Onboarding plan
Medical Dosimetrist Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new medical dosimetrist from first day to full productivity.
Medical Dosimetrist onboarding at a glance
Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.
Before day one
- Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
- Verify required credentials: Certified Medical Dosimetrist (CMD), ARRT Radiation Therapy (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: treatment planning systems; CT and MRI images; dose calculation software; record and verify systems
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Medical Dosimetrist training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Double-check prescriptions
- Follow plan QA procedures
- Protect patient data
- Communicate concerns before treatment starts
- Shadow an experienced medical dosimetrist through a full shift
- Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)
Days 1–30: learn
Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.
- Supervised practice: create an IMRT plan
- Supervised practice: review a dose-volume histogram
- Supervised practice: prepare a plan for physics check
- Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
- 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins
Days 31–60: contribute
Goal: handle a regular workload independently.
- Contour targets and organs on images: independently
- Design radiation treatment plans: independently
- Calculate radiation doses: independently
- Optimize beam arrangements: independently
- Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
- Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
- 60-day check-in
Days 61–90: own
Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.
- Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
- Begin cross-training on a secondary task
- Agree on a credential goal (for example, Certified Medical Dosimetrist (CMD))
- Discuss the career path: Radiation Therapist → Medical Dosimetrist → Senior Dosimetrist
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create an IMRT Plan | |||
| Review a Dose-Volume Histogram | |||
| Prepare a Plan for Physics Check | |||
| Treatment planning software | |||
| Radiation physics | |||
| Anatomy contouring | |||
| Dose calculation |
How to measure onboarding success
- Days until the new hire works without a preceptor
- Competency sign-offs completed on time
- Documentation or charting error rate
- 90-day retention
How Medical Dosimetrist training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Medical Dosimetrist Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Medical Dosimetrist Vocabulary
- Core Duties and Responsibilities
- Common Tasks, Step by Step
- Tools, Equipment and Technology
- Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
- Skills Employers Look For
- Launching Your Medical Dosimetrist Career
- Final Knowledge Check