Online Certificate in Cancer Registry Management
Cancer registrars are data information specialists who record and capture a complete history, diagnosis, treatment, and health status for every cancer patient in the US. This data provides essential information to researchers, healthcare providers, and public health officials to better monitor and advance cancer treatments, conduct research, and improve cancer prevention and screening programs.
Cancer Registry Management Certificate Program Highlights
High Quality Education
- UC’s Cancer Registry Certificate (CRM) is one of very few NCRA® accredited programs offered 100% online.
- UC’s CRM program prepares students for the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) exam (formerly known as CTR)*.
- UC’s CRM students have access to CRStar®, the industry’s leading software used in 300+ hospital oncology programs.
- UC’s CRM students seeking internships are given exclusive access to UC’s national healthcare network.
- ODS Credential – NCRA accreditation ensures students who successfully earn their cancer registrar certificate have fulfilled the eligibility requirements to take the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS®) exam.
- Superior Quality – NCRA accreditation indicates the CRM program meets the educational standards set by the National Association that represents over 6,500 cancer registry professionals around the world.
- Exclusive Access & Valuable Resources – NCRA provides valuable resources and support including access to NCRA’s job bank to help students identify clinical placements to complete practicum hours.
*Please note, the following courses are required to sit for the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS®) exam:
- Medical Terminology (HCMT1001)
- Anatomy & Physiology (BIOL1015)
- Human Disease (ALH1015C)
- Pharmacology (HCMT2000)
- Healthcare Applications (HCMT2015C)
*The National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA®) and its Council on Certification have updated the name of the CTR® (Certified Tumor Registrar) credential to ODS® (Oncology Data Specialist) to better align with the evolving scope of practice and current professional practice terminology. More information is available on NCRA’s website (ncra-usa.org/ODS-Credential).
Flexibility
- Complete the program 100% online – no campus visits required
- Six different start dates to choose from
- Flexible scheduling options (for classes and professional practicum)
- Faculty members are leading industry experts
- Low faculty-to-student ratio and high levels of personal interaction
Support from Application through Graduation
At UC, you’ll have a full support team behind you:
Enrollment Services Advisor: Your go-to resource during the application process
Student Success Coordinator: Helping you prepare for classes and stay on track
Access to Resources: Access to university resources that will support you through your program including online learning expectations and resources, health and wellness resources, and academic support
The online Cancer Registry Management Certificate is 30 credit hours.
NCRA-Required Courses*
- Medical Terminology (HCMT1001)
- Anatomy & Physiology (BIOL1015)
- Human Disease (ALH1015C)
- Pharmacology (HCMT2000)
- Healthcare Applications (HCMT 2015C)
*students who have not taken the NCRA-required courses can still enroll; contact your advisor for more information
Practicum
A practicum is the final step of the Cancer Registry Program and is completed during the last two courses, HCMT2067 (Cancer Registry Practicum I) and HCMT2068 (Cancer Registry Practicum II). During the program, students will be required to satisfactorily complete all six NCRA assessments (along with corresponding activities) that cover the five core Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) competencies. Students will complete four of the six assessments before enrolling in the practicum courses. All six assessments must be successfully completed by the end of HCMT 2067 and HCMT 2068. HCMT 2067 and HCMT 2068 also include a variety of practicum activities that may be completed in an in-person, virtual, or hybrid environment.
Healthcare Applications and Computer Skills
One of the courses required for all Cancer Registry students is HCMT 2015 (Healthcare Applications). Students need proficient computer skills to succeed in the CRM program and pass the ODS exam. This is why we require all admitted students take a Computer Skills Test. This test gives students a chance to assess their knowledge of computer programs and systems commonly used in the cancer registry field.
Students that do not score an 80% or above on the Computer Skills Test are strongly encouraged to enroll in BIT 1013C (Intro to Software Applications) first, to get a more comprehensive overview of the programs that will be used in HCMT 2015. Students that have transfer credit for three (3) credit hours of BIT 1013C (with a C- or higher) or HCMT 2015 will be exempt from the Computer Skills Test.
