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Job Description
The following represents a job description as recommended by the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists addressing major duties, skills and qualifications of a Medical Dosimetrist. Institutions utilizing this document as a template are encourage to included individual specifications as applicable.
General Description
The medical dosimetrist is a member of the radiation oncology team who has knowledge of the overall characteristics and clinical relevance of radiation oncology treatment machines and equipment, is cognizant of procedures commonly used in brachytherapy and has the education and expertise necessary to generate radiation dose distributions and dose calculations in collaboration with the medical physicist and radiation oncologist.
Major Duties
- Design a treatment plan by means of computer and/or manual computation that will deliver a prescribed radiation dose and field placement technique in accordance with the Radiation Oncologist's prescription to a defined tumor volume.
- Consider dose-limiting structures in the design of treatment plans and document dose in accordance with the Radiation Oncologist's prescription.
- Coordinate treatment simulations and tumor localization on dedicated devices, including CT, MRI, and PET when indicated, for radiation oncology treatment planning.
- Supervise, perform, or assist in the planning of the fabrication of compensation filters, custom shields, wedges, and other beam modifying devices.
- Supervise, perform, or assist in the planning of the production of moulds, casts, and other immobilization devices.
- Supervise the therapist staff in the implementation of the treatment plan including: the correct use of immobilization devices, compensators, wedges, field arrangement, and other treatment variables.
- Perform calculations for the accurate delivery of the Radiation Oncologist's prescribed dose, document all pertinent information in the patient record, and verify the mathematical accuracy of all calculations using a system established by the Medical Physicist.
- Provide physics and technical support to the Medical Physicist, in radiation protection, qualitative machine calibrations, and quality assurance of the radiation oncology equipment.
- Supervise, perform, or assist in the application of specific methods of dosimetry including ion chamber, TLD, or film measurement as directed by the Medical Physicist.
- Assist in intracavitary and interstitial brachytherapy procedures and in the subsequent manual and/or computer calculation of the dose distributions of these treatments.
- Teach applied aspects of medical dosimetry to students and residents, as assigned.
- Participate in clinical research for the development and implementation of new techniques.
- Participate in continuing education in the area of current treatment planning techniques, and advances in medical dosimetry.
Skills
- Must be able to understand the technical aspects of radiation oncology and medical physics to derive computerized treatment plans, and communicate these aspects to the Radiation Oncologist for plan approval, and to the Radiation Therapist for plan implementation.
- Performs routine duties independent of supervision, but consults with the Radiation Oncologist and Medical Physicist as required.
- Operates and performs quality assurance, under the direction of the Medical Physicist, on the treatment planning computer.
- Has working knowledge of radiation safety and current rules and regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
- Has the ability to interpret and execute treatment plans as defined in relevant treatment protocols.
- Must possess mathematical skills including algebra, trigonometry, and introductory calculus and be able to visualize objects in three-dimensional concepts to facilitate the treatment planning process.
Minimum Qualifications
- The employee is a graduate of a formally organized hospital or college affiliated medical dosimetry program with clinical and classroom curriculum, and other training and/or experience as a medical dosimetrist so that the total duration of study, training and experience is at least 18 months, OR
- The employee possesses a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences degree with a major in the physical or biological sciences, or is a registered radiation therapy technologist. Together with either of these credentials, the applicant also demonstrates completion of two or more years on-the-job training and work experience in medical dosimetry under the supervision of a Certified Medical Dosimetrist or Medical Physicist, OR
- The employee possesses an Associate of Science, a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in a field other than those of the physical or biological sciences. Together with this degree, the applicant also demonstrates completion of on-the-job training in medical dosimetry under the supervision of a Certified Medical Dosimetrist or Medical Physicist and has a subsequent period of supervised work experience in medical dosimetry of a minimum of four years.
- This job description does not supersede existing national or state laws or institutional policies.
Origination 6/9/83, Amended 9/1/86, 6/11/90, AAMD BOD approved 7/23/90
Revised & AAMD Executive Board Approved 1/94
Version 3 - Revised by the AAMD Education Committee May, 2000; BOD approved 8/17/00
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