HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State Community College announces the addition of a Radiation Therapy option to the Diagnostic Imaging program. The radiation therapy option will train students to administer targeted doses of radiation to the patient’s body to treat cancer or other diseases.
“We are excited to announce that we will be launching the radiation therapy option in fall 2022,” said James Malone, program director of the Diagnostic Imaging program. “Radiation oncology is preparing for a surge of more severe cases due to delays in cancer diagnosis during the pandemic, so Wallace State is ready to help meet the demand for radiation therapists.”
According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. There are currently more than 16 million cases of cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. Approximately 2 million cancer diagnoses are expected in 2022.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median pay for radiation therapists across the country in 2021 was $82,790 per year. In Alabama, the annual mean salary for radiation therapists in 2021 was $70,550. Most radiation therapists, 65 percent, work in hospitals, while 24 percent work in physician offices and six percent in outpatient care centers.
Applications for the radiation therapy option are currently being accepted. Visit the Diagnostic Imaging webpage at www.wallacestate.edu to apply. The application deadline is June 1, 2022. For more information about the Diagnostic Imaging and Radiation Therapy programs, please contact James Malone at 256-352-8309 or james.malone@wallacestate.edu.
