Radiation therapists are professionals who treat patients with cancer and other ailments by means of radiation administration. These practitioners have the duties of explaining treatment regimens to their clients and answering any queries about the treatment regimen to the clients. The radiation therapists are also bestowed with the responsibility of ensuring that safety procedures are adhered to in a bid to protect both the client and themselves from radiation overexposure. They also ensure radiation machines are working correctly, determine the actual area for irradiation, and check for computer setup to ensure correct calibration for correct doses and do the actual operation of the radiation machine ("Radiation Therapists"). The radiation therapist will also observe the patient for any signs of reactions following therapy and keeps records for their clients.
Although interested candidates may be considered qualified after a year's certificate program completion, most of the employers will preferentially hire candidates with an associate's or bachelor's degree in the field of radiation therapy. Radiation therapists should be detail oriented. A radiation practitioner must be keen in following precise instructions and feeding the machines with exact calibrations to ensure correct radiation dosing. They are also hypothetically supposed to have good interpersonal skills since they deal with patients who in most cases may be going through emotional and physical stress. Physical stamina comes as an added advantage since radiation therapists often have to stand for long hour and additionally aid in lifting and moving clients who require some assistance. Technical skills are a necessity since they also deal with large technological machines and computer. .
Being a radiation therapist in most cases means you are on full-time job. As such, it is often wise to live somewhere near the work station.