Radiation therapists carry out radiation treatment plans created by radiation oncologists and dosimetrists. These professionals work with CAT scans, X-rays and Cone beam computed tomography before radiation is even administered. These technologies enable them to accurately position cancer patients so that the radiation is administered precisely. They also use immobilization devices so that each time a patient comes in for radiation, they can replicate the patient’s position for the sake of accurate treatment. Radiation therapists are experts on computer technologies, which will appropriate the correct doses of radiation to the radiation machine. They constantly monitor their patients, and they detail their treatment.

Dorothy Hargrove, chief radiation therapist at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, says she became interested in the field while she was earning her associate degree. Early in her program, she realized that general X-ray wasn’t for her. "I didn’t like that I didn’t get to know my patients very well," Hargrove says. But four months before she was due to graduate, Hargrove took an elective course in radiation therapy that changed her life. "I watched therapists who knew their patients by name," Hargrove says. "You got to know patients and be a part of their recovery, and that was so different than general X-ray. It was love at first patient."

These days, Hargrove manages a team of radiation therapists. She’s worked as a radiation therapist for more than 22 years, treating cancer patients with radiation. "It’s a perfect balance between patient care and great technology," she says.

Earlier cancer diagnoses and new technologies are driving the need for more radiation therapists. The aging population is also precipitating this demand, since the risk of cancer increases with age.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 2.4% employment growth for radiation therapists between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 400 jobs should open up.

While some jobs in this field may be attained after completion of a certificate program, most employers would rather hire radiation therapists with at least an associate degree. However, Hargrove says that a bachelor’s degree in radiation therapy is quickly becoming the norm. In these programs, students will not only learn how to complete radiation therapy procedures, but also the scientific theories behind the procedures.

Most states require licensure, which usually involves graduating from an accredited program and becoming certified through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Certification also involves graduating from an accredited program, agreeing to and abiding by ethical standards and passing a certification exam.