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Program description
year program
students in each class
first-time board exam pass rate (5 year average)
New for the fall 2024 class — approved to admit up to 15 students.
The one-year Radiation Therapy Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota provides one of the most comprehensive educational programs for the future workforce of radiation therapists. It is for passionate radiologic technologists who want to advance their careers in radiation oncology. Radiation therapists work with cancer patients on a continual basis, administering treatment and providing care.
In this program, you'll learn not only the foundational science and technique of radiation therapy, but also develop the skills necessary to collaborate with the oncology care team, contribute to individualized treatment plans, and provide care to patients and support to their families.
Choosing Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic's large medical practice allows you to gain experience with many tumor types and treatment techniques. You will learn from the best, have access to a wide variety of resources, and gain experience from a variety of cases that range from common to specialized to complex.
Program highlights:
- Hands-on learning, centered around patient care. Our curriculum design has an emphasis on hands-on learning, clinical experiences, and direct application. You'll put the strong educational foundation you learn in the classroom into practice immediately as you start to work with patients.
- Experience and familiarity with a wide variety of treatment procedures, such as, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), volume modulated arc therapy (VMAT), stereotactic body radiosurgery (SBRT), and conventional non-IMRT treatments; using cone beam CT image guidance and 6 degrees of freedom robotic couch.
- Confidence in your next steps. During your training, you'll gain experience with the most advanced delivery tools and techniques to treat both common and complex cases. This experience will prepare you for anything you may encounter in your next steps!
Graduates of the Radiation Therapy Program will receive a certificate of completion from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. Upon completion, you will also be eligible and may apply to take the national registry examination administered by The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.
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The small class size ensures maximum learning and allows individualized attention. We have a great group of radiation therapists who are enthusiastic about teaching and you will have the opportunity to learn from the experts as we have a diverse faculty consisting of physicians, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists, and nurses. Everyone is sincerely interested in your education and learning!
Leila Bussman Yeakel, RTT
Radiation Therapy Program Director
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Student stories
The Radiation Therapy Program provided a comprehensive educational experience in preparation to be an exceptional radiation therapist. I am beyond grateful for the faculty who created a welcoming, supportive environment. The program offered experience in photons, protons, CT simulation, dosimetry, and brachytherapy, providing diverse perspectives of a radiation therapist. After graduation, I felt confident to pass my board exam and enter my career as a radiation therapist!
Tylar Holland, RTT
2021 graduate, now a radiation therapist at Mayo Clinic’s campus in Rochester in proton therapy
How to apply
We care about more than grades and test scores
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Rochester, MN
pass rate over 40+ years
Accreditation and performance standards
Accreditation information
This program's current award is 8 years by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology.
General program accreditation information and the current accreditation award letter can be found here.
Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850
Chicago, IL 60606-3182
Phone: 312-704-5300
Fax: 312-704-5304
Email: mail@jrcert.org
See accreditation information for Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
Program effectiveness data
Program effectiveness data is provided in accordance with the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology Accreditation Standards. Program effectiveness data includes program completion rate, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) board exam pass rate, and job placement. This information is reported annually and may also be found on the JRCERT website.
See the 2024 program effectiveness data for the Radiation Therapy Program in Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences.
Program mission statement and goals
Mission
Our mission is to educate and prepare students through high quality academic and clinical experiences to become competent certified radiation therapists who provide outstanding care to all patients
To uphold its mission, the Radiation Therapy Program holds the following goals and learning outcomes:
Goal: Students will provide clinically competent care to patients.
Learning outcomes:
- Students will position patient and linear accelerator for treatment according to setup instructions.
- Students will activate linear accelerator to deliver prescribed dose.
- Students will construct appropriate positioning devices and position patients for simulation.
- Students will operate computerized tomography (CT) simulator and obtain appropriate CT images for planning.
Goal: Students will demonstrate critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
Learning outcomes:
- Students will recognize discrepancies in patient setup.
- Students will analyze pre-treatment images and adjust as necessary.
- Students will independently create and develop a treatment plan.
Goal: Students will display effective communication skills.
Learning outcomes:
- Students will demonstrate effective oral communication skills.
- Students will demonstrate written communication skills.
Goal: Students will demonstrate professional work standards.
Learning outcomes:
- Students will exhibit professional attitudes and behaviors.
- Students will summarize importance of professional development and growth.
Goal: The program will meet the needs of its students and the health care organizations it serves.
Learning outcomes:
- Students will successfully complete the program.
- Graduates will pass the board exam on the first attempt.
- Graduates will become employed within 12 months of graduation.
- Graduates will be satisfied with the program and education received (overall job knowledge and overall satisfaction).
- Employers will be satisfied with the quality of our graduates (overall knowledge and overall satisfaction).
- Students will understand the responsibilities of all health care workers to contribute to the health and welfare of society.
Grievance policy
All students have the right to appeal administrative decisions by faculty and staff of the Radiation Therapy Program. The student must follow the levels as listed in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Grievance procedure. Once the student has proceeded through all three levels of the grievance policy, the student has the right to appeal to the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiology Technology (JRCERT).
Date of website revision
The website was last updated on Oct. 8, 2024.