Radiation therapy presents the professional with the unique opportunity to blend the knowledge and skills of patient care, mathematics, medical science, psychology and critical thinking.

Degree and Certificate Offered

The School of Health Sciences offers the following programs in Radiation Therapy:

The programs are administered by:

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Roster of Faculty

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Objectives

The radiation therapist plays an integral role in the cancer management team of radiation oncologists, medical dosimetrists, medical physicists and patient care professionals. Radiation therapy presents the professional with the unique opportunity to blend the knowledge and skills of patient care, mathematics, medical science, psychology and critical thinking in his or her everyday work. The radiation therapist establishes a relationship with the patient over a period of several weeks to several months becoming an important part of the patient's health care experience. This interaction is a source of personal satisfaction and professional pride.

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center - Program in Radiation Therapy is designed to prepare students for a challenging career in cancer treatment through formal education including: human anatomy, physiology, radiation therapy physics, radiation oncology, pathology, radiation biology, treatment planning, medical dosimetry, quality assurance and patient care.

Students in radiation therapy directly apply concepts and theory in a state-of-the-art clinical treatment facility.

Upon completion of formal didactic and clinical education students will have demonstrated the professional skills necessary to plan, deliver and record a prescribed course of radiation therapy and may be eligible for the certification examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).

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Requirements for Admission

Consideration for admission to the Radiation Therapy program is not based on race, religion, national origin, veteran status, sex, age, or disability. Students who have disabilities that require accommodation should discuss these with the program director early in the year. Documentation may be required to verify certain disabilities.

The following are the minimum admission requirements for the program:

Separate application to the program, including submission of official transcripts, three letters of recommendation using the appropriate forms, a personal interview, and a site visit

Required Bachelor of Science courses must be acceptable toward a major in the respective field of study. Survey courses will not fulfill these requirements. Admission is on a competitive basis; meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

Candidates who completed the prerequisite courses 7 or more years before admission must update their academic skills. For specific information, contact the program director.

Minimum grade point average on a 4.0 scale of 2.5 overall and 2.7 in science courses

Texas Success Initiative (TSI) - All applicants must provide proof of successful assessment of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI). Applicants who have graduated with an associate or baccalaureate degree are exempt from TSI. Proof of an applicant's readiness to enroll in college level coursework will be determined by the Registrar's Office based upon review of official transcripts from previously attended institutions.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Applicants from countries where English is not the native language may be required to take the TOEFL. A minimum score of 550 on the paper-based test or 213 on the computer-based version is required.

An early acceptance plan is available to qualified applicants who are seeking a baccalaureate degree. For more information, please see Early Acceptance Track.

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Selection Criteria

Admission is dependent on factors that include:

• Cumulative grade point average

• Science and math grades

• Communication skills

• Personal qualities such as maturity and professional goals

• Completion of an accredited program in Radiologic Technology

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Nonacademic Requirements

In addition to the nonacademic requirements for all students (see Admission policy), students accepted into the Radiation Therapy program must be able to do all of the following:

Reach overhead up to 6 feet off the floor.

Lift 30 pounds of weight (i.e., treatment cones, ancillary aids, blocks for treatment) up and over head level.

Move immobile patients from a stretcher to a treatment or diagnostic table.

Push a standard wheelchair from the waiting area to the treatment room.

Use a computer keyboard and monitor to input clinical data into a treatment console and computers.

Visually monitor patients in dimmed light; visually monitor patients via video monitors during treatment.

Monitor patients via audio monitors during treatment.

Hear various equipment and background sounds during equipment operations.

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International Students

Students who complete all or part of their college coursework outside the United States must submit their transcripts to an accredited U.S. evaluation agency approved by the respective accrediting organizations for course and grade evaluations. International students must meet all requirements listed above. Applicants will be requested to demonstrate written and oral fluency in the English language.

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Advanced Placement

Students accepted into the Radiation Therapy program who feel that they have achieved the objectives of one or more of the program's courses through previous academic work or field experience may receive course credit by achieving a grade of 70 or better on the following:

• All written exams

• All practical exams

• Clinical evaluation assessment

• Evaluation of unknown specimens, where applicable

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Bachelor of Science Requirements

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center offers a one-year (12-month) professional curriculum that is equivalent to the last three semesters in college. Therefore, all Baccalaureate degree applicants must complete a minimum of ninety (90) semester credit hours from a nationally accredited college or university.

Degree-seeking students must meet the following minimum admission requirements:

Complete all required prerequisite courses and an accredited program in Radiologic Sciences with acceptable transfer of credit.

