A Radiation Oncologist is a specialist medical doctor with training in the use of radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy) and in the overall medical care of cancer patients. Radiation therapy can be used to cure or reduce the symptoms of cancer. Radiation oncologists are ultimately responsible for assessing individual patients, determining the best management plan, overseeing treatment and assessing progress.
Radiation oncologists work closely with other medical specialists, especially surgeons, medical oncologists and palliative care physicians, as part of a team caring for patients with cancer.
Radiation oncology is an intellectually challenging and exciting career at the cutting edge of patient care, technology and research.
It gives you the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of cancer patients while working with a fascinating, technologically advanced, constantly evolving form of treatment.
Targets
That’s Where We Come In
Radiation oncologists will generally have:
To become a radiation oncologist, you must complete the training program administered by The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR). The program runs for approximately five years and gives you broad experience across the full variety of skills that radiation oncologists need to be familiar with.
To be accepted in the RANZCR training program, you must:
As well as meeting the prerequisites, you should also be able to demonstrate:
Other desirable qualities are:
Radiation oncology offers a range of opportunities in the public and private sectors as well as in the academic sphere.
There is a breadth of professional practice that can be carried out by a radiation oncologist in Australia.
Radiation Oncology Scope of Practice
All College trainees in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore are trained within an accredited hospital department or private practice.
Providing a training environment that is supportive of trainee needs and meets the training curriculum and regulatory requirements is a shared responsibility of the College, training departments, training networks, clinical supervisors and trainees.
Trainees are expected to rotate to a number of training sites throughout their training. This prepares you with broad skills, multi system and site knowledge, and exposure to a variety of training environments.
For more information on Network training and accreditation please click here.
Radiation Oncology Accredited Training Site Listing
Take a look at the videos and websites listed below to find out more about the radiation oncology profession.
Applying to Radiation Oncology Training Program