Radiation Therapist
Healthcare
Provide radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiation oncologist according to established practices and standards. Duties may include reviewing prescription and diagnosis; acting as liaison with physician and supportive care personnel; preparing equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, and protection devices; and maintaining records, reports, and files. May assist in dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.
You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.
What you'd do all day
The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.
- 1Administer prescribed doses of radiation to specific body parts, using radiation therapy equipment according to established practices and standards.
- 2Position patients for treatment with accuracy, according to prescription.
- 3Follow principles of radiation protection for patient, self, and others.
- 4Review prescription, diagnosis, patient chart, and identification.
- 5Conduct most treatment sessions independently, in accordance with the long-term treatment plan and under the general direction of the patient's physician.
- 6Enter data into computer and set controls to operate or adjust equipment or regulate dosage.
- 7Check radiation therapy equipment to ensure proper operation.
- 8Observe and reassure patients during treatment and report unusual reactions to physician or turn equipment off if unexpected adverse reactions occur.
- 9Educate, prepare, and reassure patients and their families by answering questions, providing physical assistance, and reinforcing physicians' advice regarding treatment reactions or post-treatment care.
- 10Maintain records, reports, or files as required, including such information as radiation dosages, equipment settings, or patients' reactions.
- 11Check for side effects, such as skin irritation, nausea, or hair loss to assess patients' reaction to treatment.
- 12Prepare or construct equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, or protection devices.
- 13Help physicians, radiation oncologists, or clinical physicists to prepare physical or technical aspects of radiation treatment plans, using information about patient condition and anatomy.
- 14Calculate actual treatment dosages delivered during each session.
- 15Photograph treated area of patient and process film.
- 16Act as liaison with physicist and supportive care personnel.
- 17Implement appropriate follow-up care plans.
- 18Schedule patients for treatment times.
- 19Provide assistance to other healthcare personnel during dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.
- 20Train or supervise student or subordinate radiotherapy technologists.
- 21Store, sterilize, or prepare the special applicators containing the radioactive substance implanted by the physician.
- 22Assist in the preparation of sealed radioactive materials, such as cobalt, radium, cesium, or isotopes, for use in radiation treatments.
Also known as
What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.
- RT
- RTT
- Dosimetrist
- Radiology Therapist
- Radiation Therapists
- Radiologic Therapist
- Radiation Oncology RN
- CT Simulation Therapist
- Radiation Therapist (RT)
- Staff Radiation Therapist
How far is this from you?
Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.
1
Entry straight after SPM
2
SPM + sijil / short TVET course
Typical entry
Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)
4
Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)
5
Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
What you'd need to know
The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.
- Customer and Personal Service91%
- English Language81%
English
- Medicine and Dentistry79%
BiologyChemistry
- Physics75%
Physics
- Mathematics72%
Additional MathematicsMathematics
- Education and Training70%
Tools you'd use
Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.
What the work feels like
Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.
- Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
- Contact with other peopleConstant contact
- Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
- Leading or coordinating othersHigh
- Handling conflict situationsOften
- Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
- Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
- Noisy environmentAlmost never
AI and demand for this job
A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.
Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)
This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.
Pay in Malaysia
We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Where to check:
- JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
- DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
- SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
Check what you may qualify for
Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.
How to get here
Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.
Related careers
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About this information
This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.
O*NET occupation: Radiation Therapists
Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org