. The yearly salary of a therapist could be from $47,000 to $85,000. Most of the radiation therapists work in hospitals, clinics, outpatient radiation therapy centers and cancer research centers. Therapists that work in the hospital usually make on the high end of the salary scale than those that work elsewhere. Radiation therapists also get job benefits such as health, dental, and vision insurance. For those that want to increase their salary, they can become a supervisor or a chief radiation therapist. A chief radiation therapist can make from $60,000 to $113,000 per year. You may also wish to branch into another field such as the radiation therapy dosimetrist. Their salary can range from $50,000 to $115,000.

The salary of a radiation therapist can vary. Some of the factors that cause the variance include location, level of training, type of program completed, type of employer, and years of experience. For the most part though, the pay for a therapist is fairly high. In order to get the highest possible salary, you should take advanced courses and training programs listed by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and American Society of Radiologic Technicians. You should also work in a city that has the biggest difference between cost of living and pay. And finally, try to get a job in the hospital or cancer treatment centers as these places usually pay the most.

Become a Radiation Therapist

Have you ever thought about becoming a radiation therapist? The first thing that you may have asked regarding this profession is what exactly they do? A radiation therapist helps treat cancer patients using radiation. Typically the radiation is used to reduce or eliminate a tumor. This profession is in high demand by cancer centers, hospitals, and clinics. By understanding the job description of a radiation therapist, you figure out whether this is the right career path for you.

In radiation therapy high beams of energy are used to destroy cancer cells. By destroying the cancer cells it can also prevent the cancer cells from multiplying. Usually, chemotherapy and surgery are used in combination with radiation treatment. Although the radiation therapy machines are quite advanced, doctors still need to figure out how to deliver the radiation to kill the cancerous cells while not harming the good tissue. A plan is drawn up between the oncologist and the radiation therapist that would most benefit the patient.

When the patient receives radiation therapy, the radiation is usually given in small doses every day over several weeks. The radiation can be used internally or externally. Before starting the treatment, the radiation therapist and the oncologist work together to figure the details of administering the treatment. They simulate the treatment process first using all the necessary equipment. This allows the therapist to calibrate the equipment correctly. The radiation beams are directed in different directions in order to maximize the treatment plan. The simulation can take up to one hour to complete and it would allow the therapist to figure out how to set up the correctly to treat the patient. After the simulation is done, the real treatment would begin on the patient.

The different types of radiation therapy used by hospitals include Intracavitary Brachytherapy, Interstitial Brachytherapy, Image Guided Radiation therapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery. Depending on which treatment the doctor recommends, the radiation therapist would have to administer that type of treatment.

Pursing a career in radiation therapy is a very rewarding career. Not only would you be able to help many people, but you would also reap some great benefits financially.