Start Date& Program Length:
The Radiation Therapy Program begins in mid August to late August each year. It concludes in early August of the second year of study. The program is therefore, 24 months in length, exclusive of prerequisite courses. The total number of program credits is 77.
Number of Seats:
Approximately 15 students are accepted into the program each year.
Time Commitment & Hours:
The Radiation Therapy Program is a full-time commitment. It cannot be taken part-time. It is primarily a daytime program with hours varying the first year between 9AM – 5PM, Monday through Friday. The first summer will involve a clinical course of 24 hours, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM This is a six week session meeting on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
The second year a typical semester involves 3 days of clinic attendance & 2 days of classes The hours for clinics vary between 7:30AM -5:00 PM and the course varies from 9:00 AM – 7:00 AM. All clinical rotations are Monday through Friday. You will be off from the clinics during spring break, semester breaks and Official School Holidays
Methods of Instruction & Locations:
The Radiation Therapy Program consists of on-campus courses, & clinical education in area hospitals. All didactic (i.e., lecture) and laboratory courses are taught in building 41 on the North Campus in Coconut Creek, Florida. Clinical courses are located in hospitals throughout Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Students may have to drive up to one hour from their home to attend clinical courses. Students will rotate through 3-4 different hospitals over the length of the program. Prerequisite and general education courses (i.e., courses that do not begin with an "RAT" prefix) may be taken at any Broward College campus or online if available.
Degree & Certification/Licensure:
Graduates who successfully complete the program are awarded an Associate in Science (.A.S.) degree in Radiation Therapy. Graduates are eligible to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification examination. Individuals who successfully pass their examination receive a certificate that confers upon its holder the right to use the title Registered Technologist and its abbreviation R.T. (T). Program graduates are also eligible to become licensed in Florida through the Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control.
Accreditation:
The Radiation Therapy Program maintains regional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
Curriculum:
As a blueprint, the program follows the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) Radiation Therapy Curriculum. The ASRT is the organization that establishes standards of practice for the profession and writes curricula used by educational programs in the United States.
Courses:
Each semester students will have at least 1-2 didactic courses, and 1 laboratory courses, during their first year. And each semester of the second year students will have 4 didactic courses. Didactic (i.e., lecture) courses given on campus meets on campus meets 1 -2 times per week for 1-3 hours, depending on the number of credits. Laboratory courses meet on campus once per week for 2-3 hours. During the first Summer, clinical courses meet 3 days per week. For a six week session. During the second year clinical courses run three times per week for 8 hours in the Fall and Winter semesters and for 5 days per week (32 hours) the second summer for a 12 week session.
A full listing of all the courses required for the Radiation therapy Program can be found in the Programs of Study section of the Online College Catalog. Detailed course descriptions can be found in the Course Information section of the Catalog.
