Medical Dosimetrists

Generate radiation treatment plans, develop radiation dose calculations, communicate and supervise the treatment plan implementation, and consult with members of radiation oncology team.

Most important skills

Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Writing
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making
Mathematics

Key knowledge

Mathematics
Physics
Computers and Electronics
Biology
Medicine and Dentistry
English Language
Design
Education and Training

What the work involves

Advise oncology team members on use of beam modifying or immobilization devices in radiation treatment plans.
Calculate, or verify calculations of, prescribed radiation doses.
Calculate the delivery of radiation treatment, such as the amount or extent of radiation per session, based on the prescribed course of radiation therapy.
Conduct radiation oncology-related research, such as improving computer treatment planning systems or developing new treatment devices.
Create and transfer reference images and localization markers for treatment delivery, using image-guided radiation therapy.
Design the arrangement of radiation fields to reduce exposure to critical patient structures, such as organs, using computers, manuals, and guides.
Develop radiation treatment plans in consultation with members of the radiation oncology team.
Develop requirements for the use of patient immobilization devices and positioning aides, such as molds or casts, as part of treatment plans to ensure accurate delivery of radiation and comfort of patient.

Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Investigative, Conventional, Realistic.

Qualifications and licensing

Most common education: Bachelor's Degree (40% of respondents)
Related experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (35%)
On-the-job training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (20%)
Preparation level: O*NET job zone 4: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Licensing: Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.

Check before planning

Licensing for Medical Dosimetrists is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.

Limits

Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0

Work environment

How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).

Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.

Rankings compare typical U.S. occupation-level work conditions; individual jobs and employers vary. Data: O*NET 31.0 Work Context and BLS wages (May 2025).
Condition	Level	Compared with other occupations	Most common answer (O*NET survey)
Contact with others	Very low	Lower on contact with others than 82% of occupations compared	35% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others most of the time”
Dealing with the public	Very low	Lower on dealing with the public than 83% of occupations compared	40% of surveyed respondents chose “Important”
Teamwork	Low	Lower on teamwork than 64% of occupations compared	40% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important”
Freedom to make decisions	Low	Lower on freedom to make decisions than 71% of occupations compared	55% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom”
Time pressure	Very high	Higher on time pressure than 99% of occupations compared	100% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day”
Conflict situations	Low	Lower on conflict situations than 66% of occupations compared	50% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week”
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people	Very low	Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 94% of occupations compared	50% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Consequence of error	Very high	Higher on consequence of error than 97% of occupations compared	65% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely serious”

Work-pressure profile

Time pressure: very high
Conflict situations: low
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
Consequence of error: very high

Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.

Full answer distributions