Program Details

Radiation therapists deliver prescribed doses of radiation to patients for therapeutic purposes. We train you on the proper procedures with a mix of on-campus courses and clinical education in area hospitals.

All didactic (lecture) and laboratory courses are taught in building 41 on the North Campus in Coconut Creek, Florida. Clinical courses are located in hospitals and Cancer Centers throughout Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Martin Counties. You may have to drive up to one hour from their home to attend clinical courses. You will rotate through three to four different hospitals over the length of the program.

Prerequisite and general education courses (i.e., courses that do not begin with a "RAT" prefix) may be taken at any Broward College campus or online if available.

Job prospects for radiation therapists are projected to increase faster than average over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

See full Career Path for radiation therapists.

Graduates who successfully complete the program are awarded an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree in Radiation Therapy. You would then be eligible to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification examination. If you successfully pass your examination, you will be able to use the title Registered Technologist and its abbreviation R.T. (T). You would also be eligible to become licensed in Florida through the Department of Health, Bureau of Radiation Control.

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Radiation Therapy Specialist Gainful Employment Disclosure

Radiation therapists deliver prescribed doses of ionizing radiation to cancer patients for therapeutic purposes. You will be working alongside radiation oncologists, medical physicists, dosimetrists, and fellow radiation therapists. In addition, you will interact with oncology nurses, social workers, dieticians, and various other hospital personnel.

If you want to be a member of a radiation oncology team, working with advanced radiologic technologies while interacting with people from varied backgrounds, this career could be for you. It requires:

• Problem-solving skills.
• Critical thinking skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Proficiency in identifying anatomical structures.
• A very solid math background.
• Strong comprehension of subatomic particles.
• Adaptable to change at any given moment.
• Demonstration of radiation safety.
• Willingness to physically aid patients in a time of need.

Health Science Admissions Video 

All faculty members are certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Some faculty members hold additional licensing in Radiography and Computed Tomography.

Most faculty members have been employed or are currently working as radiation therapists prior to teaching at Broward College.

Most of our faculty members are alumni of Broward College.

Full-Time Faculty
Dr. Kathy Almquist, DHSc, R.T. (R)(T)(CT), Program Manager

Full-Time Clinical Coordinator
Susan Steely, BHSc., R.T.(T)

Part-Time Adjunt Faculty
Nicole Wellons, R.T.(T)- Clinical Coordinator

Radiation Safety Officer (RSO)
Mayra Hernandez, RT (R)(CT)(N), CNMT

Curriculum Guide and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT) Clinical Competency Requirements.

The program offers a well-structured, competency-based curriculum offered in a sequence to allow students to build on fundamental knowledge in technical and procedural topics. The curriculum was developed and is periodically revised using the ASRT Curriculum Guide and the ARRT Radiation Therapy Didactic and Clinical Competency Requirements. Courses are structured so that students acquire cognitive skills in the didactic portion of the program prior to application in the laboratory and clinical settings.

The program provides a competency-based approach to the development of a student's skills and knowledge of the radiation therapy profession. Didactic instruction is provided followed by laboratory and clinical application. Laboratory and clinical applications involve the exploration of technical and procedural skills. Laboratory assessment involves problem-solving, simulation of procedures, critical thinking, and radiographic image critique.

Required General Education Courses

CHM 1032 Chemistry for Health Sciences
ENC 1101 Composition I
BSC 2085 Anatomy and Physiology I
BSC 2085L Anatomy and Physiology I Lab
MAC 1105 College Algebra, or MGF 1106 Liberal Arts Math, or STA 2023 Statistics
BSC 2086 Anatomy and Physiology II
BSC 2086L Anatomy and Physiology II Lab
SPC 1024 Intro to Speech Communications or SPC 1608 Public Speaking
AMH 2020 History of the United States since 1877 or POS 2041 National Government
Elective Humanities

First Year Term 1
*RAT 1001 Introduction to Radiation Therapy
*RAT 1614 Introduction to Radiation Therapy Physics
*RAT 1210 Introduction to Radiation Therapy Anatomy

First Year Term II
*RAT 1123 Patient Care
*RAT 1123L Patient Care Lab
*RAT 1615 Radiation Therapy Imaging Modalites
*RAT 1212 Radiation Therapy Imaging Anatomy

To enter First Year Term III all required General Education Courses must be completed.

