Radiation therapist vs locum radiation therapist

The differences between radiation therapists and locum 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 radiation therapist and a locum radiation therapist. Additionally, a locum radiation therapist has an average salary of $86,279, which is higher than the $84,981 average annual salary of a radiation therapist.

The top three skills for a radiation therapist include patients, patient care and radiation oncologist. The most important skills for a locum radiation therapist are oncology, patients, and aria.

Radiation therapist vs locum radiation therapist overview

	Radiation Therapist	Locum Radiation Therapist
Yearly salary	$84,981	$86,279
Hourly rate	$40.86	$41.48
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	39,384	39,165
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 40%	Associate Degree, 46%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	2	2

What does a radiation therapist do?

A radiation therapist is a medical professional who works in hospitals or cancer treatment centers and treats cancer and other diseases in patients by giving radiation treatments. Radiation therapists are required to explain the treatment plans to patients as well as conduct x-ray tests on patients to determine the exact location of the area that requires treatment. They must examine radiation machines to ensure that they are safe and working properly. Radiation therapists must also follow safety procedures to protect patients and themselves from overexposure.

What does a locum radiation therapist do?

A locum radiation therapist temporarily fulfills the duties of other therapists. They provide patients treatment services to the radiation oncology department whenever they are experiencing staff shortages and perform simulations and deliver all treatment efficiently. In oncology, a locum radiation therapist managed the day-to-day operation of radiation oncology services to ensure compliance with departmental operational goals and create a program to combine PET scan fusion with radiation oncology by forging a partnership with alliance imaging. Locum radiation therapists must have technical and interpersonal skills and be detailed oriented.

Radiation therapist vs locum radiation therapist salary

Radiation therapists and locum radiation therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Radiation Therapist	Locum Radiation Therapist
Average salary	$84,981	$86,279
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $113,000	Between $64,000 And $116,000
Highest paying City	Los Angeles, CA	-
Highest paying state	Mississippi	-
Best paying company	Cedars-Sinai	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between radiation therapist and locum radiation therapist education

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

	Radiation Therapist	Locum Radiation Therapist
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 40%	Associate Degree, 46%
Most common major	Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology	Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Radiation therapist vs locum radiation therapist demographics

Here are the differences between radiation therapists' and locum radiation therapists' demographics:

	Radiation Therapist	Locum Radiation Therapist
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%	Male, 48.0% Female, 52.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 8.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.5% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 8.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 5.4% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	17%	17%

Differences between radiation therapist and locum radiation therapist duties and responsibilities

Radiation therapist example responsibilities.

Manage all payroll, accounts receivable and payable, and maintain complete records of equipment and staff.
Manage daily clinical staffing needs by appropriately deploying PRN therapist when need, which save company from employing an additional FTE.
Perform SBRT and SRS, and IMRT treatments under the supervision of the physician.
Set up patients on treatment machine, port films and IGRT to line up patients.
Ensure treatment plans are consistent with oncologist's prescriptions and verify EMR for daily treatment delivery.
Monitor patients records through EMR, maintain weekly and monthly reports for the company, maintain and order supplies.

Locum radiation therapist example responsibilities.

Manage daily clinical staffing needs by appropriately deploying PRN therapist when need, which save company from employing an additional FTE.
Provide daily QA on Varian equipment.
Utilize a Varian 6EX machine with IMPAC record and verify software.
Work on Nucletron for HDR breast, skin and gynecologic treatments.
treat using Siemens Primus and Impac while studying for boards and job hunting.
Position and treat patients accurately according to physician's prescription.

Radiation therapist vs locum radiation therapist skills

Common radiation therapist skills

Patients, 28%
Patient Care, 9%
Radiation Oncologist, 8%
Patient Treatment, 6%
Dosimetry, 4%
Treatment Planning, 4%

Common locum radiation therapist skills

Oncology, 25%
Patients, 23%
Aria, 12%
IMRT, 11%
IGRT, 10%
OBI, 4%

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Radiation Therapist
Radiation Therapist vs Locum Radiation Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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