Program Chair-Lozano.

Liability Insurance

1. Students who participate in the clinical and internship portions of the Radiation Therapy program are required to purchase liability insurance, or demonstrate proof that they are insured.
2. Students may obtain information on liability insurance from the program office.

Immunization Requirements

It is a policy of the School of Health Professions that each student must provide a Health Report completed by a physician, and must take certain immunizations before the student can be placed in a clinical or internship assignment. Information on these requirements and forms to be supplied may be obtained through the program office.

Radiation Therapy

The radiation therapist is a key member of the professional team which uses various forms of radiation to treat cancer patients. Radiation therapy may be used alone, or in combination with surgery or chemotherapy, and is the treatment of choice for cure of many cancers. Because of sustained contact with patients, the radiation therapist has considerable responsibility in patient care, dietary counseling and treatment evaluation. The radiation therapist must also appreciate the significant psychological impact that cancer has on patients and their families. The program is in the process of obtaining accreditation by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). The program is a two and one-half year program beginning in the junior year, and consisting of a fall, spring, summer, fall and spring semesters. Upon completion of the degree, students are eligible to sit for the national registry examination.

Admission Process

Note: Students who have completed an Associate Degree or Certificate in Radiation Therapy can receive credit toward the Bachelor of Healthcare Administration degree major Healthcare Administration, see page 264 in the catalog.

1. Admission to the university
2. Satisfactory completion of all General Studies requirements and a minimum overall grade point average of 2.50.
3. An application for admission to the radiation therapy program.
4. Three letters of reference and a career goal statement.
5. Interview with admission committee.
6. Deadline for submission of applications is April 1.

Freshman Year
Biology 1420	4
Chemistry 1410	4
Communications 1310	3
English 1310, 1320	6
General Studies 1100	1
Health Professions 3351 or equiv.	3
Health Info Mgt 2360	3
History 1310, 1320	6
Mathematics 1315	3
Philosophy 1305	3
Physics 1410	4
Psychology 1300	3
	43
Sophomore Year
Art, Dance, Music, or Theatre 3313	3
Biology 2430, 2440	8
English Literature*	3
Health Administration 3325, 3327	6
Health Professions 3302 or equiv.	3
International Perspective*	3
Political Science 2310, 2320	6
Phy. Fitness Perspective (2 courses)	2
Modern Language	6-8
	42
Junior Year
Physical Therapy 3610	6
Radiation Therapy 3210, 3301	5
Radiation Therapy 3310, 3315	6
Radiation Therapy 3320	3
Radiation Therapy 3340, 3350	6
	26
Summer between Junior and Senior Years
Radiation Therapy 3321	3
Radiation Therapy 3330	3
	6
Senior Year
Radiation Therapy 4310, 4320	6
Radiation Therapy 4321, 4360	6
Radiation Therapy 4361, 4370	6
Radiation Therapy 4371, 4390	6
	24

NOTE: Any student who graduated from high school after January 1988 and did not complete two years of the same foreign language is required to take 6-8 hours of foreign language.

Courses in Radiation Therapy Technology (RTT)

3210 Patient Care in Radiation Oncology. (2-1) This course will focus on basic nursing concepts involved in providing care for the cancer patient. Topics to be included in the class will be cancer as a chronic health problem, social roles and cancer, multidisciplinary approach to patient care, psychosocial dimension of cancer, intreatment examinations, follow-up examinations, emergency management, chemotherapy and nutritional aspects of treating patients with cancer.

3301 Introduction to Radiation Oncology. (2-2) An overview of radiation oncology and the role of the radiation therapist. Presentations will orient the student to the physical and biological basis of radiation equipment, procedures, tumor pathology, and patient interaction.

3310 Physics of Radiation Therapy I. (3-2) Students will learn the principles of radiation physics as they apply to the treatment and care of the cancer patient. Course will include a thorough review of x-ray production, fundamental principles, concepts and terminology. Topics studied include measurements, general principles, structure of the atom, structure of the matter, electrostatics, magnetism, electrodynamics, electromagnetism, rectification and production and properties of radiation and radiographic techniques.

3315 Radiation Protection. (3-0) This course trains the student in maintaining the lowest radiation dose in all personnel and patients. Students will learn dose limits, regulations, safety procedures, shielding, and testing. They will also learn the protection roles of the radiation oncologist, radiation therapist, radiation safety officer and clinical physicist as they pertain to patients, personnel and the public. Purpose and methods of personnel monitoring and patient monitoring will be reviewed to include types of emergencies that can occur and procedures to be followed.

