Alumni Spotlight | Charlie Lo

Chalie Lo | Radiation Therapy Class of 2016

Small class sizes and a close-knit community attracted Charlotte “Charlie” Lo to the radiation therapy program at The University of Texas MD Anderson School of Health Professions (SHP). And when the 25-year-old arrived on campus, she wasn’t disappointed.

“Our instructors really care and get to know you on a personal level. They care and work with us in every way,”she says.

After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin, Charlie began looking for a degree program focused on radiation. She majored in chemistry, but wanted a career with patient interaction. Because radiation therapists deliver radiation therapy to patients during treatment, the occupation appealed to her.

“You can see them every day and help cure their disease,” says the Fort Worth resident.

The school offers a two-year program, and students sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (AART) certification exam before graduating. Students supplement classroom learning with practical application in medical facilities across the area. Rotations begin the first semester and continue throughout summer before graduating.

“Sometimes, when you learn in classroom you don’t know if you’re grasping the information. Seeing patients in an actual environment requires critical thinking and makes learning comprehensive,” says Charlie.

Until she graduates in August 2016, she plans to take advantage of all that SHP’s radiation program has to offer.

“MD Anderson is the best of the best,” she says. “The school offers the opportunity to learn using the newest and most advanced technology.”