School of Radiation Therapy - Curriculum and Academic Calendar
Curriculum Overview
The Radiation Therapy program’s 14-month (58 weeks) competency-based curriculum provides specialized instruction and hands-on clinical experiences that prepare students for excellence in radiation therapy clinical practice. Courses are divided into four semesters and sequenced as outlined below. The first semester is accelerated and provides students with fundamental knowledge of radiation therapy and patient care practices which is contextualized through early clinical experiences. As students progress through the curriculum, they will continue to build knowledge and proficiency through more advanced coursework and broadened clinical training.
The Radiation Therapy program’s 14-month (58 weeks) competency-based curriculum provides specialized instruction and hands-on clinical experiences that prepare students for excellence in radiation therapy clinical practice. Courses are divided into four semesters and sequenced as outlined below. The first semester is accelerated and provides students with fundamental knowledge of radiation therapy and patient care practices which is contextualized through early clinical experiences. As students progress through the curriculum, they will continue to build knowledge and proficiency through more advanced coursework and broadened clinical training.
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Academic Calendar 2024-2025
Summer Semester (July 8, 2024 – August 30, 2024) RTT 401 - Medical Terminology (pass/fail)* RTT 403 - Patient Care RTT 404 - Medical Imaging RTT 402 - Introduction to Radiologic Technology RTT 400 - Introduction to Radiation Therapy (pass/fail) RTT 405 - Introduction to Clinical Education (pass/fail) Fall Semester (September 2, 2024 – December 24, 2024) RTT 406 - Principles & Practice of Radiation Therapy I RTT 407 - Technical Radiation Therapy I RTT 411 - Radiation Safety (Fall/Spring) RTT 409 - Pathology* RTT 408 - Radiation Therapy Physics I (Fall/Spring) RTT 410 - Clinical Practicum I Holiday Break December 25, 2024 - January 1, 2025 Spring Semester (January 2, 2025– April 25, 2025) RTT 411 - Radiation Safety (Fall/Spring) RTT 412 - Technical Radiation Therapy II RTT 413 - Principles & Practice of Radiation Therapy II RTT 408 - Radiation Therapy Physics I/II (Spring/Summer) RTT 415 - Radiation Biology RTT 414 - Quality Assurance and Healthcare Operations RTT 416 - Clinical Practicum II Summer Semester (April 28, 2025– August 21, 2025) RTT 417 - Principles & Practice of Radiation Therapy III RTT 419 - Radiation Therapy Physics II (Spring/Summer) RTT 418 - Advanced Imaging in Radiation Therapy RTT 420 - Registry Review Seminar (pass/fail) RTT 421 - Clinical Practicum III *Indicates hybrid/blended course Note: Final course sequence is subject to change. Program Grading System
Student performance and progression is evaluated regularly using various academic and clinical tools including: quizzes, examinations, written reports, oral presentations, clinical rotation evaluations, and competency evaluations. The Radiation Therapy Program utilizes the following grading scale for clinical and didactic courses: Didactic Grading Scale Clinical Grading Scale A+ = 100 – 98% A = 100 – 95% A = 97.9 – 93% B = 94.9 – 87% A- = 92.9 – 92% C = 86.9 – 80% B+ = 91.9 – 90% F = < 80% B = 89.9 – 87% B- = 86.9 – 85% C+ = 84.9 – 83% C = 82.9 – 78% F = < 78% To calculate grade point average, the Radiation Therapy Program utilizes a 4.0 grade point system where A = 4.0; B = 3.0; C = 2.0; F = 0.0
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Program Hours This is a full-time program with on-site attendance required at the Chicago campus and other clinical rotation sites. Regular program hours are from 8 am – 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Students may need to arrive early on certain occasions during Spring semester (January - April) to participate in morning quality assurance procedures. Program activities will not be scheduled on weekends, overnight shifts, or holidays observed by the sponsoring institution, including:
There will be a one-week holiday break from the end of December through early January each year. The program begins annually in July and ends in August of the following year. Program Delivery The Radiation Therapy program utilizes a blended format in that some courses, assessments, and assignments are delivered using an online learning management system. Clinical Rotations The primary site for clinical rotations is Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH). Students will also rotate through Rush University Medical Center, which is located less than 5 miles from NMH. There are elective clinical rotations through Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest and Grayslake Hospitals, which are located approximately 30 and 45 miles from NMH, respectively, and the Northwestern Medicine Proton Center, which is located approximately 30 miles from NMH. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from clinical assignments. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
The Radiation Therapy Program requires that all students maintain satisfactory academic progress throughout enrollment. A student maintains SAP if their cumulative (overall) and current (most recent term) grade point averages are 2.0 or better. A student must also maintain a minimum average score of 78% in all didactic courses and an 80% in all clinical courses and achieve a final course grade of 78% in all didactic courses and 80% in all clinical courses. Students must also adhere to the clinical competency plan per the course syllabi, maintain satisfactory performance pace (completion of all attempted courses), and comply with all institutional and program policies. Student performance against SAP standards will be monitored in an ongoing manner throughout clinical and didactic activities with evaluation at the end of each term. A grade for each course will be issued at the end of the term. |