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Radiation Therapy

General Information

Delgado Community College is an open admissions college; however acceptance into the Program is by selection. The Admissions Committee for the Program reviews and evaluates each application on an impartial basis. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission into the Program. Application information, including instructions, checklist, and forms, can be found online on the program admissions page. 

For transcript evaluation and advising, please contact Mrs. Bianca Davis, Building 4, Room 308, 504-671-6203 or email bdavis@dcc.edu

Program information sessions are held routinely and registration details are published on the college home page under “Events”.  Link to the college home page:  https://www.dcc.edu/  Radiation Therapy faculty also participate in the Radiologic Technology Tuesdays on the City Park campus. 

Please contact Program Director, Robin Wegener, at 504-671-6230 or rwegen@dcc.edu for more program information.

To be eligible to apply for admission to the Radiation Therapy program candidates must:

  1. Document observation hours in radiation therapy. (minimum 40 hours recommended) If you are not a radiologic technologist, observation in radiography is also suggested.
  2. Be an associate degree graduate of an accredited allied health occupation program such as radiologic technology, respiratory care, etc. OR
  3. Have at least 60 credit hours of previous college coursework.
  4. All applicants must have completed all required prerequisite courses (For more information, see the FAQ page).

The duration of this program is 16 months.

For more information about the program, including a list of required courses and course sequence, visit the program's academic catalog page.

Program Mission
The mission of the Delgado Community College Radiation Therapy Technology Program (RATH) is to provide students with both academic and clinical instruction which will prepare them to function safely as competent, compassionate, entry-level radiation therapists who respond professionally and ethically to patients and other team members of the radiation oncology facility and healthcare community.

Program Goals
To uphold the mission, the following goals have been set to prepare graduates to apply for the certification examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) in Therapy:

Students will be clinically competent.

Students will demonstrate communication skills.

Students will develop critical thinking skills.

Students will model professionalism.

Student Learning Outcomes

The following Student Learning Outcomes will validate achievement of the program goals:

1. Students will be clinically competent.       

  • The student will demonstrate safe and accurate equipment operation in simulation and on the treatment unit.
  • The student will verify understanding of simulation and treatment unit procedures.
  • The student will exhibit knowledge of basic patient care.
  • The student will perform basic treatment plans and calculations.

 2. Students will demonstrate communication skills.

  • The student will successfully demonstrate effective communication skills in the clinical setting.
  • The student will demonstrate satisfactory oral communication.
  • The student will practice effective written communication skills.

 3. Students will develop critical thinking skills.

  • The student will study documented radiation treatment errors to assist in development of problem-solving and 
    critical thinking skills.
  • The student will demonstrate accuracy of locating and setting treatment unit parameters documented in the treatment    prescription.
  • The student will use critical thinking & problem solving skills in clinical situations.

 4. Students will model professionalism.

  • The student will demonstrate professionalism in the clinical setting.
  • The student will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of professional development and lifelong learning.

Program Description

Radiation therapists are radiologic technologists who administer highly focused forms of radiation to treat cancer and other diseases. As part of the radiation oncology team, radiation therapists work with radiation oncologists, medical physicists, medical dosimetrists, and nurses, all responsible for treating many types of cancer.

Radiologic technologists are the medical personnel who perform diagnostic imaging examinations and administer radiation therapy treatments. Radiologic technologists who perform imaging examinations are responsible for accurately positioning patients and ensuring that a quality diagnostic image is produced. Digitally reconstructed radiographic images are used to plan radiation therapy treatment and verify the patient position prior to treatment. Radiation therapy applicants are encouraged to examine the various radiologic and imaging sciences described on the American Society of Radiologic Technologists website.

The Radiation Therapy Technology Program prepares graduates to work in the field of Radiation Oncology. Radiation therapists are responsible for providing cancer patients with appropriate treatment and patient care throughout all stages of their illness. With additional training and/or advanced degrees, a therapist has career opportunities in a variety of areas such as medical physics, dosimetry, and management. Opportunities also exist in the field of training and sales for major vendors of radiation therapy equipment.

Our program is the only one within the states of Louisiana and Mississippi and offers Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Training (VERT).

Accreditation

The Delgado Community College Radiation Therapy program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. 

JRCERT
20 N Wacker Drive, Suite 2850
Chicago IL  60608-3182
Phone: (312) 704-5300
mail@jrcert.org

The program’s current award is for 8 years (2022-2030). General program accreditation information and the current accreditation award letter can be found here:  https://www.jrcert.org/programs/delgado-community-college-2/

Program Effectiveness Data (2019-2023)

The Delgado Community College Radiation Therapy Program reports the following Program Effectiveness Data as of October 2024. This information will be available for all programs accredited by the JRCERT at the organization's website.

view the report