Crisis in Radiation Therapy Training and Practice

An increased utilization of radiation therapy techniques resulting from their demonstrated effectiveness has been accompanied by a decrease in numbers of radiotherapists, radiation physicists, radiation therapy technologists, and radiation biologists. Encouragement should be given to centralization of radiation therapy facilities, to systems for education and training of allied health personnel, the separation of diagnostic and therapy training programs, the development of radiation therapy programs in medical schools with radiation oncologists responsible for the delivery of radiation therapy to every cancer patient. Continuing educational programs should be developed for the practicing physician, the general radiologist, and the radiation oncologist.