Kevin Jobe, Radiation Therapy Program

About the Radiation Therapy Profession

Radiation therapy (or radiation oncology) is the medical use of ionizing radiation to treat cancer and control malignant cell growth.  Radiation therapy is commonly combined with other modes of treatment for cancer, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.  Radiation therapists should be able to think critically, work with computers, and be able to work on a treatment team. Patient care and empathy are also important assets.

The Radiation Therapist works under the direction of a Radiation Oncologist in treating malignant and benign diseases using various ionizing radiations. Responsibilities include following prescribed treatment plans, maintaining accurate records, and providing care and support to the patients and their families.

The profession requires judgment, critical thinking, and the ability to work accurately and quickly in a stressful environment. Therapists are highly skilled professionals, who are certified at national and state levels to provide patient treatments under the supervision of a physician specializing in Radiation Oncology.

Program Expectations

The BSRTT program is a 40 hour a week program, which consists of both face to face, and on-line didactic courses. The clinical work is conducted at different clinical sites in the area.

Clinical time varies from the first to the second year. The first year has a heavy didactic load and clinical work is confined to two full clinical days (16 hours per week). During the second year, there is a heavier emphasis placed on clinical work and students attend clinic for three days a week (24 hours/week). The usual time commitment is Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. unless otherwise specified by the individual site.

There are exceptions to these times for either quality assurance tests, or labs attached to didactic courses but students are informed of these changes well in advance. It may mean either coming in early for QA procedures or staying later for lab work etc.

The programs accrediting body (Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology) has requested that you be informed of the following information: 

The didactic component of the entire program is structured to include face-to-face instruction (52%) and online instruction (48%). 

The online courses are either synchronous (the professor is live at a distance) or asynchronous (no live interaction with the professor). 

Of the required professional core courses for the degree 67% are conducted face-to-face in classrooms at the university. Of the remaining professional core courses 80% are synchronous, and 20% are asynchronous. 

This is a 40-hour a week program which allows time for all scheduled didactic courses (face-to-face and online), and the completion of clinical hours.

Students are required to rotate through clinical sites every five to ten weeks depending on location of site. Rotating through sites, rather than staying in one clinical area helps to ensure a broad education and experience with various machines, techniques, and treatment protocols.

Please note: This program does require you to live locally and attend the campus. 

There is  a standard grading system for all radiation therapy core classes:

A = 92-100

A- =89-91

B+ =86-88

B =83-85

B- =80-82

C+ =77-79

C =74-76

Loma Linda University and the Department of Radiation Technology cannot guarantee graduates gainful employment or passing a professional credentialing examination once a degree is completed. Once a graduate has exhausted their attempts or time to pass a professional credentialing exam, the Department of Radiation Technology is unable to have you repeat the program as a part of the remediation required to regain eligibility to sit for the professional credentialing examination. Please contact the program director for any questions regarding gainful employment or the professional credentialing examination.

What makes us unique?

  • The ability to learn proton particle therapy
  • Students gain a comprehensive clinical education by rotating through a variety of clinical sites
  • A high standard of didactic education delivered by very experienced faculty
  • An emphasis on understanding the concept of wholeness in patient care
  • Alumni are employed in all clinical sites and provide excellent guidance to the student
  • Graduates from Loma Linda University are internationally recognized and requested in all areas of health care
  • No waiting list because of the competitive application process

Essential Job Functions

The essential job functions of a radiation therapist require certain physical, mental and emotional attributes.  Physical demands include lifting, carrying, bending manipulation of equipment, patient assistance, walking and prolonged standing, the ability to read orders, computer screens, patient records, and equipment controls; the ability to communicate clearly with physicians, patients and coworkers; the ability to distinguish changes in physical, mental and affective status.  Mental and emotional demands include critical thinking, objective decision making, interaction with patients of different ages and health conditions, maintaining patient confidentiality, working with patient diversity, and being able to work under pressure in stressful conditions.  Students must maintain the essential job functions throughout the program.  A complete list of essential job functions will be made available during the program orientation process.

