Education · 1 of 5

The path

Short, specific and almost entirely decided by which program you get into.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Physics, biology and math. Some programs also want a health care course or documented volunteer hours.

2. 2

   Get into an accredited program

   Apply a year ahead

   Look for accreditation by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. Class sizes are small and admission is competitive.

3. 3

   Associate degree or bachelor's degree

   2 to 4 years

   Anatomy, radiation physics, oncology and treatment planning, combined with clinical rotations in a real cancer center from early on.

4. 4

   Pass the national certification exam

   After graduation

   The radiation therapy exam from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, which also checks an ethics requirement before it lets you sit.

5. 5

   Get your state license

   Weeks

   Most states license radiation therapists separately from the national credential. Then you can treat patients unsupervised.