As the profession matures, medical dosimetry has seen a culture shift. Advancements in clinical protocols, along with vendor innovation especially in software, have enabled rapid transformation and unanticipated, yet far-reaching clinical capabilities (i.e. SIB, Adaptive Therapy, Multi-modality therapies, etc.) that have advanced the care paradigm and hold the promise of incredible outcomes for our patients.

As improvements in cancer screening allow cancer to be detected earlier and the management of cardiovascular disease extend longevity, further strain is placed upon the cancer care infrastructure adding urgency to addressing gaps and improving efficiency. Adaptive and automated planning and AI can address some of the burden and has added value on several levels.

As clinical responsibilities change, the role and responsibilities of the medical dosimetrist need to adapt. However, the increased load of planning, iterations, adaptive planning, and complex retreatment cases has created incredible opportunities for the elevation of the medical dosimetrist to restructure and re-engineer processes and play a leadership role in the care of the cancer patient.