Program Mission, Vision, and Values

Our Mission

The mission of the Bachelor of Science Radiation Therapy Program is to prepare professionals in the field of Radiation Therapy with students receiving broad education and training in all aspects of the profession.  This will include critical thinking, clinical competence, effective communication, and professionalism as they apply to the field of Radiation Therapy. The program encourages intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual development by emphasizing these goals in its curriculum, which are reflected in the mission statements of the School of Allied Health Professions and Loma Linda Health – “To Make Man Whole”.

Our Vision

Our vision is to be known by our students, alumni, clinical instructors, faculty, professional community, and staff as the Radiation Therapy Program of choice. Additionally, we want the program experience to be known as "a close family" that is exciting, challenging, and transforming.

Our Values

We will accomplish our mission and vision by setting and achieving high standards of excellence in professional behavior, academic and clinical education, customer service, and collaborative success, while living by the Loma Linda University values of excellence, integrity, compassion, self-control, humility, freedom, and justice.

About the Bachelor of Science in Radiation Therapy Program at LLU

Two entry track options

Track 1: ARRT registered applicants – Track 1: ARRT registered applicants – This is a 21-month long (7-quarter) program aimed at radiographers interested in further training in a radiological science. The program starts in the fall quarter, and students must have all transferrable prerequisite and general education courses in addition to ARRT registry.

Track 2: Non ARRT applicants - Track 2: Non ARRT applicants - This is a 24-month long (8-quarter) program aimed at individuals who are not radiographers but have completed the required transferrable prerequisite and general education coursework. No prior degree is required. The program starts in the summer quarter of each academic year.

The program involves both classroom and clinical work and requires a 40-hour/week commitment usually from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday. There are exceptions to these times, and students are informed in advance of any required changes. The required courses consist of a mixture of face-to-face coursework (60%) and online classes (40%), and the clinical work is conducted in various radiation oncology departments in the area. Students are required to rotate through different clinical sites every two months in order to gain a variety of experiences with different treatment machines and techniques.

  • The application window for the ARRT track is October 1- February 15 for a fall start.
  • The application window for the non-ARRT track is October 1- February 15 for a summer start.

Program Curriculum

During the BS in Radiation Therapy program, students take formal classes along with instruction in a clinical setting. This includes participation, under direct supervision, in the actual procedures within the Radiation Therapy department. The program is full time (40 hours per week) and arranged around lectures and coordinated with participating clinical affiliates.

Prerequisite & General Education Requirements

All applicants must have completed the following prerequisite courses at an accredited college or university prior to entering the program:  

  • Human Anatomy and Physiology with labs (complete sequence)
  • College Algebra or higher (completed within 5 years with a B or higher)
  • Medical Terminology
  • Introduction to Physics (no lab required)
  • General or Developmental Psychology
  • Radiation Physics, Radiation Protection, Principles of Radiography, and Patient Care Methods (available as part of the program for non-ARRT students in the first summer quarter prior to the ARRT students starting in the fall quarter)

All applicants must have also completed the following general education courses at an accredited college or university prior to entering the program: 

Arts and Humanities (minimum 16 quarter units)

Units must be selected from at least three of the following content areas: civilization/histo­ry, art/music, literature, language, philosophy, religion, or general humanities. A minimum of 3 quarter units in an area is required to meet a “content area.”

Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning (minimum 12 quarter units)

Domain met with prerequisite requirements listed above.

Social Sciences (minimum 12 quarter units)

  • General Psychology or Developmental Psychology
  • Select additional units from at least one more of the following content areas: anthropol­ogy, economics, geography, political sciences, and sociology.

Note:  The human diversity requirement is fulfilled in the portfolio core courses: RTCH 491 Portfolio I and RTCH 492 Portfolio II (approved by the University GE Committee).

Written and Oral Communication (minimum 9 quarter units)

  • English composition, complete sequence that meets the baccalaureate degree require­ments of a four-year college or university
  • Other areas of study in communication, if needed, may include courses in computer information systems, critical thinking, and public speaking.

