Medical Dosimetrists: Job Description
Generate radiation treatment plans, develop radiation dose calculations, communicate and supervise the treatment plan implementation, and consult with members of radiation oncology team.
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What Tasks Do Medical Dosimetrists Do?
Typical responsibilities of medical dosimetrists cover:
- Design the arrangement of radiation fields to reduce exposure to critical patient structures, such as organs, using computers, manuals, and guides.
- Plan the use of beam modifying devices, such as compensators, shields, and wedge filters, to ensure safe and effective delivery of radiation treatment.
- Identify and outline bodily structures, using imaging procedures, such as x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography.
- Calculate the delivery of radiation treatment, such as the amount or extent of radiation per session, based on the prescribed course of radiation therapy.
- Calculate, or verify calculations of, prescribed radiation doses.
- Develop radiation treatment plans in consultation with members of the radiation oncology team.
- Supervise or perform simulations for tumor localizations, using imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography scans.
- Create and transfer reference images and localization markers for treatment delivery, using image-guided radiation therapy.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective medical dosimetrists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Medical Dosimetrists Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- CMD (Certified Medical Dosimetrist)
- Dosimetrist
- Medical Dosimetrist
- Medical Physicist
- Medical Radiation Dosimetrist
- Radiation Dosimetrist
- Radiation Oncology Medical Physicist
- Radiation Therapy Dosimetrist (RT Dosimetrist)
How Many Medical Dosimetrists Are There?
There are about 2,813,712 medical dosimetrists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +10.8% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Medical Dosimetrists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $38,128 |
| Hourly median | $18.33 |
| 10th percentile | $21,764 |
| 25th percentile | $29,946 |
| 75th percentile | $46,309 |
| 90th percentile | $54,491 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Medical Dosimetrists Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $179,640 |
| Oregon | $170,220 |
| New Jersey | $165,100 |
| New York | $160,850 |
| Georgia | $159,790 |
| Connecticut | $153,650 |
| Colorado | $151,290 |
| California | $149,080 |
| Virginia | $146,960 |
| South Carolina | $145,380 |
| Maryland | $142,300 |
| Massachusetts | $141,890 |
| North Carolina | $141,090 |
| Illinois | $140,780 |
| Florida | $140,290 |
| Kentucky | $134,070 |
| Texas | $133,680 |
| Wisconsin | $131,410 |
| Indiana | $131,190 |
| Michigan | $130,840 |
| Tennessee | $130,360 |
| Iowa | $128,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $128,030 |
| Arizona | $127,980 |
| Ohio | $127,150 |
| Missouri | $119,170 |
| Mississippi | $79,520 |
| West Virginia | $40,600 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for medical dosimetrists vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $159,390 | 9.5% | 0.60 |
| Rocky Mountains | $151,290 | 1.2% | 0.60 |
| Middle Atlantic | $148,241 | 23.9% | 1.48 |
| New England | $145,418 | 3.1% | 0.72 |
| Southeast | $135,651 | 32.1% | 1.33 |
| Great Lakes | $133,260 | 13.5% | 1.33 |
| Southwest | $133,086 | 14.7% | 1.13 |
| Plains States | $123,250 | 2.1% | 0.67 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Medical Dosimetrists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $201,780 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $176,360 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $170,220 | 30 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $166,540 | 310 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $159,790 | 80 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $159,420 | 100 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | NC | $153,090 | 30 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $150,870 | 70 |
Industry Breakdown
Most medical dosimetrists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 3,410 | $140,000 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 300 | $124,020 |
| Wholesale Trade | 70 | $132,500 |
| Educational Services | 70 | $140,320 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Medical Dosimetrists Use
- Development environment software: Eclipse IDE (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for medical dosimetrists is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Time Pressure
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
How to Become Medical Dosimetrists
Entry-level medical dosimetrists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Nuclear Monitoring Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Anesthesiologist Assistants (Supplemental)
- Radiation Therapists (Primary-Short)
- Respiratory Therapists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Anesthetists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
- Radiologists (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future medical dosimetrists typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-2036.00 (Medical Dosimetrists).
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