Cancer Data Management, Advanced Technical Certificate

Join the Fight against Cancer

Each year, researchers and medical practitioners make astounding strides in cancer research and treatment all around the world. You can become a key player in this exciting process by studying Cancer Data Management at San Jacinto College. Cancer breakthroughs are made primarily by a global accumulation of data that doctors and researchers use to develop and fine-tune treatments. Hospitals, cancer organizations, and state and national governments maintain cancer registries to collect this data, and they need help from dedicated specialists.

Cancer registries collect, store, manage, and analyze data on people with cancer. They establish and maintain a cancer incidence reporting system, serve as an information resource for cancer research, and provide information to assist public health officials and agencies. For example, physicians need cancer data to learn more about the causes of cancer to be able to detect it earlier. Cancer registrars are trained to collect accurate, complete, and timely data. 

The Advanced Technical Certificate in Cancer Data Management is designed to teach all aspects of the cancer registry, including survey processes, collection and abstraction of data, oncology coding, staging, and reporting. Upon completion of this program, the student is eligible to apply to take the national Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) examination, administered by the National Cancer Registrars Association.  

Accreditation

The Advanced Technical Certificate in Cancer Data Management is accredited by the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA).  

Career Opportunities

Upon completing our program, students may pursue careers in cancer registry management in a hospital setting, free-standing state or national cancer registry, or in any of the state or national cancer organizations.

Earning Potential

Enter our program and you will learn all aspects of survey processes, data collection, abstracting, coding, staging, and reporting.

The average salary for a Cancer Registrar/Abstractor is $60,644 per year.1

1

Source: National Cancer Registrars Association, www.ncra-usa.org, 2022

For more information, students may email HealthInformationManagement@sjcd.edu or call 281-459-7608.

Campuses

North Campus

San Jac Online

The Cancer Data Management program includes one clinical (practicum) course. Clinicals are unpaid positions in which students are supervised by a CTR professional at the health care facility. Clinicals are scheduled during the day shift according to the availability of the site supervisor. The program cannot guarantee a specific site, but every effort will be made to accommodate the student. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the clinical site. A criminal background check is required of all program students and must be submitted prior to enrollment in the clinical course. Documentation of immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella, completion of the Hepatitis B series, and annual Tuberculosis screening are also required prior to enrollment in the clinical course. Drug screening may be required by the clinical site.  

Students enrolling into San Jacinto College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by San Jacinto College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the clinical/external learning site. 

Admission Criteria
Students are admitted annually into the Cancer Data Management program. In addition to the general admission requirements of San Jacinto College, prospective students must meet the Cancer Data Management admission criteria.  

Candidates applying for admission into the Cancer Data Management Advanced Technical Certificate program must already hold a minimum of an associate degree.

The Cancer Data Management Application Packet can be accessed on the San Jacinto College website.  

Plan of Study

AHITT-CAN

Prerequisites

To be eligible to complete this Advanced Technical Certificate, students must have at least a minimum of an associate degree and a medical science/basic science or Biology/Introduction to Medicine course.

Plan of Study Grid
First TermCredits
HITT 1305 Medical Terminology I 3
HITT 2330 Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 3
ITSC 1309
Integrated Software Applications I
or Business Computer Applications
3
BIOL 2404 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (lecture & lab) (or BIOL 2301 and BIOL 2101 and BIOL 2302 and BIOL 2102) 4
 Credits13
Second Term
HITT 1307 Cancer Data Management I: Introduction to Cancer Registry Management 3
HITT 2307 Cancer Data Management II: Abstracting Principles and Practices I 3
HITT 2372 Oncology Coding and Staging 3
 Credits9
Summer Year One Term
HITT 1311 Health Information Systems 3
HITT 2370 Cancer Data Management III: Abstracting Principles and Practices II 3
 Credits6
Third Term
HITT 1255 Healthcare Statistics: Cancer Epidemiology and Statistics 2
HITT 1361 Clinical-Cancer Data Management 3
 Credits5
 Total Credits33

External Learning Experience: HITT 1361 Clinical-Cancer Data Management

National Certification Exam: Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR)

Note: Students must pass each HITT course listed in the Cancer Data Management Advanced Technical Certificate plan of study with a grade of C or higher to be eligible to receive the certificate.