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Dosimetrist vs lead radiation therapist

The differences between dosimetrists and lead radiation therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a dosimetrist and a lead radiation therapist. Additionally, a dosimetrist has an average salary of $110,837, which is higher than the $79,332 average annual salary of a lead radiation therapist.

The top three skills for a dosimetrist include patients, radiation therapy and patient care. The most important skills for a lead radiation therapist are patients, radiation therapy, and oncology.

Dosimetrist vs lead radiation therapist overview

DosimetristLead Radiation Therapist
Yearly salary$110,837$79,332
Hourly rate$53.29$38.14
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs3,29823,497
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Associate Degree, 38%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

What does a dosimetrist do?

A dosimetrist is a medical professional who assists patients undergoing radiation therapy. You are responsible for determining the proper radiation dosage being used in treating patients with cancer. Your duties include explaining the procedure to patients and responding to their questions and concerns, working closely with physicians to determine the amount and duration of radiation therapy, and assisting in the simulations and tumor localization using various imaging devices such as MRI, CT, and PET.

What does a lead radiation therapist do?

A lead Radiation Therapist is a person who acts as the supervisor in a radiologic department. They are responsible for reviewing and interpreting clinical diagnoses. They also provide daily care for patients inside a clinic or hospital and teach other colleagues of beginner therapists how they can provide necessary care according to standards. They monitor and examine the patient's condition and progress while performing treatment therapy. Meaning this person can practice and perform duties correctly and effectively.

Dosimetrist vs lead radiation therapist salary

Dosimetrists and lead radiation therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

DosimetristLead Radiation Therapist
Average salary$110,837$79,332
Salary rangeBetween $73,000 And $166,000Between $58,000 And $107,000
Highest paying CityCape Girardeau, MO-
Highest paying stateMississippi-
Best paying companyKaiser Permanente-
Best paying industryHealth Care-

Differences between dosimetrist and lead radiation therapist education

There are a few differences between a dosimetrist and a lead radiation therapist in terms of educational background:

DosimetristLead Radiation Therapist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Associate Degree, 38%
Most common majorMedical TechnicianBiochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Dosimetrist vs lead radiation therapist demographics

Here are the differences between dosimetrists' and lead radiation therapists' demographics:

DosimetristLead Radiation Therapist
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 48.5% Female, 51.5%Male, 36.2% Female, 63.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 8.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 69.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 8.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage17%17%

Differences between dosimetrist and lead radiation therapist duties and responsibilities

Dosimetrist example responsibilities.

  • Manage flow and daily operation of the treatment linac.
  • Focuse on developing radiation therapy treatment plans for cancer patients.
  • Train in Brainlab's iPlan; using it for SBRT with the VERO SBRT Linac.
  • Single dose and full dose TBI calculation.
  • Have planned HDR at other locations, no HDR at current offices.
  • Use MOSAIQ to transfer treatment set up information between simulation and treatment computers.
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Lead radiation therapist example responsibilities.

  • Demonstrate working knowledge of community mental health services identify in the Medicaid guidelines and attain contractual outcomes within designate time frames.
  • Initiate and organize graduation celebration for all patients finishing radiation treatments.
  • Administer invasive and non-invasive therapeutic radiation via cutting edge radiotherapy devices to cancer patients as directed by physician prescription.
  • Perform daily QA on all equipment to factory safety standards and department policies and procedures.
  • Perform daily QA on simulator and Phillips PET/CT and daily output and alignment checks on linear accelerators.
  • Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals to provide outpatient services to those seeking rehabilitation in an ambulatory care center.
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Dosimetrist vs lead radiation therapist skills

Common dosimetrist skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • Radiation Therapy, 10%
  • Patient Care, 9%
  • PET, 6%
  • IMRT, 4%
  • Patient Treatment, 4%
Common lead radiation therapist skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Radiation Therapy, 13%
  • Oncology, 8%
  • Patient Treatment, 7%
  • QA, 5%
  • OSHA, 3%

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