MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In the rapidly evolving field of cancer care, radiation therapy remains a cornerstone treatment for many patients. An expert-based training program at WVU Hospitals prepares the next generation of cancer imaging professionals, ensuring continued growth in this dynamic field.
Talbert positions a patient for a CT simulation
that radiation oncologists use to map out an
individually targeted treatment plan.
The Radiation Therapy Program, one of several Imaging Science Education Programs offered at WVU Hospitals, is a 12-month certificate program that blends classroom learning and hands-on clinical training to prepare students for careers as radiation therapists. Clinical rotations take place at the WVU Cancer Institute Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center and the WVU Cancer Institute at Fairmont Medical Center.
The program is the only radiation therapy program in West Virginia to be accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). Program graduates may sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification exam, pending ARRT review and approval.
“One thing we’re really fortunate to have with our program is our specialists teach the specialized classes,” Christina Paugh, Radiation Therapy Program director, said. “We have a physicist who teaches physics, and a radiation oncologist who guest lectures in radiation oncology class. So, we can tap into those resources that we have available to us.”
Just as cancer surgeries and medications have become more efficient and effective over the past decade, radiation therapy has become more precise, safe, and personalized, leading to better patient outcomes.
According to Paugh, the goal of radiation therapy is to treat a malignancy at the highest dose possible, but to minimize the risk to any normal surrounding structures. To meet these goals, core program studies include physics, math, anatomy, treatment planning, communication, and patient care.
Students also learn how to use some of the most technically advanced equipment currently available to treat cancer, including linear accelerators, cone beam and virtual CT, a Gamma Knife unit, and brachytherapy sources.
Paugh expects program graduates to be both technically competent and compassionate.
“I want them to understand all the technical things that they need to know to be able to use this very sophisticated equipment,” she said. “But they also might be the one person the patient seeks out in the day as a shoulder to cry on.”
She added that because radiation therapists see the same patients daily, they monitor them for side effects or symptoms and report these to the doctor.
Morgan Talbert, a current student in the Radiation Therapy Program, spent time working in X-ray and CT, but ultimately decided to follow in his mother’s footsteps as a radiation therapy professional. “I realized I wanted to go beyond diagnosis and be part of the treatment process, just like she was.”
“I chose WVU Hospitals because the program is truly one of a kind,” Talbert said. “This program has strengthened my confidence immensely. Our class also has the support of our incredibly experienced staff to ensure the next generation of therapists are well-equipped.”
Program graduate Shyanne Smith wanted to become a radiation therapist after losing both her parents to cancer, so she could help others navigate one of the most challenging times of their lives.
“When someone says, ‘You made this bearable,’ or remembers your name years later, that’s when it hits that radiation therapy isn’t just about dose and precision; it’s about showing up every single day for people who didn’t choose to be there,” Smith, a radiation therapist at the WVU Cancer Institute, said.
“That’s what makes radiation therapy stand out amongst other imaging modalities.”
Up to five students are accepted into the program each year. Applicants must have an associate’s degree, be a graduate or pending graduate from a JRCERT-accredited radiography program, and possess the ARRT credential in radiography.
Applications for the next class are due Feb. 1, and the new cohort will begin in July.
To learn more or to apply, visit WVUMedicine.org/RadTech/Radiation-Therapy.
About the WVU Medicine Imaging Science Education Programs
The Imaging Science Education Programs at WVU Hospitals provide comprehensive, accredited training in radiography, radiation therapy, MRI, sonography, echocardiography, and nuclear medicine. Through classroom and clinical experiences, the programs prepare students for national certification and careers in diagnostic imaging, education, and healthcare leadership.
For media inquiries: Shaunna Dunder Hershberger, WVU Medicine Communications Specialist
shaunna.hershberger@wvumedicine.org