Health and Wellness (minimum 2 quarter units)

  • A didactic course in health or nutrition (e.g., personal health, personal nutrition, popula­tion health, global health, or community nutrition)—minimum of 2 units
  • Physical education—must include at least two separate physical activity courses totaling a minimum of one quarter unit.

Electives

Electives may be needed to meet the minimum requirement of 192 quarter units to earn a baccalaureate degree. A maximum of 105 quarter units may be transferred from a com­munity/junior college. Electives may be selected from the aforementioned GE domains.

  • ARRT-certified students will earn 91 units in the program (prerequisite units required: 101 quarter/68 semester)
  • Non-ARRT students will earn 105 units in the program (prerequisite units required: 87 quarter/58 semester)

Admission Requirements

  • Prerequisite, general education, and elective courses must be completed at an accredited college or university with a grade of C or better unless otherwise specified prior to entering the program
  • 24 hours of career observation in a Radiation Oncology department 
  • GPA of 3.0 or higher 
  • Admissions essay
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Interview

Applicants are also required to complete:

  • A background check 
  • Possess a current healthcare provider CPR card offered by the American Heart Association upon admission into the program 
  • To remain in the program, students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Adhere to the program’s professional code of conduct 
  • Students at some clinical sites may need to complete a drug test

When to Apply

There are two ways to apply for the program:

  • Non-ARRT: The program is 24 months (8 quarters) long for applicants who are not radiographers but have completed the required transferrable prerequisite and general education coursework and met the minimum units required for transfer.  No prior degree is required. The application window is October 1 to February 15 for a summer start.
  • ARRT: The program is 21 months (7 quarters) long for radiographers who seek additional specialization and have also completed the required transferrable prerequisite and general education coursework and met the minimum units required for transfer. The application window is October 1 to February 15 for a fall start.

Upon successful completion of the program, both groups of students are eligible to sit for the ARRT boards for radiation therapy.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Students are charged tuition for all academic and clinical courses. School fees, travel expenses, and book fees are extra and the student’s responsibility. Required certification workshops/courses are not part of the tuition fees for the program.

Complete your FAFSA early as the deadline for many loan applications is February or March. You may begin the loan application process before you have been accepted into the program.

For more information, contact Financial aid.

Non-Discrimination Affirmative Action Policy

NON-DISCRIMINATION AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY LINKS:

https://llu.edu/sites/llu.edu/files/2022-10/Student-Handbook-22-23.pdf page 53-54 

https://llucatalog.llu.edu/allied-health-professions/#generalregulationstext

https://alliedhealth.llu.edu/sites/alliedhealth.llu.edu/files/2021-08/rad-therapy-checklist.pdf

How to Begin

Step 1: Review our website in detail, as well as the documents below.  Many questions you may have can be answered from our online information.

Step 2: Attend a free online information session to gain information about Radiation Therapy.

Step 3: Have your unofficial transcripts reviewed by our department personnel by sending them to studyradsci@llu.edu as early as possible to be sure that all of the courses transfer to Loma Linda University in order to meet the requirements.

Step 4: Email our Administrative Assistants at studyradsci@llu.edu with general registration and prerequisite questions.

Step 5: To contact the program director, email Carol Davis at cadavis@llu.edu.  To contact the clinical coordinator, email Dolly Kisinger at dkisinge@llu.edu. 

Program Resources

Program Accreditation

The radiation therapy program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850
Chicago, IL 60606-3182
312-704-5300
Email: mail@jrcert.org Website: www.jrcert.org 

The program's current accreditation award is 8 years . General program accreditation information and the current accreditation award letter can be found here.

Next site visit: Fall 2031

Program Outcomes & Program Completion Data

Eligibility for ARRT Credential

Eligibility for the ARRT credentialing exam may be affected if the applicant has a prior felony or misdemeanor conviction. Prior to applying to this program the applicant should contact the ARRT at 651-687-0048 to determine if eligibility will be granted.

Contact Us

Carol Davis, PsyD, Dr.PH, R.T. (T) (ARRT)

Carol Davis, PsyD, Dr.PH, R.T. (T) (ARRT)

Program Director

Email: cadavis@llu.edu