RTT 3010 Introduction to Radiation Therapy — 2 credits

This course is designed to provide the student with a basic overview of radiation therapy and its role in medicine. Students will be oriented to academic and administrative structures, department personnel and physical structure, common medical terminology, hospital and departmental safety procedures, medical law and ethics, and to the profession as a whole. Treatment and simulation equipment and methods, including CT simulation and various imaging technologies will be reviewed and discussed in terms of its application to radiation oncology.
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Radiation Therapy program.

RTT 3015 Principles of Oncology I — 3 credits

The radiation therapist must be knowledgeable in the concepts important to the practice of radiation therapy. These include the cancer process and radiation therapy interventions. This course examines concepts related specifically to cancer treatment with a focus on methods of improving therapeutic advantage. Technical aspects of simulation and treatment delivery are expanded upon. Treatment related side effects as well as issues relative to caring for a patient who has cancer are also addressed.
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Radiation Therapy program.

RTT 3022 Radiation Therapy Physics I — 2 credits

This course will instruct students on the principles of radiation physics and its medical uses. This includes discussion of structure of matter, x-ray production, imaging in radiation therapy, clinical x-ray generators and external beam radiation therapy units, interactions of radiation with matter, measurement and calculation of absorbed dose, dose distribution and scatter analysis, radiation protection/safety and quality assurance. Pertinent mathematics and basic physics will be reviewed.
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Radiation Therapy Program.

RTT 3025 Pathology — 2 credits

This six week course will enhance the student’s knowledge of general immunology and pathology combined with disease concepts, theories of disease causation and system pathophysiologic disorders most frequently encountered in radiation therapy clinical practice.
Prerequisites: RTT 4015, RTT 4025, RTT 4032, RTT 4035, RTT 4044.

RTT 3030 Patient Care in Radiation Oncology — 2 credits

This course provides the student with basic concepts of patient care, including physical and psychological concerns. Vital sign determination, emergency procedures, asepsis, infection control, and tube management will be discussed. Other influencing factors of patient health will be identified. Medical terminology relative to radiation oncology is included as well.
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Radiation Therapy Program.

RTT 3035 Clinical Practicum I — 3 credits

This course provides hands-on training in the clinical aspects of radiation therapy. This includes treatment procedures and the operation of state-of-the-art radiotherapy equipment to deliver radiation safely and accurately. It will begin to develop the student’s skills toward competency as an entry-level radiation therapist. Students are expected to complete a minimum of 12 competencies, showing their proficiency in a variety of clinical experiences provided at each clinical site. While students are expected to understand and be able to perform all steps of each competency, evaluators may offer limited assistance at this early stage of the program, with or without prompting from the student. Students will learn to interact professionally, ethically, and responsibly with staff and patients.
Prerequisite: Admission to the Radiation Therapy program.

RTT 4015 Principles of Oncology II — 3 credits

A radiation therapist must be knowledgeable in the concepts important to the practice of radiation therapy. These include the cancer process and radiation therapy interventions. This course examines concepts related specifically to cancer treatment with a focus on methods of improving therapeutic advantage. Technical aspects of simulation and treatment delivery are expanded upon. Treatment related side effects and management as well as issues relative to caring for a patient who has cancer are also addressed.
Prerequisites: RTT3010, RTT3015, RTT3022, RTT3030, RTT3035, RTT4030.

RTT 4025 Dosimetry and Treatment Planning — 2 credits

This course is designed to instruct students regarding the factors that influence and govern clinical planning of patient radiation treatment. Included are isodose descriptions, patient contouring, dosimetric calculations, compensation and clinical application of treatment beams. Optimal treatment planning is emphasized along with particle beams. Advanced radiation oncology technology processes and procedures are discussed.
Prerequisites: RTT 3010, RTT 3015, RTT 3022, RTT 3030, RTT 3035, RTT 4030.

RTT 4030 Sectional Anatomy — 2 credits

This course is designed to identify the location and unique structures within cross-section anatomical images of each cranial/facial bone, the brain, spinal column, thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities, abdominal aorta and extremities, and correlate them with radiation therapy treatments.
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Radiation Therapy Program.