3320 Directed Clinical Learning I. (0-16) Students will begin to gain skill in clinical procedures, interaction with patients and professional personnel as they apply didactic knowledge to the clinical aspects of radiation therapy and become familiar with various radiation therapy aspects of patient care. All student activity in this activity will be supervised by a registered radiation therapist. Student begins to be tested on basic radiation therapy skills.

3321 Directed Clinical Learning II. (0-16) Students will gain additional skills in clinical procedures, interaction with patients and professional personnel. Applies knowledge from previous clinical learning experience under the supervision of a registered radiation therapist. Students are tested on intermediate clinical radiation therapy skills. Prerequisite: RTT 3320

3330 Quality Assurance. (2-1) Students will study quality assurance tests related to patient charts, treatment accessories, patient communication devices, machine readings and safety devices. Emphasis on quality control procedures to include Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and responsibilities of each team member in relation to quality assurance duties.

3340 Oncologic Pathology. (3-0) This course introduces the concept of disease, histology, types of growth, etiology and biological behavior of neoplastic diseases. Topics: the inflammatory process and clinical patterns, types of edema and etiology hormones related to growth; characteristics of benign and malignant tumors; histological grading; and pathophysiology across the lifespan and associated diseases.

3350 Radiobiology. (3-0) This course will cover the principles of cell response to radiation, including tissue sensitivity, survival, repair and the latent effects of irradiated tissue. Topics to be covered include the development of radiation science, cellular targets for radiation action, target theory, physical/chemical factors affecting radiation response, biological factors, repair and recovery, fractionated doses and dose rate, early/acute effects of whole body exposure, late/chronic effects of whole body exposure, and radiation protection dose guidelines.

4310 Physics of Radiation Therapy II. (3-1) Students will continue to learn the principles of cell response to radiation. Topics covered will include properties of x-ray and gamma radiation, radiation units, x-ray production, photon interactions, beam characteristics, radioactivity, treatment units, and particle irradiation. Prerequisite: RTT 3310

4320 Directed Clinical Learning III. (0-16) Students will improve their skills in clinical procedures, interaction with patients and professional personnel and level of clinical skills assessment testing, as they practice radiation therapy in a supervised setting.

4321 Directed Clinical Learning IV. (0-16) Students will complete their clinical training by practicing all the skills they have learned in the classroom and lab. All patient treatment done in directed clinical learning will be under the supervision of a registered radiation therapist.

4360 Dosimetry I. (3-0) This course will cover the basic concepts in treatment planning and clinical dosimetry. Students will learn to describe isodose curves and their influencing factors, treatment planning using various localization techniques, organs at risk and tolerance doses, arrangements for various multiple beam techniques and single beam therapy including correction techniques. Students will also learn fundamental procedures in dose measurement, verification, and machine calibration.

4361 Dosimetry II. (2-3) Students will learn additional concepts in treatment planning and clinical dosimetry addressed in Dosimetry I. Additional topics presented to the students include purpose, application and dose calculations of wedges, application and isodose distribution of moving beam therapy, irregular field techniques, systems of dose distribution and how to calculate prescribed dose. Prerequisite: RTT 4360.

4370 Clinical Radiation Oncology I. (3-1) Students will receive disease specific instruction which includes regional anatomy and physiology, epidemiologist, etiologies, diagnostic procedures, pathology, staging and methods of radiation therapy as well as other cancer therapy. Disease specific treatment techniques, localization, energy selection, field arrangements, beam accessories and immobilization devices are presented. Students will understand the disease, side effects, and prognosis. Course will include case studies and a research paper.

4371 Clinical Radiation Oncology II. (3-1) Continuation of disease specific instruction addressed in RTT 4370. Students will learn sites where tumors arise, epidemiologies, etiologies, diagnostic procedures, pathology, staging and methods of radiation therapy as well as other cancer therapy. Disease specific treatment techniques, localization, energy selection, field arrangements, beam accessories and immobilization devices are presented. Students will understand the disease side effects, and prognosis. Course will include case studies and a research paper. Prerequisite: RTT 4370.

4390 Analysis of Radiation Oncology. (3-0) Senior Project in radiation oncology. Individual research in radiation oncology. Explore methods of professional development in the field of radiation therapy. Emphasis is placed on emerging trends in the field, including technologic advances, changes in legislation, licensing requirements, and employment options.