Radiation Therapy Programs in Colorado

How to Become a Radiation Therapy in Colorado - Radiation Therapy Programs in Colorado

The radiation therapist is the person who will do your x-ray imaging and/or administer any radiation treatment that you get for illnesses. This is not be confused with radiographers or x-ray technicians, as those two positions are responsible only for x-rays. The radiation therapist is a much more in-depth job and one that should not be taken lightly. A good radiation therapist will have a friendly demeanor and be very gentle with patients. The reason you need to have this to be a radiation therapist is because, when treating cancer patients, they need someone to encourage them. What they do not need is someone being hateful and distant.

There are a couple of ways that you can become a radiation therapist. You can complete a 12-month certificate program from community colleges and technical schools or you can get a degree in radiation therapy. Most who opt for the degree just get an associate's degree, but there are bachelor degree programs in radiation therapy. While the certificate program is good, a lot of places are only hiring candidates who have degrees. If you have a certificate and you run into that problem, you could possibly talk with a community college to see if your certificate credits can count towards an associate degree.

Since radiation therapists do so much and are in a very demanding field, they make quite a bit. The average annual salary for radiation therapists is almost $75,000 a year. That is really good pay, especially if all you have is an associate's degree. Keep in mind, however, that this is a job that you have to focus on when you are there. You can't be the type of person who lets outside events affect their thinking and day on the job. You will need to be good at critical thinking and being quick on your feet.

Something else you need to know about becoming a radiation therapist is that you usually have to be licensed. Whether or not you have to be licensed depends on the state where you intend to work, but it is never a bad thing to get licensed as a radiation therapist. In order to qualify for licensure, you have to be certified. That means, you will have to take the state certification test and then start the licensure process. It does seem like a daunting task, but it will be worth all of it in the end as it can give your salary a boost.

Radiation Therapy Schools Near You & Online in Colorado

Community College of Denver

  • 1111 West Colfax Ave. Denver, CO 80217
    Programs: ADN, CNA, LPN, Medical Assistant, Radiation Therapy, Radiography, RN
    (303) 556-2600