RTT 4032 Radiation Therapy Physics II — 2 credits

This course will cover different radiation therapy/medical physics applications. This will include ongoing discussion of x-ray production and medical imaging such as CT, PET and MRI. This course will instruct students in the aspects of central axis, 2D and 3D dose distribution. Concepts related to dose calculation and the calibration of megavoltage treatment units will be discussed. Students will learn to apply the principles of physics discussed in their respective programs in the areas of monitor unit calculations and external beam treatment planning, brachytherapy, and special procedures.
Prerequisites: RTT 3010, RTT 3015, RTT 3022, RTT 3030, RTT 3035, RTT 4030
Corequisites: RTT 4015, RTT 4025, RTT 4035, RTT 4044.

RTT 4035 Radiobiology - Protection — 2 credits

This course provides the student with the principle of cellular, tissue, and whole-body response to radiation. Discussion will include how tissue sensitivity and environmental factors influence the response. Principles of radiation protection as it relates to personnel monitoring, occupational exposure, dose limits, and safety in radiation therapy will be discussed.
Prerequisites: RTT3010, RTT 3015, RTT 3022, RTT 3030, RTT 3035, RTT 4030.

RTT 4042 Radiation Therapy Program Review (Topics) — 2 credits

This course is designed to provide a review of all courses taught in the radiation therapy program. Students will participate in a review of radiation therapy material and will be given examinations designed to prepare them for the ARRT national board examination. Students will be given materials and tools to prepare them for their careers. Prerequisite(s): RTT 4015, RTT 4032, RTT 4025, RTT 4030, RTT 4035, RTT 4045
Corequisite: RTT 3025, RTT 4065.

RTT 4043 Clinical Practicum II — 3 credits

This course provides hands-on training in the clinical aspects of radiation therapy. This includes treatment procedures and the operation of state-of-the-art radiotherapy equipment to deliver radiation safely and accurately. It will begin to develop the student’s skills toward competency as an entry-level radiation therapist. Students will learn to interact professionally, ethically, and responsibly with staff and patients. Offered in the College for Adults.
Prerequisites: RTT 3010, RTT 3015, RTT 3022, RTT 3030, RTT 3035.
Prerequisite with concurrency: RTT 3025.

RTT 4044 Clinical Practicum II — 4 credits

This course provides hands-on training in the clinical aspects of radiation therapy. This includes treatment procedures and the operation of state-of-the-art radiotherapy equipment to deliver radiation safely and accurately. It will continue to develop and reinforce the student’s skills toward competency as an entry-level radiation therapist. Students are expected to complete a minimum of 17 competencies (without a dosimetry rotation) or 23 competencies (with a dosimetry rotation), showing their proficiency in a variety of clinical experiences provided at each clinical site. Additionally, students are expected to complete 4 re-competencies, showing mastery of the setup, imaging, and treatment of previously completed competencies. Students are expected to understand and be able to perform all steps of each competency or re-competency, and evaluators are only expected to assist at the student’s request for assistance to maintain efficiency in the set-up process (e.g., placing the electron block in the treatment head). Students are expected to interact professionally, ethically, and responsibly with staff and patients.
Prerequisites: RTT 3010, RTT 3015, RTT 3022, RTT 3030, RTT 3035, RTT 4030.

RTT 4065 Clinical Practicum III — 5 credits

This course provides hands-on training in the clinical aspects of radiation therapy. This includes treatment procedures and the operation of state-of-the-art radiotherapy equipment to deliver radiation safely and accurately. It will continue to develop and reinforce the student’s skills toward competency as an entry-level radiation therapist. Students are expected to complete a minimum of 15 competencies (without a dosimetry rotation) or 21 competencies (with a dosimetry rotation), showing their proficiency in a variety of clinical experiences provided at each clinical site. Additionally, students are expected to complete 6 re-competencies, showing mastery of the setup, imaging, and treatment of previously completed competencies. Students are expected to understand and be able to perform all steps of each competency or re-competency, and evaluators are only expected to assist at the student’s request for assistance to maintain efficiency in the set-up process (e.g., placing the electron block in the treatment head). Students are expected to successfully complete the New Start assignment, showcasing their ability to appropriately educate, set-up, and treat a patient on the patient’s first day of treatment, while answering any questions the patient might have. Students are expected to interact professionally, ethically, and responsibly with staff and patients.
Prerequisites: RTT 4015, RTT 4025, RTT 4032, RTT 4035, RTT 4044.

RTT 4681 Directed Study — 1 credit

Directed study is provided for students whose unusual circumstances prohibit taking a regularly scheduled course but who need the material of that course to satisfy a requirement. Availability of this faculty-directed learning experience depends on faculty time and may be limited in any given term and restricted to certain courses.
Prerequisites: Faculty, department chair and dean approval.