Radiation Therapy Major

[endless67]

I’m just trying to get a feel for what Radiation Therapy is like. My school offers it as a one-year certification program (I go to community college).

Does anyone know what a job in Radiation Therapy is like? Is the starting pay ok? Should I get my associates+certificate instead of a BA in this or something else?

[jjwinkle]

This is good for financial return on educational investment (assuming just associate’s degree + certification). $80,090 per year is the 2014 median pay according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/radiation-therapists.htm). Apparently the 10% with the lowest pay make about $25/hour (http://www.healthcaresalaryonline.com/radiation-therapist-salary.html). Quite good growth in number of jobs (14%) is expected (http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_102.htm).

[WayOutWestMom]

Starting in 2015, ARRT requires a BS degree from an accredited program for certification. Since you can’t be grandfathered in under the old rules, you’ll need to complete at least a BS to work as radiation therapist.

https://www.arrt.org

Education Requirements for ARRT Certification and Registration

Primary Pathway
Candidates pursuing primary pathway certification and registration in Radiography, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Radiation Therapy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or Sonography must have — within the past three years* — successfully completed an educational program that is accredited by a mechanism acceptable to the ARRT. Beginning on January 1, 2015, all candidates for primary pathway certification and registration must have earned an academic degree before becoming certified and registered. ARRT recognizes only accreditation agencies that are recognized by CHEA and/or USDE. A list of accrediting agencies recognized by ARRT for the academic degree and professional education requirements is available here.

As part of their education, candidates must also demonstrate competency in didactic coursework and an ARRT-specified list of clinical procedures by completing competency requirements established for the discipline in which they are seeking certification and registration.

• Candidates graduating from an educational program by December 31, 2012, will have five years to establish eligibility for ARRT certification and registration, as opposed to the three years that is available to those who complete their program beginning January 1, 2013.

Have a friend who has been a RT for 30 years and it has provided her a very comfortable life. (She’s also on the national certification rules committee for ARRT.)

[endless67]

Thank you!