Program Director: Cartright
Medical Director: Spencer
Faculty: Cartright, Glasscock
The UAB Radiation Therapy Program is being discontinued. The last cohort of students will be admitted to the program in Fall 2009. Please contact SHP Student Services at (205) 934-4194 for advising to determine eligibility for admission in Fall 2009 or to discuss alternative majors.
The radiation therapist is a vital member of the health care team who most often works in a radiation therapy department of a hospital or outpatient health care facility. Working under the direction of an oncologist, the radiation therapist is responsible for treating patients with malignant diseases using ionizing radiation. The therapist, interacting regularly with cancer patients, faces special demands and daily challenges. Graduates are employed in hospitals, private radiation oncology centers, research, industry, education, and management.
Accreditation: The program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182, telephone: 312-704-5300).
Credentials Conferred: Diploma—The Bachelor of Science degree is awarded by the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Professional Certification: Graduates are eligible to apply for the certification examination in radiation therapy administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
Length of Study: Preprofessional Phase—Five to six semesters (approximately two and one-half to three years); Professional Phase in SHP—Four semesters (approximately one and one-half years).
Term of Enrollment for Professional Phase of Program: All students begin the progessional phase in the fall semester.
Professional Phase Application Deadline: Completed applications received by March 1 preceding the term in which admission for the professional phase of the program is desired are given first priority. Applications received after that date will be considered on a space-available basis.
Application Procedure: The following materials must be submitted.
To the UAB Undergraduate Admissions Office:
- completed UAB undergraduate application form, indicating pre-radiation therapy as the major, and application fee, if applicable (if enrolled at UAB in another major, complete a Change of School/Major Request indicating pre-radiation therapy as the major; form available from the Office of Registration and Academic Records), and
- official transcripts from each college or university attended.
To the Radiation Therapy Program, School of Health Professions:
- completed application to the professional phase of the Radiation Therapy Program (form available from the program office or online).
- three letters of reference,
- current transcript,
- essay.
Requirements for Admission: Applicants must satisfy the following requirements:
- have completed 60 semester hours of prerequisite coursework with an emphasis in science and mathematics,
- submit documentation of sixteen hours of observation in a variety of cancer centers,
- complete an interview with the selection committee,
- have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.7 (A=4.0)
- have a minimum grade of C in each prerequisite and previous professional coursework to be transferable,1 and
- if accepted, complete the UAB medical history questionnaire and physical, provide proof of required immunizations and CPR training, receive satisfactory screening by the UAB Medical Center Student Health Service, and be willing to complete a state and federal background check.
1Transcripts will be evaluated individually for transfer credit. Graduates of accredited hospital-based programs who are certified as required may petition for academic credit by portfolio.
Essential Requirements: Fundamental tasks, behaviors, and abilities necessary to successfully complete the academic and clinical requirements of the program and to satisfy licensure/certification requirements, if any, have been outlined and are available upon request from the academic program office. Students requesting disability accommodations must do so by filing a disability accommodation request in writing with the Disability Support Services Office.
UAB/Program Core Curriculum - UAB Equivalents
(Course requirements are listed in semester credit hours)
The following courses must be completed prior to the beginning of the professional phase of the program. Contact the program advisor for details regarding the core curriculum.
Area I. Written Composition (6 hours)
English Composition - EH 101, 102 (6)
Area II. Humanities and Fine Arts (12 hours)
Literature
4 (3)
Fine Arts elective (3)
Electives
4 (Foreign language and CM101: speech recommended)(6)
Area III. Natural Sciences and Mathematics (11 hours)
Precalculus Trigonometry - MA 106 (3)
2
3 semester sequence of College Physics - PH 201/202 (8)
Area IV. History, Social, and Behavioral Sciences (12 hours)
Introduction to Psychology - PY 101 (3)
History
4 (3)
Electives
4 (Psychology, Sociology recommended) (6)
Area V. Preprofessional, Major, and Elective Courses
Pathophysiology (BY 216) (3)
Human Anatomy and Human Physiology - BY115, 116 (8)
Introductory Chemistry (CH 105/106, 107/108) (8)
Statistics - MA 180 (3)
Medical Terminology - AHS 350 (3)
3Required for both Radiographers and nonradiographers.
4A 6-semester hour sequence either in literature or in history is required. If a second literature is chosen, it will apply as 3 of the elective hours in Area II Humanities and Fine Arts; if a second history is chosen, it will apply as 3 of the elective hours in Area IV History, Social, and Behavioral Sciences.
Typical Program
Professional Phase
(Course requirements are listed in semester credit hours)
Fall 16 hours
AHS 302 Principles of Mgt in Healthcare (online) (3)
AHS 330 Health Care Systems (online) (3)
NMT 410 Medical Radiation Physics (4)
RTT 300 Imaging for the Radiation Therapist (2)
RTT 301 Introduction to Radiation Therapy (2)
RTT 401 Patient Care (non-radiographers only) (3)
RTT 350 Clinical Education I (1)
Spring 16 hours
AHS 318 Law for Health Care Professional (online) (3)
AHS 460 Research Methods (online) (3)
RTT 330 Radiation Therapy Physics (3)
RTT 345 Radiation Oncology I/seminar (online) (3)
RTT 405 Applications Radiation Protection & Biology (1)
RTT 406 Radiation Protection and Biology (3)
RTT 351 Clinical Education II (1)
Summer 16 hours
RTT 302 Simulator Applications (3)
RTT 402 Cross-sectional Anatomy (3)
RTT 410 Treatment Planning (3)
RTT 440 Radiation Oncology II/seminar (online) (3)
RTT 492 QA Management (online) (2)
RTT 450 Clinical Education III (2)
Fall 12 hours
RTT 403 Computed Tomography (online) (3)
RTT 451 Clinical Education IV (7)
RTT 497 Emerging Technologies (online) (2)
Spring 15 hours
RTT 452 Clinical Education V (10)
RTT 477 Registry Review (2) online
RTT 478 Correlative Imaging (online) (3)
For further information, contact:
Program Director
Radiation Therapy Program—B.S. in Radiologic Sciences
School of Health Professions Building
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama 35294-1270
Telephone: (205) 934-3443
E-mail:
bsrtt@uab.edu
Web address: www.uab.edu/rtt