Radiotherapy Technologist

Setting up the patient and the machine as the treatment plan says, checking the plan and the dose, carrying out daily and periodic machine quality checks, and watching patients during treatment. The work involves close teamwork with radiation oncologists, medical physicists and nurses.

A day in the work
The day usually starts with the machine's daily quality checks before the first patient arrives. The technologist then brings each patient in, helps them lie in the exact position marked for treatment, and sets the machine as the plan says. During treatment they work from a shielded room and watch the patient on camera, noting any distress or side effect. The day ends with records and a handover to the next team.

1. Step 1 · Class 10–12Study Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English. Build a steady average, since most courses set a minimum aggregate in these subjects.
2. Step 2 · Class 12Apply to B.Sc Radiotherapy Technology courses. Some institutes run their own entrance test; others admit on merit. Check each notice for the test, the cut-off and the age rule.
3. Step 3 · About 3 years plus 1 yearThree years of classes, labs and radiation physics, then a one-year internship in a radiotherapy department. Some courses run a 6-month internship instead, so confirm the length.
4. Step 4 · During the courseCheck that your college appears on AERB's list of assessed radiotherapy technologist courses. AERB has warned that graduates of courses not on its list may not be considered eligible to work in this role.
5. Step 5 · After the courseComplete the radiation safety certification for radiotherapy technologists (run by BARC's training unit), then register as a radiation professional with AERB before working on radiation equipment.

• B.Sc Radiotherapy Technology after Class 12The main route: a 3-year academic course with a 1-year internship, usually at a university or medical college.
• Diploma in Radiotherapy Technology, then lateral entrySome colleges offer lateral entry into the second year of the B.Sc for students who have completed a Diploma in Radiotherapy Technology.

Fees from: AIIMS B.Sc prospectus 2024 (fees and eligibility) · Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham: B.Sc in Radiation Therapy Technology fee structure. Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Pay depends on whether you work in a government, trust-run or private hospital, the city you are in, and your experience. Fresh graduates usually start lower than people who have worked for several years.

Some institutes lower the minimum marks for SC and ST candidates. For example, the AIIMS Bhubaneswar 2024 listing sets 45% instead of 50%.

• Class 7–9Watch a free biology course on the human body and cells. Understanding how cells divide helps later, when you learn how radiation affects cancer cells.Open link ↗
• Class 10–12Join a school science club and make a short project on how X-rays and radiation are used in medicine. Use free NPTEL lectures to strengthen basic Physics.Open link ↗
• College or afterAsk the radiotherapy department of a government or cancer hospital near you whether you can observe a patient-help or volunteer session, with the hospital's permission.

• Only work done after AERB-recognised training counts. Choose a course from AERB's list, not just one that sounds similar.
• Course length is not uniform. The NCAHP Act 2021 allows allied health courses of 2 to 4 years, so compare the schedule of each college.
• Radiotherapy technologists work under a radiation oncologist's prescription. They do not decide the dose themselves.
• Radiotherapy and diagnostic radiography (X-ray, CT) are different courses. Check which one you are signing up for.