Radiation Therapy Post-Baccalaureate Certificate

Applying to the Radiation Therapy Post-Baccalaureate Certificate at Suffolk

Cost of Graduate Study at Suffolk

Application Deadlines

September 1 (Fall Round 1)
January 15 (Fall Round 2)
April 1 (Fall Round 3)
June 15 (Fall Round 4)

Application Materials

• Completed application
• $50 Application Fee (waived for students who visit campus) 
• Resume
• Two Letters of Recommendation
• Unofficial transcripts of all post-secondary work. Admitted students enrolling in the program will need to have official transcripts, including proof of degree conferral, on file prior to their first class
• Shadow feedback (obtained by program from clinical site where shadow occurred)
• Interview and math assessment by invitation
• Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE-Academic Scores (international students only)
• Writing sample on the topic of your choice, or from the following suggested topics. The purpose of this writing sample is to further evaluate your writing and communication skills, and need not be more than one typed page.
  • Why have you chosen to pursue a career in Radiation Therapy?
  • When did you first realize that you wanted to become a Radiation Therapist?
  • Describe your clinical shadow experience and what you learned from it If applicable).

Admission Requirements

Academic Standards

All applicants to the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Radiation Therapy must meet the following minimum requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• 3.0 cumulative GPA

Completion of the following six pre-requisite courses with a grade of C or higher:

• Pre-Calculus or Calculus I
• Biology with lab
• Anatomy & Physiology I & II with labs
• Physics I & II with labs

Shadow Experience

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on in-person shadow experiences, the program will be waiving the shadow experience requirement for fall 2021 entry applicants.

The program will continually assess the ability to set up on site shadow experiences. The shadow experience requirement and process for applicants applying to start in the fall of 2022 or later is below.

All applicants must complete a clinical shadow experience, however it is recommended that applicants complete a shadow in advance as soon as they identify an interest in applying to the program. For in person shadows, before the corresponding application deadline, this will require at least 2 hours of your time and consists of observing a certified Radiation Therapist at work to assure your suitability for the career you are pursuing.

If feasible and permitted, applicants are encouraged to complete the shadow experience at a nearby medical institution of their choice by contacting the Radiation Oncology Department and requesting a radiation therapy shadow. After the shadow is complete, please send the following information by email even if you have not yet started your application. (The program will obtain feedback directly from the clinic about the shadow).

• Name of individual(s) with whom you shadowed
• Institution
• Phone number
• Email address
• Date of shadow
• Duration of shadow

Additional Information

• Tuition & Fees
• Refund Policies
• University Grading Scale

Clinical Information

Clinical Schedule

Clinical rotations begin in the fall semester of the first year of the program. Students are advised that there are a total of four required evening sessions held during the first two weeks of fall semester in year one.

The clinical schedule is as follows: 

Year 1
Fall & Spring: Tues and Thurs — 7:00 am - 3:30 pm

Year 2
Fall & Spring: Mon, Wed, and Fri — 7:00 am - 3:30 pm

Background Checks and Immunizations

All students are required to comply with various requirements of our clinical affiliates in order to be cleared to start clinical rotations. This includes submitting information required for background checks such as the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI), Sexual Offender Record Information (SORI), and providing proof of required immunizations.

In addition to immunizations mandated by Suffolk, students are also required to obtain a flu shot and a TB/PPD test at their own expense based on the schedule determined by their clinical site.

Transportation

Students are required to provide their own transportation.

When assigned to clinical sites that are not easily accessible via public transportation, including MGH North Shore Cancer Center (Danvers, MA), MGH Emerson Hospital (Concord, MA), and MGH Newton-Wellesley Hospital (Newton, MA), students will need to arrange alternative personal transportation.

Professional Liability

A Malpractice Blanket Liability Insurance policy will be provided through Suffolk University. Students must be supervised by a registered radiation therapist at all times when with patients and operating radiation therapy computers and equipment inside as well as outside of the treatment room.

State Licensure

Suffolk University’s Radiation Therapy Post-Baccalaureate certificate program meets the educational requirements qualifying graduates to apply for state licensure in the following states, subject to satisfactorily meeting all other requirements for licensure in each state: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

The following states and district do not have state licensure requirements for practicing in radiation therapy, but do have minimum educational requirements, which the Radiation Therapy Post-Baccalaureate certificate program meets, subject to satisfactorily meeting all other requirements for practice in each state or district: Alaska, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania.

As of January 2022, the following states do not have state licensure or minimum educational requirements for practicing in radiation therapy: Alabama, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Each employer is entitled to make individual decisions regarding minimal standards for employment in radiation therapy.