Course	Hours
Biological/Natural Sciences:	12
- Anatomy & Physiology I: required
- Anatomy & Physiology II: recommended
Communication/Humanities:	12
- English Composition	3
- Literature, Humanities or Communications	9
Mathematics (College Algebra or higher)	3
United States History (may include 3 hours of Texas History)	6
Political Science (must include a study of the Texas Constitution)	6
Fine Arts	3
Social Science
- Psychology: recommended	3
Introduction to Radiologic Sciences	3
Physics of Image Production	2
Medical Terminology	1
Principles of Radiographic Exposure	3
Patient Care in Radiologic Sciences	3
Clinical Education in Radiologic Sciences	3 - 18
Up to 6 hours of the above general courses may be obtained from advanced standing examinations such as CLEP or its equivalent.

Apply to the Radiation Therapy Program by April 1.

Demonstrate on a 4.0 scale a minimum grade point average of 2.5 overall and 2.7 in science courses.

Submit all transcripts from each college or university attended.

Submit three completed reference forms provided with application.

Complete a clinical site visit and a personal interview.

Complete the required academic core curriculum for a Baccalaureate degree. All core requirements must be completed prior to completing the radiation therapy program.

Total undergraduate semester credit hours must be equal to 130 before a Bachelor of Science degree is awarded. The number of hours awarded upon completion of the program is 55.

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Certificate Requirements

For the certificate option, students must meet the following minimum admission requirements:

Graduate from an accredited program in Radiologic Sciences.

Complete all required prerequisite courses.

Course	Hours
Introduction to Radiologic Sciences	3
Physics of Image Production	2
Medical Terminology	1
Principles of Radiographic Exposure	3
Patient Care in Radiologic Sciences	3
Clinical Education in Radiologic Sciences	3 - 18

Apply to the Radiation Therapy Program by April 1.

Demonstrate a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5 and a grade point average of 2.7 in science courses on a 4.0 scale.

Submit all transcripts from each college, university, and/or hospital-based program attended.

Submit three completed reference forms provided with application.

Complete a clinical site visit and a personal interview.

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Special Requirements

Students are expected to maintain high academic performance and display appropriate professional and ethical behavior during all phases of their education. Total undergraduate semester credit hours must be equal to 130 before a Bachelor of Science degree is awarded. The number of hours awarded upon the completion of the program is 55.

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Curriculum

The JRCERT accredits the educational program. The curriculum meets or exceeds the curriculum recommendations of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT). Graduates of the Radiation Therapy program may be eligible to take the certification examination in radiation therapy offered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).

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Course Descriptions

HS 4100 Issues in Health Care Ethics (1 semester credit hour)
This course content is designed to establish a foundation and set parameters of professional practice for health care professionals. The emphasis will be on developing the background for the resolution of ethical dilemmas through ethical reasoning, ethical obligations in health professional-patient relationships and just allocation of scarce health care resources.

HS 4101 Diversity and Cultural Competence (1 semester credit hour)
This course content is designed to create an awareness of ethnocentrism and a beginning understanding of cultural similarities and diversity. It provides the student with knowledge of the concepts of cultural relativity, cultural integration, and variation in cultural values, organization and institutions.

RT 4101 Radiation Safety and Protection (1 semester credit hour)
This course requires the student to demonstrate a detailed understanding of atomic structure, types of ionizing radiation, radiation detection devices, units of measurement, personal and public radiation safety practices and dose limitations from brachytherapy sources and external beam radiation devices. The course identifies radiation regulatory and advisory agencies and the specific requirements of each.

RT 4102 Anatomy for Radiation Oncology (1 semester credit hour)
This course presents each student with an anatomical study of the human body in topographical, sagittal, transverse and coronal planes. Anatomic changes in response to disease are discussed.

RT 4104 Aspects of Radiation Oncology (1 semester credit hour)
This course presents the student with psychosocial aspects of oncologic patient care. Topics include: thanatology and bereavement, body image and emotions in illness and treatment, concepts of aging and pain control. Additionally, students are required to identify the role of the health care professional in caring for the palliative patient and to demonstrate appropriate professional skills in communication, resume writing and interviewing.

RT 4200 Orientation to Radiation Oncology (2 semester credit hours)
This course provides the student with an overview of radiation therapy and its role in disease management. The practice standards and code of ethics governing the radiation therapist are presented. Trends in cancer epidemiology and etiology are discussed. Clinical and didactic expectations are identified. Students are required to select a specific radiotherapeutic topic and create a professional paper, poster or presentation.

RT 4203 Oncologic Pathology (2 semester credit hours)
This course presents concepts underlying various pathological processes within the human body, focusing on the development of benign and malignant neoplasms. Topics include the pathogenesis of disease, mechanisms of development, inflammation, immunopathology and genetic development of neoplasms. Students are required to describe cellular differentiation as it relates to tumor stage and grade.

