Dear Aspirant,

Radiation therapists typically do the following:

• Explain treatment plans to the patient and answer questions about treatment
• Protect the patients and themselves from improper exposure to radiation
• Determine the exact location of the area requiring treatment
• Calibrate and operate the machine to treat the patient with radiation
• Monitor the patient to check for unusual reactions to the treatment
• Keep detailed records of treatment

Radiation therapists operate machines, such as linear accelerators, to deliver concentrated radiation therapy to the region of a patient's tumor. Radiation treatment can shrink or remove cancers and tumors.

Radiation therapists are part of the oncology teams that treat patients with cancer. They often work with the following specialists:

• Radiation oncologists are physicians (https://collegegrad.com/careers/physicians-and-surgeons) who specialize in radiation therapy
• Oncology nurses (https://collegegrad.com/careers/registered-nurses) specialize in caring for patients with cancer
• Medical physicists (https://collegegrad.com/careers/physicists-and-astronomers) help in planning of radiation treatments, develop better and safer radiation therapies, and check that radiation output is accurate