Medical Radiation Sciences
If you're considering a career in health care, consider the many options available to you in medical radiation science. Medical radiation science combines cutting edge technology with patient care, and features both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Ongoing developments in techniques and technology mean expanding career paths for medical radiation science practitioners.
The University of Toronto and The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences are proud to offer three joint degree/diploma programs in medical radiation science.
Medical Radiation Sciences Frequently Asked Questions
What is Medical Radiation Science?
Medical radiation science is the study and application of radiant energy in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care of injuries and disease. The applied medical radiation sciences encompass a number of disciplines, each distinguished by a distinctive combination of the radiation used and the associated advanced technology required to deliver and interpret the effects of the radiation.
The joint University of Toronto/Michener medical radiation sciences program offers professional education and training in three of these disciplines:
- Nuclear Medicine Technology administers radiopharmaceuticals to assess organ function and cellular disease
- Radiation Therapy uses ionizing radiation to destroy cancerous tissue
- Radiological Technology uses external x-rays to image body structures
- Nuclear Medicine and Radiological Technology are primarily concerned with medical diagnostic imaging while Radiation Therapy is focused on treatment of disease using radiation.
Is it safe to work with radiation?
Yes. Technologists are well versed in how to safely work with radiation. Safety instruction begins in the very first year and continues throughout the program as students learn to work with the equipment, perform procedures in the laboratory and then image and treat patients during their clinical placements.
Patient exposure is always limited to the minimum effective radiation dose, and state-of-the-art technology and safety procedures leads to negligible occupational exposure. On the average, Medical Radiation Technologists and Therapists receive approximately twice the radiation exposure of the general public exposed to natural sources and equivalent to the exposure of an airline flight crew member.
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