Page 36 - Radiation Therapy Flipbook

Standard Four: Curriculum and Academic Practices

4.4 The program provides timely, equitable, and educationally valid clinical
experiences for all students.

Explanation:

Programs must have a process in place to assure timely, appropriate, and educationally valid clinical
experiences to all admitted students. A meaningful clinical education plan assures that activities are
equitable, as well as prevents the use of students as replacements for employees. Students must have
sufficient access to clinical settings that provide a wide range of procedures for competency achievement.
The maximum number of students assigned to a clinical setting must be supported by sufficient human
and physical resources. The number of students assigned to the clinical setting must not exceed the total
number of therapeutic devices available for treatment and simulation.
Students assigned to medical dosimetry, patient care, and/or advanced radiation oncology modalities,
such as proton therapy, CyberKnife®, Gamma-knife, MR-Linac, etc., are included in the calculation of the
approved clinical capacity. If the opportunity to observe or perform advanced radiation therapy
modalities exists for one student, then all students must have access to observe or perform an advanced
modality.

Clinical placement must be nondiscriminatory in nature and solely determined by the program. Students
must be cognizant of clinical policies and procedures including emergency preparedness and medical
emergencies.

Programs must assure that clinical involvement for students is limited to not more than ten (10) hours per
day. If the program utilizes evening and/or weekend assignments, these assignments must be equitable,
and program total capacity must not be increased based on these assignments. Students may not be
assigned to clinical settings on holidays that are observed by the sponsoring institution. Programs may
permit students to make up clinical time during the term or scheduled breaks; however, appropriate
supervision must be maintained. Program faculty need not be physically present; however, students must
be able to contact program faculty during makeup assignments. The program must also assure that its
liability insurance covers students during these makeup assignments.

Required Program Response:
• Describe the process for student clinical placement including, but not limited to:

 assuring equitable learning opportunities,
 assuring access to a sufficient variety and volume of procedures to achieve program
competencies, and
 orienting students to clinical settings.
• Describe how the program assures a 1:1 student to therapeutic device ratio at all clinical settings.

• Provide current clinical student assignment schedules in relation to student enrollment.