WHAT IS A RADIATION ONCOLOGIST?

Your radiation oncologist is a physician who specializes in the treatment of cancer patients, using radiation therapy as the main modality of treatment. Radiation can be given as a curative modality, either alone or in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy. It may also be used palliatively, to relieve symptoms in patients with incurable cancers.   A radiation oncologist spends five years after medical school honing his/her skills.  All told, a radiation oncologist possess an additional 12 years in graduate/post-graduate education becoming an expert in this field.   To earn Board Certification status by the American Board of Radiology, each applicant must pass 3 comprehensive medical clinical exams as a physician, followed by written and oral exams only in the field of radiation oncology.