Radiation Therapy is a program in which we learn how to administer treatments prescribed by the doctor for cancer patients. This chatbot will be destined to anybody who is interested in working in the radiation field. Understanding the ins-and-outs, the academic process, and the dangers may help you through your decision. I, myself, am a second-yeah student in the program, thus I am motivated to write this to help high school students who may be considering this program because I wish I had access to this kind of information while I was making my career choice. Keep on reading for more!
It is hard and emotional. Radiation therapists are responsible for supporting the patient throughout their treatment. They must have compassion and strong interpersonal skills.
Radiation therapists treat cancer patients. They are responsible for deciding the best way to aim the radiation at the cancer with the least effect on normal, or surrounding tissues.
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 period for the patient and their family. 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 position to be treated.
Radiation therapists work in hospitals or clinics.
You can become a radiation therapist by going to college for three years and passing the entrance exam. At the end of the three-year program, you have to go through a year long internship at a hospital of your Choice.
The starting salary for a radiation therapist is about 45,000 dollars, and 90,000 dollars in average, in Canada.
A reevaluation every year, and other relevant tests are examples of additional training radiation therapists go through.
Radioactive contamination and radiation exposure are some of the dangers of being a radiation therapist. They are caused by the radioactive material released into the environment.
Pretty rare, because we control the machines that send out the radiation towards the tumor. We calculate and control dosage, all while keeping in mind the patients dimensions and the risk organs that need protection. A robot can't be this precise all while keeping in mind these variant factors.
Radiation therapists usually retire between the ages of 60 and 70 years old.
If you like developing close relations with patients and supporting them emotionally through their treatment and cancer journey, radiation therapy might just be the career for you. But you have to be able to not let it affect your life outside of work as it is a big emotional package to carry. You have to possess just the right amount of empathy. I hope this helped!
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