Radiation Therapy (AS)

What is A Radiation Therapy (AS) Degree?

Radiation Therapy is the field that uses high doses of radiation from linear accelerator machines that aim at the patient’s cancer cells to kill them and to shrink tumors.  This Radiation Therapy (also called Radiotherapy) may be used along with other treatments like surgery or chemotherapy.  Accuracy in the procedure is of great importance to be sure that the linear accelerator is aimed at the precise spot in the body to target the cancer cells or the tumor.

To earn an AS degree in Radiation Therapy students will take classroom courses covering the anomalies in tissues in the body, the physics of radiation, and biochemistry principles; students will also have hands-on experiences in planning and simulating treatment.  Depending on where the AS degree graduates will be working, successful completion of a certification exam, although not required in some locales, is advisable to improve the therapists’ employment opportunities.