| Course | Title/Description | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| HCMT2060 | Cancer Registry Structure and Management An introduction to the cancer registry and the cancer registrar profession. It will include the types of registries: central and hospital-based, legal and ethical standards, cancer registry management functions and operations. |
3 |
| HCMT2061 | Cancer Registry Operations Introduction to disease registry files, principles of abstracting, data set identification, and case ascertainment. It will focus on the Commission on Cancer, Cancer Program Standards as well as the cancer committee, cancer conferences, and quality monitoring. Emphasis will be placed on standard-setting organizations. |
3 |
| HCMT2062 | Cancer Registry Disease Coding and Staging An overview of oncology coding and staging systems (ICD-O-3, SSS2018, AJCC 8, SSDI Manual, STR Manual, Grade Coding Manual, and the Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Manual/DB) Focus on the oncology disease process, using principles from anatomy, physiology, and chemistry; coding clinical information from medical records; staging and extent of disease concepts used by physicians and cancer surveillance organizations; the rules used to determine the number of primaries |
3 |
| HCMT2063 | Oncology and Coding An overview of the historical development of coding systems and staging schemas will be reviewed. This course focuses on recognized coding and staging systems including ICD-0-3 Classification of Diseases, the Solid Tumor Rules Manual, AJCC Staging, Grade Coding Manual, SSDI, SEER Summary Staging, STORE manual, and other recognized coding standards and principles and practices of use in abstracting cancer data from the clinical record. Overview of oncology treatment and coding. |
3 |
| HCMT2064 | Abstracting Methods I Identification and selection of appropriate clinical information from medical records for capture on the abstract in a manner consistent with cancer registry regulatory core data requirements. Manual quality control edits of abstracted information to assure timeliness, completeness, and accuracy of data. |
3 |
| HCMT2065 | Follow-up, Data Quality, and Utilization The focus of this course is to examine follow-up methodology and processes used to obtain follow-up cancer information regarding disease status, recurrence information, subsequent treatment, and development of subsequent primary cancers. The use of follow-up information within the cancer registry and healthcare organization is also reviewed. |
3 |
| HCMT2066 | Cancer Registry Data Analysis and Quality Assurance Introduction to cancer statistics, internal and external reporting requirements, annual report preparation, use of comparative databases in data analysis, participation in special studies, presentation of cancer registry data, and usefulness of statistical cancer data in a healthcare organization. |
3 |
| HCMT2067 | Cancer Registry Practicum I This is the first of two clinical practicum classes. This course is a practicum in cancer registry operations for hands-on experience in all aspects of registry organization and operation. Supervised clinical experience in performing NCRA-required cancer information management competencies in an actual registry and/or simulated virtual setting. Non paid. |
3 |
| HCMT2068 | Cancer Registry Practicum II This is the continuation of Cancer Registry Practicum I. This course is a practicum in cancer registry operations for hands-on experience in all aspects of registry organization and operation. Supervised clinical experience in performing NCRA-required cancer information management competencies in an actual registry and/or simulated virtual setting. Non paid. |
3 |
| HCMT2069 | Abstracting Methods II Application of the principles of cancer registry abstracting. Identification, selection, and recording of appropriate cancer-related information consistent with regulatory requirement. Manual quality control edits of abstracted information to assure timeliness, completeness and accuracy of data. |
3 |
Prerequisites
| Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree (completed or in progress) | 30 college credits (minimum) | Enroll in UC's AAS-CRM program (earn your associate degree) |
Complete the online application and submit the application fee.
Standard Application Fees:
- $50.00 for domestic applicants to most degree programs
- $100.00 for international applicants to most degree programs
- Application fees for UC Online programs are waived through Summer 2026 for all applicants
- Fee waivers are automatically applied for applicants who:
- are currently serving in the US armed forces
- are veterans of the US armed forces
Applications are accepted continuously throughout the year. Our staff will review your application based on the following:
After submitting your application form, all applicants are required to have official transcripts sent directly to University of Cincinnati in order to be eligible for admissions review.
- First-Year and Transfer Applicants with Fewer Than 24 Completed Semester Hours at a Prior College:
- Order official transcripts from your high school and all prior colleges (if applicable) for delivery directly to University of Cincinnati.
- Transfer Applicants with 24+ Completed Semester Hours at a Prior College:
- Order official transcripts from all prior colleges for delivery directly to University of Cincinnati.
- You are exempt from the High School transcript requirement, this item will be removed from your application checklist once your college documents are received.
Please review the section below for guidance on how to submit your transcripts.
Online transcript request systems are the preferred method to deliver official transcripts electronically. To see if your transcript(s) can be ordered electronically, visit the links below and search for your previous school(s).
- Parchment
- Please select “University of Cincinnati – Main Campus” as the recipient of your transcript.
- National Student Clearinghouse
- Please have your transcript sent directly to admissions@uc.edu.
If you do not see your past school(s) listed on either site, please contact the school(s) directly to determine their ordering process.
If a physical copy must be sent, DO NOT request it be delivered to you. It must be sent directly from your prior school to the following address:
University of Cincinnati
Office of Admissions
PO Box 210091
Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0091
| Term | Application Deadline | Classes Start |
|---|---|---|
Summer 2026 | First Half Summer 2026 | Second Half Fall 2026 Spring 2027 |
March 15, 2026 April 1, 2026 July 15, 2026 November 15, 2026 |
May 11, 2026 June 25, 2026 August 24, 2026 January 11, 2027 |
The University of Cincinnati's online course fees differ depending on the program. On average, students will accrue fewer fees than students attending on-campus classes.
The one fee applied across all UC Online programs is the distance learning fee. Students living outside the state of Ohio must also pay an additional “non-resident” fee to enroll in courses at UC Online. This fee is lower than the out-of-state fee for traditional on-campus programs.
To view tuition information and program costs, visit the Online Program Fees page.
NCRA-Accreditation
Our Cancer Registry Certificate program is fully accredited by the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA®). The courses listed below are required to sit for the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS®) exam.
Required Courses Include:
- Medical Terminology (HCMT1001)
- Anatomy & Physiology (BIOL1015)
- Human Disease (ALH1015C)
- Pharmacology (HCMT2000)
- Healthcare Applications (HCMT2015C)
Benefits of an NCRA-Accredited Program
ODS Credential – NCRA accreditation ensures students who successfully complete the program have fulfilled the eligibility requirements to take the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS®) exam.
Quality – NCRA accreditation indicates the CRM program meets the educational standards set by the national association that represents over 5,000 cancer registry professionals.
Resources – NCRA provides valuable resources and support including access to NCRA’s job bank to help students identify clinical placements to complete practicum hours.
- Accurate abstraction of valuable information for uniform data collection.
- Manage local, state, and/or national level cancer registry programs.
- Assist healthcare professionals in gathering, organizing, and analyzing cancer-related research.
- Gather, organize, and provide information to improve cancer prevention efforts.
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