Diagnostic Imaging and Therapy: Radiation Therapy, AS

Information about the Diagnostic Imaging and Therapy Programs  

A Radiation Therapist delivers radiation treatment as prescribed by a physician for the treatment of disease, primarily cancer. The Radiation Therapist will monitor patients’ physical condition and response to treatment. The associate degree program in radiation therapy is based on twenty (20) months of full time study. The curriculum prepared students for employment as entry-level Radiation Therapist in hospitals and cancer centers. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) board examination (Radiation Therapy). For more information, call the Program Director Gina Finn, at (203) 285-2392 or e-mail at (gfinn@gatewayct.edu). Please visit the website for additional information: https://www.gatewayct.edu/Allied-Health/Radiation-Therapy

Program Curriculum:

The structure of the curriculum is such that courses are offered in sequence and progress in complexity. It offers appropriate didactic content and ample supervised clinical education to assure sufficient opportunity to achieve all didactic and clinical requirements established by the ARRT. Clinical education takes place in hospitals and cancer centers. Students will rotate through all clinical settings during the length of the Program. The following clinical sites are: Yale-New Haven Hospital Smilow Cancer Hospital, New Haven, CT; McGivney Cancer Care at Yale-New Haven Hospital Hamden Campus, Hamden, CT; Yale-New Haven Hospital Shoreline Medical Center Guilford, Guilford, CT; Danbury Hospital, Danbury, CT; Bridgeport Hospital-Norma F. Pfriem Cancer Institute, Trumbull, CT; Lawrence and Memorial Hospital, Waterford, CT. Transportation and parking are the student’s responsibility. The following pre-requisites must be completed with a grade of C or higher before applying to the Program:

* BIO* 211 - Anatomy and Physiology I  
* BIO* 212 - Anatomy and Physiology II  (within five years prior to application date)
* PHY* 111 - Physics for the Life Sciences  

* Attendance at one program specific information session within one year of application submission to the department

The Program is accredited by the Board of Governors for Higher Education and the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182, (312)704-5300, www.jrcert.org; mail@jrcert.org.

Mission Statement:

The Radiation Therapy Program at Gateway Community College is committed to educating and preparing competent, entry-level therapists who provide high quality patient care to members of the community. Furthermore, the Program is dedicated to providing tools to support life-long learning.

Program Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will evaluate and assess daily the physiological responsiveness of each patient prior to treatment delivery utilizing effective oral communication.
• Students will evaluate and assess daily the physiological and psychological responsiveness of each patient prior to treatment delivery utilizing effective written communication.

Goal 2.  Students will demonstrate skills in effective critical thinking and problem solving in the principles and practices of Radiation Therapy.

• Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate and assess treatment delivery components to perform proper treatment procedures.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to assess disease specific information and outcomes of the specific cancer.

Goal 3.  Students will achieve personal and professional growth.

• Students will evaluate and assess treatment delivery components within a healthcare team.
• Students will maintain values congruent with the professional code of ethics and scope of practice while adhering to national, institutional and/or departmental standards, policies and procedures regarding treatment delivery and patient care.

Goal 4.  Students will be clinically competent in the practice of Radiation Therapy.

• Students will apply the principles and practices of radiation protection.
• Students will demonstrate basic simulation skills.

Student Program Fees

The student is responsible for all fees associated with the following program requirements:

Textbooks	$1,500
Uniforms	$200
Toxicology Screening	$65
Background Check	$65
Dosimeters	variable
Castle Branch online health management systems	$35
ASRT Membership	variable
Transportation and associated costs	variable
Health care immunizations and titers	variable
BLS or CPR/AED	variable
Liability Insurance	$15

These fees are approximate and subject to change. If a student takes a leave of absence from the program, they will need to cover additional program fees as needed.