¶¶Òõ̽̽ Radiation Therapy students gain skills in radiation safety, patient care and cancer management and treatment using a Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Trainer (VERT) and by working side-by-side with radiation therapists in the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Medical Center on campus.
A semester-long placement in a hospital setting with one of ¶¶Òõ̽̽'s clinical affiliates completes the four-year program.
Program Mission
The mission of ¶¶Òõ̽̽'s Radiation Therapy program is to educate, train, and graduate professionally competent and ethical individuals committed to lifelong learning and who are prepared to meet current and future workplace challenges in radiation therapy.
Student Learning Objectives
Goal one: Graduates will be clinically competent
- Students will demonstrate competency positioning patients for accurate radiation therapy delivery.
- Students will integrate didactic and clinical course work to provide appropriate patient care.
Goal two: Students will exhibit problem solving and critical thinking skills
- Students will demonstrate critical thinking skills in CT simulation in accordance to physician directive and patient needs.
- Students will recognize and address additional patient needs when appropriate in the treatment process.
Goal three: Students will communicate clearly and effectively with faculty, patients, and clinical staff:
- Students will demonstrate effective verbal communication in the clinical setting.
- Students will demonstrate effective written communication.
Major Requirements
Radiation Therapy Student Handbook (PDF) >>
Certification
Program graduates may acquire certification by sitting for an exam with the . The Board of Radiologic Technology governs licensure requirements for the State of Vermont.
The Program publishes annually the Credentialing Examination Pass Rate (ARRT exam), job placement rates, and the Program Completion Rate (PDF).Ìý
¶¶Òõ̽̽ Institutional Accreditation
The University of Vermont is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE; formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, NEASC).Ìý
Radiation Therapy Program Accreditation
The Radiation Therapy Program at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ was re-accredited for 5-years in April 2019 by the Joint Review Commission on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). General program accreditation information and the current accreditation award letter can be found . The next accreditation renewal is tentatively scheduled for April 2024. The JRCERT maintains standards and reviews the program at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ for compliance with these standards. It is the only agency recognized by the United States Department of Education for accreditation of radiation therapy programs. The JRCERT is located at 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL, 60606-3182 or at . The JRCERT can be contacted at (312) 704-5304 or mail@jrcert.org.
¶¶Òõ̽̽ Radiation Therapy students spend their first two semesters applying didactic skills in the clinical setting at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Medical Center’s Cancer Center. Students spend their final semester at a hospital affiliate site working with oncology professionals to design and administer radiation therapy treatment plans and learning to develop relationships with patients of all ages before taking the national registry (licensure) examination. Assignment of affiliate sites is completed through a lottery system. Our clinical affiliate sites are geographically dispersed, and many are more than 60 miles from campus. For the final semester of the radiation therapy program, students will be required to relocate or travel. Radiation Therapy Students are responsible for travel, lodging, all living expenses, and insurance during the off-campus experience. Our clinical affiliate sites are:
- University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT*
- Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY
- Central VT Hospital (National Life Cancer Treatment Center), Berlin, VT
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Hanover, NH
- Northern Light Radiation Oncology (Eastern Maine Medical Center), Brewer, ME
- Elliot Hospital, Manchester, NH
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Rutland Regional Medical Center, Rutland, VT
*students cannot complete their final clinical practicums (RADT 3870, 3880, & 3890) at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Medical Center
How to Apply to the Radiation Therapy Program
All students must apply to ¶¶Òõ̽̽ before acceptance to the Radiation Therapy Program. Radiation Therapy Program capacity is 9 students per cohort, which the JRCERT determines. First-time, first-year students: The ¶¶Òõ̽̽ admissions team reviews and determines all applicants. Transfer students: transfer students must first meet ¶¶Òõ̽̽ admission requirements before the application is reviewed for admission to the Radiation Therapy Program. View the Program admissions process (PDF) >>
