Rad Sci Radiation Therapy (RST)

A comprehensive overview of the patient receiving radiation therapy and other oncology care. The course is designed to provide a foundation for patient assessment, physical needs, psychological needs, diagnosis and treatment modalities, and factors impacting treatment. This is a hybrid course which consists of a face to-face and online component.

This course is designed specifically for the Medical Dosimetry and Radiation Therapy student. It is customized to focus on structures that are vitally important to identify in the field of Radiation Oncology. This course is designed to introduce the student to human gross anatomy as seen in the axial, sagittal and coronal planes. Correlations with CT, MRI and ultrasound will be presented as well as some clinical correlations. Anatomic regions studied in this course will include: an introduction into the historical development of CT, structures in the pelvic, abdominal and thoracic regions.

"This course is designed specifically for the Medical Dosimetry and Radiation Therapy student. It is customized to focus on structures that are vitally important to identify in the field of Radiation Oncology. This course is designed to introduce the student to human gross anatomy as seen in the axial, sagittal and coronal planes. Correlations with CT, MRI and ultrasound will be presented as well as some clinical correlations. Additionally, VERT will be used to complement the information presented. Anatomic regions studied in this course will include: bones of the entire skeleton, and structures of the following areas: brain, head and neck, and thorax. Prerequisite: RST 401 "

Content is designed to provide an overview of cancer and the specialty of Radiation Therapy. The medical, biological and pathological aspect as well as the physical and technical aspects will be discussed. This course also introduces the multi-disciplinary approach to oncology and develops related topics such as: pathology, cancer growth and sampling, tumor response, blood counts and values, critical organs and reactions. It also describes the patient process in treatment planning emphasizing therapists’ responsibilities in simulation and daily treatment delivery. It includes topics such as: documentation, positioning, beam divergence and magnification, treatment modalities, etc. Also, this course may use a laboratory format in order to demonstrate basic principles associated with the delivery of basic treatments.

Course is designed to provide the radiation therapy student with a foundation of the technical aspects of radiation therapy.  The course is designed to complement and enhance the student’s clinical radiation therapy experience.  The use of virtual reality labs as well as labs held in the radiation oncology clinic are utilized to achieve the objectives of the course.

Clinical Radiation Therapy I is the introduction to the clinical education experience. Students begin to develop basic skills under the direct supervision of a registered radiation therapist. Students are expected complete basic competencies in patient care, treatments, and simulations. This course supplements RST 409 Principles and Procedures of Radiation Therapy I. Together the courses represent a combination of lecture material, text readings, clinical experience and labs. Through these different approaches, a variety of learning experiences are provided to facilitate the required clinical education for the program.

"Clinical Radiation Therapy II is a continuation of RST 412, Clinical Radiation Therapy I. There is an added emphasis on image guidance during this experience. There is also an increased number of required competencies. This clinical experience is intended to supplement RST 419. Prerequisite: RST 412 "

"Clinical Practicum III is a continuation of the clinical experience in which students continue to develop basic competencies under the direct supervision of a registered radiation therapist. Students are expected to exhibit the skills of an entry level radiation therapist at the end of this course. Prerequisite: RST 413 "

"The purpose of the course is to expose the oncology student to important topics in radiation oncology. Specifically this course will focus on the following two topics: Research and issues of safety and quality assurance Prerequisites: RST 435, RST 401, and RST 412"

This course is designed to present the fundamentals of dose calculations and treatment planning for the delivery of therapeutic doses of radiation. The course covers basic calculations in detail including beam modifying devices. This course is intended to provide a basic foundation to supplement the treatment planning rotation in the clinic.

"Content is designed to examine and evaluate the management of neoplastic disease and other disorders of body systems with an emphasis on current standard radiation therapy techniques utilized for different forms of cancer. The epidemiology, etiology, detection, diagnosis, patient condition, treatment and prognosis of neoplastic disease will be presented, discussed, and evaluated in relationship to histology, anatomical site and patterns of spread. The radiation therapist’s role in the management and care of the cancer patient will also be examined. This is a hybrid course. Prerequisite: RST 409 "

"Content is designed as a continuation of Principles and Procedures II. The purpose is to further examine and evaluate the management of neoplastic diseases—specifically skin cancer, lymphoma, bone, cartilage & soft tissue sarcomas and pediatric solid tumors. The epidemiology, etiology, detection, diagnosis, patient condition, treatment and prognosis of neoplastic disease will be presented, discussed and evaluated in relationship to histology, anatomical site and patterns of spread. Additionally, this course will examine the common patho-physiology of these body systems. Rare types of cancers and benign conditions will also be examined. The radiation therapist’s role in the management of neoplastic disease will be examined and linked to the skills required to analyze complex issues and make informed decisions while appreciating the character of the profession. Issues relating to billing and special procedures will be studied. Prerequisite: RST 419 "

This course is designed to establish a basic knowledge of physics pertinent to developing an understanding of radiation used in the clinical environment. Fundamental physics units, measurements, principles, anatomic structure and types of radiation are emphasized. Also presented are the fundamentals of x-ray generating equipment, x-ray production and its interaction with matter.

"This course is designed to expand concepts and theories in radiation physics. The first part of this course is concentrated on the basic photon and electron dosimetry and MU calculation. The second part is concentrated on some special topics in the area of radiation therapy as well as the quality assurance (QA) program used in radiation oncology facilities. A QA program is essential to maintain the quality of patient care. Topics will include: the need for QA checks, the types of evaluation and test performed in radiation therapy equipment such as simulators, treatment planning systems, and linacs, the role of the radiation therapist in the quality management process, legal and regulatory implications for maintaining appropriate QA guidelines. Prerequisite: RST 435"

Presents basic principles of radiation protection and safety for patients, staff, and members of the general public, in the radiation therapy environment. Discusses relevant radiation safety requirements or recommendations of federal and state regulatory agencies, accreditation agencies and healthcare organizations. Radiation detection and measurement instrumentation and methods, as well as personnel monitoring, is also presented.

This course will present concepts, theories, and principles of modern radiation biology. The physical properties of radiation and how radiation interacts with biological matter will be discussed. The effects of radiation on DNA, cells, and individuals, as well as the concepts and practice of clinical radiation therapy will be examined in detail. Specific topics will include human cellular biology; molecular and cellular radiobiology, including early and late effects, cellular survival curves, and factors affecting cellular radiosensitivity; establishing risk estimates; and regulations pertaining to current radiation protection practices. This is a hybrid course which consists of a face-to-face and online component.

Content of this course is designed to be used as a review seminar in preparation for the ARRT certification exam. Information concerning principles and practices of radiation therapy, principles of radiation and health safety, clinical planning of patient treatment with ionizing radiation, theories of disease causation, concepts of patient assessment and evaluation and radiation interactions with cells, tissues and biophysical events will be presented.

A research project taught in an independent study manner. Students will produce a written literature review paper and present research projects on Radiation Therapy topics agreed to by the instructor.