RT 4205 Patient Care for Radiation Oncology (2 semester credit hours)
The focus of this course is providing the student with advanced skills in oncologic patient care and assessment. Students are required to demonstrate, under varying patient conditions, physical and psychological assessment, cause and effect of clinical laboratory values, management of oncologic emergencies and treatment regimes of radiation-induced site-specific treatment side effects.

RT 4206 Technical Radiation Oncology (2 semester credit hours)
Students master basic concepts of radiation therapy and the technical aspects of radiation oncology, including: custom block, mold and immobilization fabrication, B-mode acquisition and targeting, intensity modulated radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, intraoperative radiotherapy and brachytherapy. Principles of surgery and chemotherapy are presented.

RT 4207 Radiation Therapy Physics I (2 semester credit hours)
This course reviews atomic structure, interactions with matter and inverse square law. A detailed study is presented of the operation and function of radiotherapeutic equipment to include linear accelerators, cobalt units, superficial and orthovoltage units. Students are required to identify equipment faults and the appropriate responses to clearing faults. Equivalent Square and interpolation of data are introduced.

RT 4208 Simulation Techniques in Radiation Therapy I (2 semester credit hours)
This course prepares the student for routine simulation procedures in radiation oncology. Students are required to participate in treatment- and simulation-specific lectures and hands-on practice.

RT 4210 Radiation Biology (2 semester credit hours)
This course presents the students with cellular, subcellular and tissue biology. The course requires the students to discriminate between types of cellular damage caused by ionizing radiation. Additionally, students are exposed to proliferation kinetics, fractionated radiotherapy, acute and chronic effects of radiation on human cells and body systems, principles of linear energy transfer and relative biologic effectiveness and the impact of radiosensitizers and radioprotectors on patient treatment. Prerequisite: RT 4203

RT 4211 Clinical Radiation Oncology I (2 semester credit hours)
This course presents an in-depth study of multidisciplinary treatment of the cancer patient from the clinician's viewpoint. Students are required to master concepts specific to site-specific disease including: histopathology, etiologic and epidemiology factors, detection and diagnosis, tumor stage and grade, routes of metastases, dose fractionation and prognostic factors. This course is designed to approach each cancer type by anatomic system addressing treatment factors with increasing degrees of complexity. Prerequisite: RT 4203

RT 4212 Simulation Techniques in Radiation Therapy II (2 semester credit hours)
Continued preparation in complex radiation therapy simulation techniques. Prerequisite: RT 4208

RT 4214 Radiation Therapy Physics II (2 semester credit hours)
Building upon the concepts presented in RT 4207, this course focuses on the acquisition of radiation beam data and parameters required in accurate dose calculation. The effects of wedges, blocking, filters and beam configuration are discussed. Students are required to appropriate parameters in demonstrating accurate dose calculations for various beam configurations. Prerequisite: RT 4207

RT 4216 Quality Management in Radiation Therapy (2 semester credit hours)
This course is an in-depth study of quality management and quality assurance components in radiation oncology. Students are required to demonstrate the knowledge and skills to develop a quality management program that includes: allocation of human and physical resources; quality assurance and acceptance testing of linear accelerators, simulators and brachytherapy sources; patient and personnel protection policies; and patient and professional satisfaction. Data collection and analysis of quality indicators are required. Prerequisite: RT 4214

RT 4217 Clinical Physics (2 semester credit hours)
This course stresses the application of brachytherapy calculative techniques, evaluation of distributions to calculate implant duration, analysis of emerging technology and terminology as they relate to current practice, comparing and contrasting hand calculations and combinations to computer output, and applying formula calculations to advanced and complex treatment problems. Prerequisite: RT 4815

RT 4222 Clinical Radiation Oncology II (2 semester credit hours)
Continuation of RT 4211. Prerequisite: RT 4211

RT 4413 Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning (4 semester credit hours)
This course builds upon RT 4214. Specific disease and site-specific concepts of treatment planning and medical dosimetry are presented. Students demonstrate their understanding of external photon and electron beam treatment planning in the production and analysis of treatment plans for head and neck, central nervous system, thoracic, breast, abdominal and pelvic tumors. Prerequisite: RT 4214

RT 4518 Clinical Education III (5 semester credit hours)
Continuation of RT 4815 with final demonstration of competency in all areas of treatment planning, delivery and patient care. Prerequisite: RT 4815

RT 4709 Clinical Education I (7 semester credit hours)
This course provides supervised clinical education in which students are required to demonstrate ARRT competency in treatment planning and delivery, quality assurance, patient care, block and mold fabrication, brachytherapy procedures along with advanced programmatic competencies and professional growth. Students are assigned a mentor for the development of a master-apprentice relationship.

RT 4815 Clinical Education II (8 semester credit hours)
Continuation of RT 4709. Prerequisite: RT 4709

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