The Role of Medical Physicists in Cancer Care Not Widely Understood According to ACR Member
While patients being treated for cancer may have direct contact with their primary care physician, nurses, and technologists, when it comes to radiation oncology, many patients may not be aware that medical physicists also play an important role in their treatment.
"The only person who can legally give medical treatment is a licensed physician. But there are many professionals who assist the physician to carry out a medical treatment,” wrote ACR member and medical physicist James R. Marbach, PhD, in an article recently published in NSIDE M.D. San Antonio explaining the involvement of physics in cancer care.
Medical physicists receive a high level of training which allows them to design complex treatment plans that are specific to each patient. They also must approve machine settings, ensure that it is functioning properly, and perform other safety tests regularly.
Click here to read the full article.
