Most commonly reported Work Activities

•   Assisting and Caring for Others Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
•   Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
•   Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
•   Analysing Data or Information Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
•   Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
•   Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
•   Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
•   Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
•   Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
•   Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Working Life

A consultant medical doctor who specialises in treating cancer patients using radiotherapy is known as a Radiation Oncologist. He/she usually heads up a team of doctors.

Radiation oncologists utilise radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radioactive isotopes and other special techniques to treat patients with cancer.

Radiation oncology is one of the three primary specialties, the other two being surgical and medical oncology, involved in the treatment of cancer. A Medical Oncologist is a consultant medical doctor who specialises in treating cancer using chemotherapy and biological therapy.

Radiation oncologists work in a multidisciplinary environment with other physicians such as surgical oncologists, interventional radiologists, internal medicine subspecialists, and medical oncologists, as well as with other non-medical professionals such as medical physicists and radiation therapists.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Analyse records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient.
• Treat internal disorders, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or problems of the lung, brain, kidney, or gastrointestinal tract.
• Prescribe or administer medication, therapy, and other specialised medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
• Manage and treat common health problems, such as infections, influensa or pneumonia, as well as serious, chronic, and complex illnesses, in adolescents, adults, and the elderly.
• Provide and manage long-term, comprehensive medical care, including diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases, for adult patients in an office or hospital.
• Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
• Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
• Make diagnoses when different illnesses occur together or in situations where the diagnosis may be obscure.
• Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioner when necessary.
• Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

 Investigative

The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.

 Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

 Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

The training pathway to becoming a Radiation Oncologist is initially to qualify as a doctor via medical school, followed by an internship year and then 2 years clinical experience, followed by Higher Specialist Training in Medical or Radiation Oncology.

Medical Oncology is a medical discipline rather than surgical, and focuses on developing expertise in the management of cancer patients.

Radiation Oncologist Doctors are those who treat cancer patients primarily with a treatment known as radiotherapy, which is now one of the most common treatments used for cancer.

Treatment of cancer in oncological interventions can be multi disciplinary including doctors via medical or radiation intervention. Allied to this team will be the nursing care during intervention treatment. 

Postgraduate options: radiotherapy, oncology, radiation therapy, nursing, haematology, translational oncology, magnetic resonance imaging, cancer nursing, specialist nursing, at NFQ level 9. 

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €105k - €250k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
HSE/ SalaryExpert/ Payscale/ Indeed

Last Updated: August, 2024

Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Medical practitioners.

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2024).

The annual average employment growth for medical practitioners was below average over the five-year period, with marginal increases in employment between 2022 and 2023. The share of females in employment was slightly above average as was the number of non-Irish citizens. Employment permits remain a key source of supply of skills for these roles although the number of new permits issued in 2023 was 500 fewer than in 2022; permits were issued across a range of specialities.

The Recruitment Agency Survey identified issues with sourcing psychiatric registrars/consultants, emergency medicine consultants and locum GPs. In particular, issues with attracting GPs have been highlighted with increased training places and the International Medical Graduate (IMG) scheme being used to alleviate some of the shortfall. Overall supply from the third level education system is set to expand by 200 additional places by 2026 (having commenced in 2022). Given the duration of medical training, however, this increased supply is not expected to have an impact on the labour market in the short-to-medium term.

The increasing demand for medical practitioners due to the roll-out of the Sláintecare Action Plan, the ageing population and the continued tackling of lengthy waiting lists will result in shortages for this occupation persisting.

• Irish Medical Council

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