Medical Dosimetry

Healthcare experience

The UWL Medical Dosimetry Program expects that applicants will have healthcare experience (volunteer or paid), in particular experience involving direct patient contact. Such experience provides evidence of a career commitment to healthcare as a medical dosimetrist. We need to be assured that applicants understand the joys and sorrows of health care and will be pleased to be a healthcare provider as a medical dosimetrist.

In the program's competitive admission process, the length and depth of healthcare experience is a selection factor. We do not, however, require a specific amount of healthcare experience.

Typical backgrounds of our applicants include: recent graduates of a radiation therapy or imaging sciences program; a few years of work experience as a radiation therapist; prior employment in imaging sciences; volunteer or paid experience as an EMT, lab tech/phlebotomist, or nursing assistant.

The program expects that applicants' healthcare experience will involve direct patient contact. Among the positions more readily available with minimal training (just as an example) are nursing assistant, phlebotomist, and EMT. The training for these positions ranges from a brief on the job experience to about six months. There are often positions available in most communities with training in these areas, particularly nursing assistant and phlebotomy. The availability of volunteer EMT positions is generally greater in rural areas.

The program, however, does consider all types of health care experiences and looks favorably on applicants that have been able to advance in their healthcare career and been given additional responsibility. If the applicant has questions about whether they meet the healthcare experience requirement, please contact the admissions counselor.