Starting salary straight out of college?

[chung2509]

I am very interested in becoming a radiation oncologist. I might plan on attending a community college for a associates degree in that. How much would I expect to start making once I start the job? Anyone had similar experiences?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[G'ville Nole]

Man, I wish I had known that I could've done this as a 2 year AA, rather than going through all the loan hassles and 9 years of medical education! That would have been so much more convenient!

 

[yeasterbunny]

LOL what G'ville is not saying is this:
I think when you say "radiation oncologist" you mean "radiation therapist?" The oncologist is a doctor that has to go through 4 years of med school and 5 years of residency.

According to this article radiation therapists do pretty well (around $70,000) and more importantly it is a great job.

 

[chung2509]

LOL what G'ville is not saying is this:
I think when you say "radiation oncologist" you mean "radiation therapist?" The oncologist is a doctor that has to go through 4 years of med school and 5 years of residency.

According to this article radiation therapists do pretty well (around $70,000) and more importantly it is a great job.

thanks, i did not know there was a difference. has anyone graduated with a associate degree in radiation therapy here? what was your starting salary? and where?

 

[bananamed]

thanks, i did not know there was a difference. has anyone graduated with a associate degree in radiation therapy here? what was your starting salary? and where?

I'd try another forum. Rad onc residents are unlikely to hold an associate degree in radiation therapy as well.

 

[miamiradonc]

Take the foot out,

Actually my co-resident was a therapist for 18 years before he decided to do pre-med, medical school and then residency. I don't know how much he made over those 18 years but he has said the money was good. He is extremely well rounded as you can imagine being trained with both hats (m.d. and therapist) and has a unique perspective as a physician and resident. Anything else?

 

[chung2509]

Take the foot out,

Actually my co-resident was a therapist for 18 years before he decided to do pre-med, medical school and then residency. I don't know how much he made over those 18 years but he has said the money was good. He is extremely well rounded as you can imagine being trained with both hats (m.d. and therapist) and has a unique perspective as a physician and resident. Anything else?

he only had a associates degree in radiation therapy over those 18 years? i am just hoping that is enough. thanks

 

[IndyXRT]

he only had a associates degree in radiation therapy over those 18 years? i am just hoping that is enough. thanks

You can get either an associate or a B.S.; either degree would qualify you to be a therapist. I'm not sure if there is any difference in compensation or career flexibility with the B.S. We have a B.S. program at our school, so most of our therapits hold that degree.

 

[dosimetry]

thanks, i did not know there was a difference. has anyone graduated with a associate degree in radiation therapy here? what was your starting salary? and where?

Honestly, I would suggest you to go get an university degree...I really don't trust the American college diplomas...

And for starting pay, probably around 50-60k on average as a therapist. Although in many areas the starting salary can be as high as 80k+. Try to get into dosimetry if possible (postgrad/master dosimetry programs or clinical education to a CMD licence), because their salary is about 90k on average and over 100k in many areas (starting? probably 70k?).

 

[StreamTeam]

I am very interested in becoming a radiation oncologist. I might plan on attending a community college for a associates degree in that. How much would I expect to start making once I start the job? Anyone had similar experiences?

I believe you are referring to a radiation therapy technology position. (RTT). An RTT degree is one of the best kept secrets out there. It only takes 3 years out of high school. They start at salaries more than almost any 4 year bachelors degree will start at. In the NYC metropolitan area, starting salaries for RTT's out of training range from 60,000 to 75,000 dollars a year. A chief tech will earn in the $80,000 to $100,000 range. The techs at the center where I work are in their early to late 20's and most are driving BMW's.

As with anything else its supply and demand. Three years ago we were giving signing bonuses, and the salaries peaked. We no longer give out signing bonuses, but demand is still steady. Career advancement means becoming a chief tech or becoming a dosimetrist (someone who knows how to use the computerized planning system) An experienced dosimetrist can make more than 100,000 per year.

 

[RetroX]

Unfortunately, the RTTs stand next to the treatment machines all year long, and we all know that the lead doors do not block 100%. Yeah, if you don't mind low dose radiation exposure for your entire career, RTT is the way to go. Flight attendants have much high exposure than RTT on average due to cosmic rays.

