Medical Radiation Physicists Medical physicists work directly with the doctor in the treatment planning and delivery. They oversee the work of the dosimetrist. Medical physicists are responsible for developing and directing quality control programmers for equipment and procedures. They are responsible for making sure the equipment works properly. Medical radiation physicists take precise measurements of radiation beam characteristics and do other safety measurements on a regular basis.
Medical physicists have doctorates or master's degrees.
Qualified physicists have completed four years of college. They also have had two to four years of graduate school and typically one to two years of clinical physics training. They may be certified by the American Board of Radiology or the American Board of Medical Physics. Radiation therapists work with the radiation oncologists in treatment planning and treatment. They treat each patient under the physician's prescription and supervision.