Medical Dosimetrists

Summary

Quick Facts: Medical Dosimetrists
2024 Median Pay	$138,110 per year $66.40 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education	Bachelor's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2024	4,800
Job Outlook, 2024–34	3% (As fast as average)
Employment Change, 2024–34	200

What Medical Dosimetrists Do

Medical dosimetrists calculate doses of radiation and design and oversee treatment plans for patients with cancer and other serious diseases.

Work Environment

Most medical dosimetrists work in healthcare settings, such as hospitals and physicians' offices. They may spend much of their time working at a computer.

How to Become a Medical Dosimetrist

To enter the occupation, medical dosimetrists typically need a bachelor's degree and must complete an accredited medical dosimetry program. Employers usually require workers to have certification.

Pay

The median annual wage for medical dosimetrists was $138,110 in May 2024.

Job Outlook

Employment of medical dosimetrists is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 200 openings for medical dosimetrists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for medical dosimetrists.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of medical dosimetrists with similar occupations.

More Information, Including Links to O*NET

Learn more about medical dosimetrists by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

What Medical Dosimetrists Do About this section

Medical dosimetrists consult with other members of the oncology team to create patient treatment plans.

Medical dosimetrists calculate doses of radiation and design and oversee treatment plans for patients with cancer and other serious diseases.

Duties

Medical dosimetrists typically do the following:

• Review a patient’s documents, such as their CT and MRI scans
• Calculate the proper dose of radiation to be administered to a patient
• Consult with other members of the radiation oncology team and design the radiation-delivery plan for patients
• May assist in designing molds, casts, and other immobilization devices to position patients during treatment
• Document treatment provided to a patient
• Perform quality assurance checks of treatment equipment

Medical dosimetrists develop and manage the radiation plans for patients receiving treatment for cancer or other diseases. They may begin by reviewing patient records, such as computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Then, based on a dosage range prescribed by the physician, medical dosimetrists calculate the exact dose and angle of radiation to be administered. They make these calculations both manually and with computers.

Medical dosimetrists’ calculations may vary based on the type of radiation treatment a physician prescribes. For example, external beam radiation angled at a tumor from outside the body may be administered at a higher dose than brachytherapy, which involves placing a radioactive device near the tumor inside the body.

In addition to overseeing radiation treatment, medical dosimetrists’ other responsibilities include helping to design immobilization devices that ensure patients remain motionless during procedures. They also keep records of each patient’s treatment, load or receive shipments, use radiation monitoring devices to measure radioactivity levels in patients, and calibrate equipment to ensure accuracy.

Dosimetrists are part of a radiation oncology team that usually includes medical physicists, oncology nurses, radiation oncologists and other physicians, and radiation therapists.

Work Environment About this section

Medical dosimetrists spend much of their time working at a computer.

Medical dosimetrists held about 4,800 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of medical dosimetrists were as follows:

Medical dosimetrists spend much of their time at the computer when calculating doses of radiation and designing treatment plans. Dosimetrists typically have less direct contact with patients compared with other members of the radiation oncology team. However, they occasionally interact with patients, such as to reposition them for procedures.

Injuries and Illnesses

Medical dosimetrists work with radiation and radioactive material, so they must follow procedures for safe handling. Safety protocol includes wearing a film badge dosimeter to track radiation exposure.

Work Schedules

Most medical dosimetrists work full time. They usually have a regular work schedule because radiation therapy procedures are often planned in advance.

How to Become a Medical Dosimetrist About this section

Medical dosimetrists must complete an accredited medical dosimetry program.

To enter the occupation, medical dosimetrists typically need a bachelor's degree and must complete an accredited medical dosimetry program. Employers usually require workers to have certification.

Education

Medical dosimetrists typically need a bachelor’s degree in medical dosimetry or a related field, such as biology or physical science. Prospective dosimetrists whose degree is not in medical dosimetry may complete a certificate or master’s degree program in medical dosimetry.

Admission to medical dosimetry programs is often competitive. Applicants may be required to be a registered radiation therapist or have a bachelor’s degree that includes coursework in specific subjects, such as biology, medical terminology, and calculus.

Medical dosimetry programs include courses such as physics, anatomy, and radiology. Programs also include supervised clinical experience in which students work onsite with practicing dosimetrists.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Employers usually prefer to hire medical dosimetrists who have earned the Certified Medical Dosimetrist (CMD) credential. Certification requires that candidates have a bachelor's degree, graduate from an accredited medical dosimetry program, and pass an exam. Maintaining certification requires completion of a specified number of hours of continuing education. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Some medical dosimetrists work as radiation therapists before earning the credentials to become dosimetrists.

Important Qualities

The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page.

Communication skills. To ensure proper treatment, medical dosimetrists must convey important information about a patient’s radiation dosage both orally and in writing.

Critical-thinking skills. Medical dosimetrists analyze a patient's needs and health-related data, along with other factors, to determine treatment plans.

Detail oriented. Medical dosimetrists must be precise when calculating the amount and location of radiation that a patient will receive.

Interpersonal skills. Medical dosimetrists collaborate with other members of the radiation oncology team throughout a patient’s treatment.

Math skills. Medical dosimetrists need a strong background in mathematics in order to calculate and verify the proper doses of radiation.

Technical skills. Medical dosimetrists use computers and must be comfortable working with a variety of specialized medical equipment.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage for medical dosimetrists was $138,110 in May 2024. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $103,760, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $176,360.

In May 2024, the median annual wages for medical dosimetrists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Most medical dosimetrists work full time. They usually have a regular work schedule because radiation therapy procedures are often planned in advance.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of medical dosimetrists is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 200 openings for medical dosimetrists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

As adults get older, their likelihood of being diagnosed with cancer rises. The expected increase in the number of older people will therefore increase the demand for cancer care. Because radiotherapy plays a vital role in treating this disease, medical dosimetrists will be needed to help develop treatment plans for patients.

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link below goes to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Use the dropdown boxes to select an occupation.

• Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Profiles

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.org. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For information about certifications, visit CareerOneStop.

O*NET

Medical Dosimetrists