Certified Medical Dosimetrist

Stanford Health Care • Palo Alto, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Certified Medical Dosimetrist develops and calculates radiation treatment plans for cancer patients under the direction of the radiation oncologist. The role is part of the radiation oncology treatment team and uses knowledge of mathematics, medical physics, science, and critical thinking to optimize tumor dose while minimizing exposure to normal organs and surrounding tissue. Plans account for tumor pathology and volume, dose-limiting structures, and the prescribed course of therapy, and are developed using specialized computer systems and technology. Treatment may include external radiation and interstitial brachytherapy. The dosimetrist works with radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and radiation therapists to plan and implement treatment, advise on simulation and setup, and support patient care, education, and clinical operations. The position is a fully qualified, full-proficiency career level. The schedule is day shift, eight hours, with a primarily onsite schedule and remote days as operational needs allow.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field from an accredited college or university.
• Either prior employment as a Senior Dosimetrist with Stanford Health Care as of 08/31/14, or a combination of education, training, and experience that satisfies the Chief Dosimetrist and Director of Radiation Oncology that the candidate meets current Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board eligibility criteria to sit for the CMD examination within two years of appointment.
• Certified Medical Dosimetrist (CMD) certification.
• Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, clinical oncology, tumor pathology, radiobiology, radiation physics, and radiation safety.
• Knowledge of medical dosimetry techniques and procedures.
• Knowledge of radiation oncology and medical physics and ability to develop optimal treatment plans and communicate plan details to radiation oncologists and radiation therapists.
• Knowledge of healthcare informatics, including resources, devices, and methods for acquiring, storing, and retrieving data.
• Proficiency with personal computers and business software, including software used to develop treatment plans.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills for exchanging information with patients, family members, the treatment team, and outside entities.
• Strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate treatment-planning systems and perform quality assurance on them.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and consult radiation oncologists and medical physicists as needed.
• Knowledge of radiation safety principles and practices and current Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other regulatory-agency rules and regulations.
• Ability to interpret criteria and develop treatment plans defined by relevant treatment protocols.
• Mathematical skills including algebra, trigonometry, and introductory calculus.
• Ability to visualize objects in three dimensions.
• Commitment to Stanford Health Care’s C-I-CARE standards and exceptional patient and family experience.

Responsibilities

• Design optimized patient treatment plans using computer or manual calculations and appropriate beam geometry, following the radiation oncologist’s prescription while sparing critical structures.
• Identify and contour normal and dose-limiting structures using images from one or more data sets; register CT, MRI, and PET image data.
• Create and transfer reference images and localization markers for portal verification and treatment delivery, including DRRs, CBCTs, and other IGRT methods.
• Supervise, perform, or assist with simulations and tumor localization using imaging devices such as CT, MRI, and PET.
• Supervise, perform, or assist with planning and implementation of compensation filters, custom shields, wedges, beam-modifying devices, moulds, casts, and immobilization devices.
• Advise radiation therapists on implementation of treatment plans, including immobilization devices, compensators, wedges, field arrangements, and treatment or imaging parameters.
• Calculate prescribed dose delivery accurately, document pertinent information in patient records, and verify mathematical accuracy using an approved method.
• Provide technical support to the medical physicist for radiation safety and protection, machine calibrations, and quality assurance of treatment plans and radiation oncology equipment.
• Operate treatment-planning computers and perform quality assurance under the direction of the Chief Dosimetrist.
• Supervise, perform, or assist with specified patient and/or beam dosimetry methods as directed by the Chief Dosimetrist.
• Assist with brachytherapy procedures through treatment planning and dose calculations; may assist with receiving, loading, and shipping radioactive materials.
• Use radiation monitoring devices to measure radioactivity and perform assays.
• Teach applied medical dosimetry to students, radiation therapists, and residents.
• Participate in clinical research, continuing education, and quality-improvement processes.
• Perform other related and incidental duties as needed or assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior