RADIATION SCIENCE: RADIATION THERAPY (R-T)
See College of Science and Allied Health, p. 84.
Professor: Weeks; Lecturers: Saeger (Program Director),
Heinz, Wessels.
(Science and Allied Health)
Pre-professional requirements —
44 credits, including BIO 105*, 312 and 313; CHM 103*,
104; C-S 101*; MTH 151**; PHY 125* or PHY 103* and 104; MTH 205* or 250*; PSY
100*, SOC 110* or SOC 120*.
Professional core requirements —
28 credits, including BIO 306, 432, 433; CST 354;
ECO 471; HED 360; PHY 386; R-T 310, 350, and 390.
(Satisfies college core requirements.)
Clinical internship requirements —
46 credits, including R-T 401, 411, 412, 421, 431,
435, 437, 471, 472, 473, 474,
and 481.
Recommended electives —
CSC 106; MGT 398; PHL 339; SOC 420 and 422.
Note: Retention of good standing in the program
requires that students maintain a grade of “C” or better in all required
courses.
Student Admission and Application:
The number of students admitted to the major is
dependent on the number of clinical internship sites and their student
capacity. Class sizes are approximately 12-15. Admission to the major is on a
competitive basis. Applications are available at the clinical science
department office.
* This course will also
fulfill General Education requirements. May substitute BIO 103 for BIO 105.
** Students whose math
placement exam places them in MTH 207 (Calculus I) are not required to take MTH
151, but are required to take MTH 205 or 250.
1. Students are advised to apply for admission to the
professional program early in the spring prior to desired admission, after
having taken or registered for the pre-professional requirements.
2. Applicants are advised to have a major portion of their
general education requirements met by the time of application as well.
3. Applicants are required to have a minimum cumulative
grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and a grade of “C” or better in all
required courses.
4. Applicants are required to successfully complete 40
hours of observation in a radiation therapy department. Students are encouraged
to plan to visit during summer, semester and spring break times. Some sites may
require that the student have had a set of immunizations prior to the visit to
comply with hospital policy.
5. Applicants are considered without regard to sex, race,
color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, ancestry, age, sexual
orientation, pregnancy, marital or parental status.
6. Applications must be submitted in full by the February
1st deadline to the clinical science office.
Selection process:
A selection committee will be appointed to review
all completed applications, interview all qualified candidates and make
selection decisions. The committee carefully considers each applicant, looking
at academic performance, personal characteristics and experiences that predict
success in the field.
Acceptance is effective at the beginning of the
junior year conditional upon successful completion of courses in progress at
the time of notification of acceptance. Selection is also conditional upon
students’ compliance with state laws for caregivers including submission to a
criminal background check. Students take the professional core courses in La
Crosse.
Students who successfully meet program requirements
in the professional core courses will interview with the clinical internship
sites and upon selection by one of the sites will be placed for the clinical
internship. While student preferences in internship site are taken into
account, students cannot be guaranteed that they will be assigned in accordance
with their choices of clinical site.
R-T 310 Cr.
3
Pathology for Radiation Therapists
This course focuses on the pathophysiologic
disorders that affect healthy systems across the life span. Theories of disease
causation are introduced. Areas of emphasis include cellular and systemic
responses, clinical manifestations and the response of tissue to radiation
damage. Acquired, immune, infectious, carcinogenic and genetic alterations in
body systems are included. Prerequisites: BIO 312, 313 and acceptance into radiation
therapy. The course is open to a limited number of students not in radiation
therapy for whom instructor approval is required in addition to the
prerequisites. Offered Sem. I.
R-T 350 Cr.
3
Patient Care Issues
This course, taught in modules, will prepare
students to work directly with patients in a health care setting. It will cover
such topics as: basic concepts of patient care, assessment, examination and
monitoring of patients, body mechanics and patient handling skills, infection
control, management of medical emergencies and CPR, nutritional counseling,
patient education, pharmacology and legal aspects of health care.
Prerequisites: BIO 312 and 313, R-T 310, and HED 360 or consent of the
instructor. While designed for radiation therapy majors, other allied health
students may benefit from the course. Offered Sem. II.
R-T 390 Cr.
3
Medical Imaging
This course will serve as a “lab” for the Radiation
Physics Course (PHY 386) taught in the previous semester. After learning about
the production and measurement of x-rays for diagnosis and treatment, students
will focus on imaging aspects. Study of the equipment used to produce x-rays
will lead to discussion of machine settings and technical factors involved in
producing good quality radiographs. Students will learn about film types,
characteristics and development as well as other related equipment. Lab time
will be provided in which students will learn by discovery and develop
competency through practice. Lect. 2, Lab. 2. Prerequisites: PHY 386 and admission
to radiation therapy major. Offered Sem. II.
R-T 401 Cr.
3
Introduction to Radiation Therapy
This course, the first in the clinical internship,
will provide the student with an overview of the profession of radiation
therapy and its role in health care delivery and cancer management. Students
will be oriented to the academic and administrative format of the internship
site as well as safety practices of the hospital and radiation therapy
department. The radiation therapy process will be identified and discussed
along with critical steps in treatment procedures. Students will be prepared
for working with patients by learning about charting and documentation as well
as appropriate patient/therapist interactions. Prerequisites: R-T 310 and 350,
acceptance in the major, assignment to a clinical internship site. Offered
summer session.
R-T 411 Cr.
4
Principles and Practice of Radiation Therapy
I
This course, taught during the clinical internship
year, addresses the concepts of cancer treatment, focusing primarily on
radiation therapy. Methods of improving therapeutic advantage are investigated.
Students learn safe and effective use of equipment and accessories along with
the rationale for their clinical application. Technical aspects of treatment
simulation and delivery are developed. Treatment related side effects and their
management and special patient situations are addressed. Prerequisites: R-T
310, 350, 401, and 471, acceptance in the major, and placement in clinical
internship site. Offered Sem. I.
R-T 412 Cr.
4
Principles and Practice of Radiation Therapy
II
This course, taught during the clinical internship,
advances the student’s knowledge of neoplastic disease management. Cancers and
some benign conditions of various body sites are discussed in relation to
natural history, treatment and prognosis. Technical aspects related to
radiation planning and delivery are closely investigated as well as pertinent
anatomical considerations, combination therapy, treatment results and the
therapist’s role in disease management. Lect. 3, Lab. 2. Prerequisites: R-T 411, 421 and 472, and acceptance in the
major, assignment to clinical internship site. Offered
Sem. II.
R-T 421 Cr.
2
Cross-Sectional, Topographic and Radiographic
Anatomy
This course, taught during the clinical internship,
revisits anatomy specifically from an imaging perspective. Students will learn
to identify structures and pathology on x-rays, CT and MRI scans and locate
topographic landmarks on diagnostic and simulation films. Prerequisites: BIO
313, R-T 390 and 401, acceptance in the major, and assignment to clinical
internship site. Offered Sem. I.
R-T 431 Cr.
3
Radiation Therapy Physics
This course, taught during the clinical internship,
expands the student’s understanding of physics related to radiation therapy.
Topics include the components and operation of linear accelerators and other
treatment machines, brachytherapy, specification and modification of beam
quality and characteristics, measurement of absorbed dose, treatment machine
calibration, beam geometry and treatment with particles. Prerequisites: PHY 386
and R-T 401, acceptance in the major, and assignment to a clinical internship
site. Offered Sem. I.
R-T 435 Cr.
3
Dosimetry and Treatment Planning
This course, taught during the clinical internship,
focuses on the characteristics, measurement and manipulation of radiation dose
delivery in treatment. This involves advanced concepts of methods of altering
dose to optimize the effectiveness of the radiation treatment. Treatment planning
for a variety of tumor sites and situations is discussed. Prerequisites: R-T
411, 421, and 431, acceptance in the major, and assignment to clinical
internship site. Offered Sem. II.
R-T 437 Cr.
2
Quality Management in Radiation Therapy
This course, taught during the clinical internship,
focuses on the purpose and techniques of quality management in a radiation
oncology program. The importance of documentation, consistent application of
specified protocols and assessment of outcomes are addressed. The responsibilities
of the radiation therapist within the radiation oncology team for quality
functions are highlighted. Prerequisites: R-T 411 and 431, acceptance in the
major, and assignment to clinical internship site. Offered Sem. II.
R-T 471 Cr.
5
Clinical Practicum I
This course, offered the first summer session of the
clinical internship, will orient students to the clinical operation of the
internship site. Students will observe staff operations in the radiation
therapy clinic, simulation, treatment planning, and treatment delivery areas.
Thirty-six (36) hours of out-of-class activities. Prerequisites: R-T 310, 350,
and 390, acceptance in the major, and assignment to a clinical internship site.
Offered summer session.
R-T 472 Cr.
6
Clinical Practicum II
This course, offered fall semester of the clinical
internship, will progress students’ clinical skills from observation in
simulation, treatment planning and treatment delivery to the point of
participation and development of basic competencies. Thirty-one (31) hours of
out-of-class activities. Prerequisites: R-T 401 and 471, acceptance in the
major, and assignment to a clinical internship site. Offered Sem. I.
R-T 473 Cr.
6
Clinical Practicum III
This course, offered spring semester of the clinical
internship, will offer students the opportunity to continue the process of
developing competence and confidence in the areas of simulation, treatment
planning and treatment delivery. They will demonstrate competence in
intermediate and some advanced procedures. Students will also be given
opportunity to work in dosimetry. Thirty (30) hours of out-of-class activities.
Prerequisites: R-T 411, 421, 431, and 472, acceptance in the major, and
assignment to a clinical internship site. Offered Sem. II.
R-T 474 Cr.
5
Clinical Practicum IV
This course, offered during the final summer session
of the clinical internship, will complete the students clinical education
experience. By the end of this course, students will have developed proficiency
and confidence in areas of simulation, treatment planning and treatment
delivery. They will complete all required competencies. Opportunities to
broaden the experience and work with different equipment, techniques and
advanced procedures will be offered. Thirty-six (36) hours of out-of-class
activities. Prerequisites: R-T 412, 435, 437, and 473, acceptance in the major,
and assignment to a clinical internship site. Offered summer session.
R-T 481 Cr.
3
Seminar in Radiation Therapy
This course, offered during the clinical internship,
is a capstone course in which students present patient case information,
discuss application of radiation science theory, review and critique journal
articles and conduct research. Research methods and statistical analysis will
be reviewed and applied. Prerequisites: R-T 412, 435, and 437, acceptance in
the major, and assignment to clinical internship site. Offered summer session.