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Students must participate in the Program 40 hours per week, M - F. Clinical hours account for approx. 1550 hrs. Didactic hours account for approx. 1000 hrs. The first semester of the didactic schedule will include 3 class days per week, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 8:00 - 4:30 . Tuesdays and Thursdays are full, 8 hr. clinic days. Scheduled clinic hours depend on the clinical site and the needs for clinical instruction. Clinic and didactic hours should not exceed 8 hrs. per day. 30 minutes for lunch is allotted during clinic days. 30 mins.-1 hour for lunch during class days. The second and third semester class days will be two per week, with 3 full clinic days. During the fourth semester, classes will be one full day per week, with 4 clinic days. All classes are held at the University of Virginia Medical Center.
Didactic Course Sequence
Didactic Faculty include the Program Director, UVAHS Medical Physicists, UVAHS Radiation Oncology Nursing Staff, UVAHS Radiation Oncology Physicians and Residents, UVAHS Medical Dosimetrists, and registered Radiation Therapists. Guest lecturers from other UVAHS Clinical Departments, as well as visiting professors from other institutions make for a well-rounded education. Students may attend tumor boards, chart-rounds and in-services depending on the assigned clinical site. Field trips for observation at other clinical sites of interest may be scheduled.
Fall (Aug. - Dec.)
1st Semester, 17 weeks (22 credit hrs.)
- RT 200 Intro to Radiation Therapy & Simulation Procedures
(3 hrs/wk.) (3 cred. hrs.)
- RT 201 Cross-Sectional Anatomy
(3 hrs/wk.) (3 cred. hrs.)
- RT 202 Radiation Safety & Protection
(3 hrs/wk) (3 cred. hrs.)
- RT 204 Clinical Oncology I
(3 hrs/wk) (3 cred. hrs.)
- RT 205 Patient Care & Management
(3 hrs/wk) (3 cred. hrs)
- RT 206 Radiation Therapy Physics I
(4.5 hrs. per week) (4 cred. hrs.)
- RT 208 Clinical Education I
(16 hrs/wk) (3 cred. hrs.)
Winter (Jan. - April )
2nd Semester 16 weeks (15 credit hrs.)
- RT 301 Radiobiology
(2 hrs/wk) (2 cred. hrs.)
- RT 302 Psychology of the Cancer Patient
(2 hrs/wk) (2 cred. hrs.)
- RT 303 Treatment Planning I
(2hrs/wk) (2 cred. hrs.)
- RT 304 Clinical Oncology II
(2 hrs/wk) (2 cred. hrs.)
- RT 306 Radiation Therapy Physics II
(3 hrs/wk) (3 cred. hrs.)
- RT 308 Clinical Education II
(24 hrs/wk) (4 cred. hrs.)
Spring/Summer (April - Aug)
3rd Semester 16 weeks (19 credit hrs.)
- RT 307 Brachytherapy
(2 hrs/wk) (2 cred. hrs.)
- RT 309 Research
(3 hrs/wk & independent study) (3 cred. hrs)
- RT 310 Quality Management & Lab
(3 hrs/wk) (3 cred. hrs.)
- RT 311 Case Presentations
(4 hrs/wk) (4 cred. hrs.)
- RT 312 Treatment Planning II
(3 hrs/wk) (3 cred. hrs.)
- RT 313 Clinical Education III
(24 hrs/wk) (4 cred. hrs.)
Fall (Aug. - Nov.)
4th Semester 12 weeks (12 credit hrs.)
- RT 315 Research and Presentation
(1 hr/wk) (1 cred. hr.)
- RT 320 Review Classes
(4 hrs/wk) (3 cred. hrs.)
- RT 321 Professional Preparation
(2 hrs/wk) (2 cred. hrs.)
- RT 323 Clinical Education IV
(32 hrs/wk) (5 cred. hrs.)
Total credit hours = 67
Final Comprehensive Exam - Mid-Oct. (4th semester) (3 hrs)
Graduation - 2nd week of November
Clinical Education Sequence
Clinical rotations will include time spent on a variety of Treatment Units (5 rotations), Simulators (Conventional and/or CT Sim & Mold Room) (3 rotations), Nursing (2 weeks), and Dosimetry (5 weeks).
Clinical rotations begin the second week of the Program:
- 1st semester - RT 208 - two 8-week rotations (1 linac, 1 simulator)
- 2nd semester - RT 308 - two 8-week rotations (1 linac, 1 simulator)
- 3rd semester - RT 313 - one 2-week rotation (Nursing), one 8-week rotation (linac), one 6-week rotation (simulator)
- 4th semester - RT 323 - one 4-week rotation (Dosimetry), one 4-week rotation (linac), one 3-week rotation (Tomotherapy)
JRCERT recognized Clinical Education sites include:
- University of Virginia Medical Center (Charlottesville)
- UVAHS Moser Radiation Therapy Center (Charlottesville)
- Mary Washington Hospital, Cancer Center of Virginia (Fredericksburg)
- Rockingham Memorial Hospital (Harrisonburg)
- Augusta Medical Center (Fishersville)
Each site has a designated Clinical Supervisor (CS) responsible for students when they are assigned there. Students may not be assigned to every site, but a minimum of three different sites is required. Students will not be allowed to complete all of their clinical rotations at only one site.
Clinical Evaluation & Competencies: Each student will be evaluated on performance and progress by the staff therapists they are assigned to at least twice during the 6-8 week rotation, and once during a 2-5 week rotation.The student will be tested orally by the CS or Program Director at the end of the rotation on the objectives, machine warm-up, QA, etc. Students are required to successfully complete a minimum of 43 clinical competencies (ARRT mandated) in order to graduate. The registered staff therapist you are working with will be responsible for assessing/evaluating and documenting your competencies.
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