First Year Term III

Session II (6 Weeks)
*RAT 1002 Introduction to Radiation Therapy Clinical Applications
*RAT 1002L Introduction to Radiation Therapy Clinical Applications Lab

Session III (6 Weeks)
*RAT 1804 Clinic Education Clinical I

Second Year Term I
*RAT 2021 Principles of Radiation Therapy I
*RAT 2617 Advanced Physics I
*RAT 2023 Oncology I
*RAT 2243 Radiation Oncology Sectional Anatomy
*RAT 2814 Clinic Education II

Second Year Term II
*RAT 2022 Principles of Radiation Therapy II
*RAT 2024 Oncology II
*RAT 2618 Advanced Physics II
*RAT 2241 Radiobiology
*RAT 2824 Clinic Education III

Second Year Term III
*RAT 2061 Radiation Therapy Seminar
*RAT 2619 Dosimetry and Computer Treatment
*RAT 2834 Clinic Education IV

Total Program Semester Hours: 77

*Requires a pre or co-requisite. Refer to the course descriptions found online at www.broward.edu.

Radiation Therapy Program Manual

Program Effectiveness Data

The following is the most current program effectiveness data. Our programmatic accreditation agency, the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), defines and publishes this information.

Mission Statement of the Program

The College's mission is reflected in the program's mission statement: The Radiation Therapy Program at Broward College seeks to prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to practice as entry-level radiation therapists and to pass the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification examination. The program and faculty endeavor to prepare competent, compassionate, ethical, and culturally sensitive practitioners committed to professional development through life-long learning. Radiation Therapy exists as a technical education program to provide a vital human resource that can meet the health care needs of our community.

Program Goals

Goal #1: Students/Graduates will be competent entry-level radiation therapists.

Students will:

• Demonstrate appropriate treatment setup procedures.
• Practice radiation safety protection.
• Demonstrate all American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT) required patient competencies and simulation procedures.

Goal #2: Students will use critical thinking skills.

Student will:

• Combine didactic and clinical information through patient case studies.
• Recognize inconsistencies in patient set-ups and be able to resolve them.
• Demonstrate reproducible patient treatment positioning.

Goal #3: Students will be able to demonstrate effective communication skills.

Students will:

• Consistently and effectively communicate with patients.
• Effectively articulate didactic knowledge for all patient treatment and simulation competencies.
• Demonstrate effective writing skills.

Goal #4: Students will demonstrate professionalism.

Students will:

• Demonstrate a willingness to seek learning opportunities.
• Be culturally competent.
• Maintain all HIPAA standards.

Philosophic Intent

The Radiation Therapist is an accepted and valued member of the health care team who practices in a multicultural medical environment. The development of competent and compassionate Radiation Therapists requires a quality education founded on a well-rounded professional curriculum that includes cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning outcomes that can be measured by an observable change in behavior. The learning process should provide opportunities for evaluation based on didactic and clinical course objectives as well as, opportunities for ongoing student self-evaluation. In the development of radiation therapy instruction, the varied nature of the student dictates that a multitude of learning styles will be present. We recognize that there will be such differences among learners.

Broward College Radiation Therapy Program

Health Science Admissions
healthscience@broward.edu                                                                         

Health Science Advisor
Marilyn Rule
mrulehei@broward.edu                                                          

Program Director
Dr. Kathy Almquist
kalmquis@broward.edu                                                             

Clinical Coordinator
Susan Steely
ssteely@broward.edu

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