 

[StreamTeam]

Unfortunately, the RTTs stand next to the treatment machines all year long, and we all know that the lead doors do not block 100%. Yeah, if you don't mind low dose radiation exposure for your entire career, RTT is the way to go. Flight attendants have much high exposure than RTT on average due to cosmic rays.

Its really quite safe. I have had quite a few of my female techs work straight through their pregnancy, and no one has had problems.

All the techs wear badges which measure radiation exposure. None of the techs ever show anything over background levels of radiation.

As a physician, my film badge will show exposure when I do brachytherapy with hot isotopes. The techs dont get exposed. But us doctors do. So do the physicists who remove and handle the sources. Proper attention to radiation safety basics does minimize exposure. I don't know of anyone in my field with documented problems from occupational exposure to radiation.

The highest occupational risk I am aware of in medicine is in radiologists who read mammograms. They get sued all of the time. If given a choice between reading mammograms for a living, or driving a dynamite truck, I would rather drive a dynamite truck.

You raise an excellent point about flight attendants. They have a high occupational exposure to radiation, and there is no way to protect them. Lead lined planes arent very practical.

 

[yeasterbunny]

Its really quite safe. I have had quite a few of my female techs work straight through their pregnancy, and no one has had problems.

All the techs wear badges which measure radiation exposure. None of the techs ever show anything over background levels of radiation.

As a physician, my film badge will show exposure when I do brachytherapy with hot isotopes. The techs dont get exposed. But us doctors do. So do the physicists who remove and handle the sources. Proper attention to radiation safety basics does minimize exposure. I don't know of anyone in my field with documented problems from occupational exposure to radiation.

The highest occupational risk I am aware of in medicine is in radiologists who read mammograms. They get sued all of the time. If given a choice between reading mammograms for a living, or driving a dynamite truck, I would rather drive a dynamite truck.

You raise an excellent point about flight attendants. They have a high occupational exposure to radiation, and there is no way to protect them. Lead lined planes arent very practical.

They taught us on my rads rotation that the docs who got the most are the cardiologists, who use fluoro pretty liberally often without proper shielding.

 

[Pewl]

They taught us on my rads rotation that the docs who got the most are the cardiologists, who use fluoro pretty liberally often without proper shielding.

Yes. It is the interventional guys who get the most exposure by far. Radiation therapists should not receive any dose at all. I was a medical physicist and I recall the health physics and shielding design course I took. The angles and material used in construction a treatment room are pretty solid. Unless the facility is sub-standard, or something, the personnel in radiation oncology should be receiving virtually zero dose from the machines.

 

[The_Flyy]

They taught us on my rads rotation that the docs who got the most are the cardiologists, who use fluoro pretty liberally often without proper shielding.

Yeah, but it's mostly to their arms...

 

[RetroX]

Yeah, but it's mostly to their arms...

And thyroid, and cornea.

 

[qwert]

Saw a patient with grade 2 radiation dermatitis on the back after flouro.

And thyroid, and cornea.

 

[megaton]

I believe you are referring to a radiation therapy technology position. (RTT). An RTT degree is one of the best kept secrets out there. It only takes 3 years out of high school. They start at salaries more than almost any 4 year bachelors degree will start at. In the NYC metropolitan area, starting salaries for RTT's out of training range from 60,000 to 75,000 dollars a year. A chief tech will earn in the $80,000 to $100,000 range. The techs at the center where I work are in their early to late 20's and most are driving BMW's.

As with anything else its supply and demand. Three years ago we were giving signing bonuses, and the salaries peaked. We no longer give out signing bonuses, but demand is still steady. Career advancement means becoming a chief tech or becoming a dosimetrist (someone who knows how to use the computerized planning system) An experienced dosimetrist can make more than 100,000 per year.

so what about the supply/demand/worth of a radiation therapist? is job availibilty still high?

something is fishy.

 

[dosimetry]

so what about the supply/demand/worth of a radiation therapist? is job availibilty still high?

something is fishy.

Used to be, but not anymore since there're a lot more people trying to get into these programs.

RTTs don't make that much everywhere in the country. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Stats, they make about 72k on average, which is comparable to engineers & physician assistants.

I just did a bit of job search online and the lower ones are about 25~30$ for starting (the 2 lowest were from TX), most are in the range of low 30s~40s, and the highest was up to 68$/hr for an experienced cyberknife therapist.