Radiation oncology now offered lowest locum rates in "radiology"?

[medgator]

I had a patient get mad at me because I wasn’t the one “delivering the radiation.” I spent a good hour explaining to her my role as the radiation oncologist but in her mind, the most important person was the therapist. Maybe this is how the bean counters feel about what we do. All the other stuff is for fun.

(Some) of them make a great impact on certain patients, way more than i ever do. It's probably a function of how much time they spend with them vs us with just weekly visits and the consult/fu visits prior to treatment

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[TheWallnerus]

I had a patient get mad at me because I wasn’t the one “delivering the radiation.” I spent a good hour explaining to her my role as the radiation oncologist but in her mind, the most important person was the therapist. Maybe this is how the bean counters feel about what we do. All the other stuff is for fun.

This is when I break out my I'm-an-architect-in-charge-of-the-construction-workers talk. I am not always at the construction site, and don't do the welding etc, but I made all the plans and designs and get called in whenever there are questions or issues.

 

[RadOncDoc21]

I do feel as if the staff do not fully appreciate my role. Maybe it’s because I am low key and never share my stressors (except on SDN) but I feel the clinical side (nursing, patients) and technical side (dosimetry, physicist, therapists) each only see half of what I am doing throughout the day, let alone the admin responsibilities and what they see when I’m unable to attend the countless number of meetings.

I think as a specialty, we are constantly pulled in so many directions throughout the day (contours, check films, check a plan, call a doc, call a patient, check on a patient, make a 30 min call with Evicore, tumor boards, inpatients, dictating 20 different notes on one patient, staff meetings, hospital committees, etc.) but yet nobody truly appreciates the sum of all the parts.

Whenever someone sees a surgeon, they automatically assume they are busy even though they may have 10 PA’s assisting them. I have yet to witness a rad onc with such moat.

 

[Gfunk6]

My cousin's wife is a radiation therapist. We were at a family dinner party several years back and she had the following conversation with my mother:

Mother: What do you do for work?
Cousin's Wife: I'm a radiation therapist.
Mother: Oh, no kidding, my son is in the field too.
Cousin's Wife: Yeah, we really do all the work. We position the patients, make sure that anatomy is aligned and operate the machine solo. All the Radiation Oncologist does is physically show up in the office and [mockingly mimes a cervical lymph node exam] does this once per week and takes all the money.

My mom was really pissed but honestly I still laugh about it to this day.

 

[Mandelin Rain]

 

[seper]

My cousin's wife is a radiation therapist. We were at a family dinner party several years back and she had the following conversation with my mother:

Mother: What do you do for work?
Cousin's Wife: I'm a radiation therapist.
Mother: Oh, no kidding, my son is in the field too.
Cousin's Wife: Yeah, we really do all the work. We position the patients, make sure that anatomy is aligned and operate the machine solo. All the Radiation Oncologist does is physically show up in the office and [mockingly mimes a cervical lymph node exam] does this once per week and takes all the money.

My mom was really pissed but honestly I still laugh about it to this day.

Gotta get into cervical and prostate brachy in order to earn some street credo

 

[medgator]

My cousin's wife is a radiation therapist. We were at a family dinner party several years back and she had the following conversation with my mother:

Mother: What do you do for work?
Cousin's Wife: I'm a radiation therapist.
Mother: Oh, no kidding, my son is in the field too.
Cousin's Wife: Yeah, we really do all the work. We position the patients, make sure that anatomy is aligned and operate the machine solo. All the Radiation Oncologist does is physically show up in the office and [mockingly mimes a cervical lymph node exam] does this once per week and takes all the money.

My mom was really pissed but honestly I still laugh about it to this day.

I joke around that i don't even get to push button..

 

[Neuronix]

I push the 3 buttons on the Gamma Knife. Bow to me!

 

[metallica81788]

I joke around that i don't even get to push button..

That's the greeting I get from my medical school friends (being the only one in the class to go into RadOnc) - "So they letting you push that button yet?"

 

[dieABRdie]

That's the greeting I get from my medical school friends (being the only one in the class to go into RadOnc) - "So they letting you push that button yet?"

My reply is... "No.... I don't push the button. I tell someone else to push the button and how many times."

 

[Gfunk6]

I push the 3 buttons on the Gamma Knife. Bow to me!

Ah, but do you put the screws in their head?

 

[Neuronix]

Ah, but do you put the screws in their head?

I may be a nerd, but I'm not a barbarian

In all seriousness, we would have upgraded to Ikon (frameless GK), but we also have linac SRS as well. We pick on a case by case basis whether we think the frame and cone based delivery is really necessary.

 

[evilbooyaa]

This is when I break out my I'm-an-architect-in-charge-of-the-construction-workers talk. I am not always at the construction site, and don't do the welding etc, but I made all the plans and designs and get called in whenever there are questions or issues.

My go-to has been "I help program the machine that the therapists run" with usually good results.
But I will steal and try this in those refractory to the above line.

 

[medgator]

Ah, but do you put the screws in their head?

We used to do half the frame in residency, stopped at Starbucks while the nsg did that in practice

 

[metallica81788]

God help us

WE CAN HELP!
(The availability listed below is a small sample of currently available providers. If you are seeking coverage for a different state, dates, or specialties, please contact us.)

Radiation Oncologists available to assist with locum tenens coverage in:

Arkansas - short/long term availability, 1 week per month and 1 - 2 weeks per month, as well as Holiday availability

California - short/long term availability and 1 - 2 weeks per month, as well as Holiday availability

Florida - short/long term availability, 1 - 3 weeks per month or ongoing, Holiday availability

Georgia - 2-3 days per week up to 3 weeks at a time, as well as Holiday availability

Illinois - short/long term availability, a couple of days per week to ongoing long-term coverage, and Holiday availability

Indiana - short/long term availability, a couple of days per week to ongoing long-term coverage, as well as Holiday availability

Missouri - short/long term availability and 1 - 2 weeks per month

New Jersey - short/long term availability, a couple of days per week to ongoing long-term coverage, as well as Holiday availability

New York - short/long term availability and Holiday availability

North Carolina - short/long term availability, as well as Holiday availability

Ohio - 1 - 2 weeks per month, as well as Holiday availability

Pennsylvania - short/long term availability, a couple of days per week to ongoing long-term coverage, as well as Holiday availability

Texas - short/long term availability and 1, 2, or 3 weeks per month and Holiday availability

WILLING to LICENSE: We have providers willing to license for other states such as CO, DC, IA, IL, IN, LA, ME, MA, UT, VT, VA, and many more.

 

[fiji128]

Luckily Astro "leadership" is forming an ad hoc committee with the same people who created the problem and then ignored it for 5 years. Can't wait to read about their final findings in about 2026.

 

[RickyScott]

Luckily Astro "leadership" is forming an ad hoc committee with the same people who created the problem and then ignored it for 5 years. Can't wait to read about their final findings in about 2026.

Also look forward to Chedis suggestions on oversupply.