First Year
First Semester: (22 Credit Hours)
Orientation and Radiation Protection: (2 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to give the student better insight into the career of radiology and its relationship to the medical field. The student will learn about the concepts of customer service excellence as well as continuous quality improvement in order to become a vital member of the medical team. The student will also learn about the potential danger of radiation exposure as well as the methods and principles necessary for protecting the patient and the occupational worker. Students will also complete and American Heart Association Basic Life Support class, receiving a two-year certification.
Nursing Procedures and Patient Care: (3 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to acquaint the student with nursing procedures and techniques used in the general care of the radiology patient. Many specific exams involving direct patient care, universal precautions, and infectious diseases such as AIDS and tuberculosis will be discussed in detail. Students will have demonstrations and practice many of these principles and procedures. The course will also introduce the student to medical terminology as it pertains to radiography and will cover pharmacology principles pertaining to the health professional's role in the assessment, planning, implementation and administration of various drugs. Also included in the nursing course is a section on venipuncture.
Electrical and Radiation Physics: (3 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to help the student understand the field of science that deals with fundamentals of the nature, properties, and production of x-rays. Electrical physics will also address the principles of operation for the radiographic equipment and the electric circuit.
Anatomy and Physiology for Radiographers I: (4 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to give the student a good working knowledge and understanding of the structure and functions of the human body, as well as the medical terminology that applies to human anatomy and physiology, especially as they apply to radiography. Such knowledge and understanding will assist the student in properly interpreting requests for radiographic procedures, in properly positioning the area being examined, and in recognizing the structures and organ visualized on radiographs.
Radiographic Positioning I: (3 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to help the student acquire the skill in positioning the various parts of the body for the proper demonstration of the structures of interest. The student will begin learning the many different projections required for producing radiographic images of the various body parts of the patient in both non-emergency and trauma situations. This course includes a lab component.
Principles of Radiographic Exposure I: (3 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to give the student a working knowledge of the technical factors essential for the production of a quality radiograph. The student will learn the methods of controlling the quality and quantity of x-rays, as well as many other factors in producing acceptable images for the different exams, patient sizes, and pathological conditions, to name a few. The student will also learn about the application of computers and computerized imaging within the Radiology Department.
Clinical Education I: (4 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to introduce and orient the student to the clinical setting. The student will begin their participation in the Medical Imaging department in a limited capacity, as their initial clinical rotations will primarily involve observations of procedures and tasks. Following successful completion of didactic/academic material and laboratory evaluation, the student will gradually begin to perform examinations and duties under direct supervision.
Second Semester: (16 Credit Hours)
Anatomy and Physiology for Radiographers II: (4 Credit Hours)
This course is a continuation of Anatomy and Physiology I.
Radiographic Positioning II: (4 Credit Hours)
This course is a continuation of Radiographic Positioning I with the inclusion of additional examinations of a more specialized nature such as mobile radiography and fluoroscopy. This course includes a lab component.
Principles of Radiographic Exposure II: (2 Credit Hours)
This course is a continuation of Radiographic Exposure I with the inclusion of additional material to acquaint the student with the development of radiographic film, the chemical components of the processing solutions and their functions, and the various types of processing equipment and accessories. This course will also discuss Quality Assurance methods and instrumentation used to properly maintain and monitor the processing conditions of the automatic processor. Digital imaging, computed tomography and cross-sectional anatomy will be covered in detail.
Film Critique I: (2 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to help the student acquire methods of determining the quality, acceptability, and correction of radiographic images. This course will also include instruction on how to identify and correct problems to successfully perform repeat images encountered on various radiographs of the upper extremity, lower extremity and respiratory system.
Clinical Education II: (4 Credit Hours)
This course is a continuation of Clinical Education I with the student being expected to demonstrate a more advanced level of participation in the Medical Imaging department. Following successful completion of didactic/academic material and laboratory evaluation, the student will begin performing more difficult examinations under direct supervision. The student will begin clinical competency testing to establish proficiency with certain procedures and will begin to perform some exams under indirect supervision.
Third Semester: (13 Credit Hours)
Radiographic Positioning III: (3 Credit Hours)
This course is a continuation of Radiographic Positioning II and provides instruction relating to the most advanced radiographic procedures. This course includes a lab component.
Film Critique II: (2 Credit Hours)
This course is a continuation of Film Critique I and is designed to help the student acquire methods of determining the quality, acceptability, and correction of radiographic images. This course will also include instruction on how to identify and correct problems to successfully perform repeat images encountered on various radiographs of the pelvic girdle, shoulder girdle, bony thorax, urinary system and gastrointestinal system.
Professional Ethics: (1 Credit Hour)
This course is designed to make the student more aware of the responsibilities and potential consequences entailed by becoming a member of the medical profession. The student will learn about the proper standards of behavior and conduct with the patient as well as with other medical personnel. The parameters of the legal perspective and responsibilities in the medical profession are also a very important part of this course.
Radiographic Pathology: (2 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to provide an introduction to the many different diseases and conditions that can afflict the human body especially as they apply to Radiology. The classification of the diseases as well as the anatomy, physiology and medical terminology related to them will also help the student provide more informative radiographs.
Clinical Education III: (5 Credit Hours)
This course is a continuation of Clinical Education I and II, in which the student is expected to demonstrate a more advanced level of participation in the Medical Imaging department. Following successful completion of didactic/academic material and laboratory evaluation, the student will begin performing more difficult examinations under direct supervision. The student will continue clinical competency testing to establish proficiency with certain procedures and will begin to perform many exams under indirect supervision.
Second Year
Fourth Semester: (8 Credit Hours)
Film Critique III: (2 Credit Hours)
This course is a continuation of Film Critique II and is designed to help the student acquire methods of determining the quality, acceptability, and correction of radiographic images. This course will also include instruction on how to identify and correct problems to successfully perform repeat images encountered on various radiographs of the spine, cranium and facial bones
Clinical Education IV: (6 Credit Hours)
This course is a continuation of Clinical Education I, II and III. The student will begin to develop and apply independent decision-making skills to prepare them for the role of a technologist. Additional clinical rotations will be added for the student including CT, orthopedic surgery office and primary care clinic. The student will continue the clinical competency testing process and should now be doing many exams under indirect supervision.
Fifth Semester: (11 Credit Hours)
Radiation Biology: (2 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to give the student a thorough knowledge of the potential hazards of radiation exposure with concern to the different biological injuries. The student will revisit previous learning in regard to the proper methods of protecting patients and personnel during radiographic procedures and will learn about the various regulatory agencies associated with radiation protection.
Specialized Imaging: (2 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to enhance the student’s knowledge of the more specialized modalities in the Medical Imaging field. Equipment and contrast media as well as indications for the exams will provide an opportunity for the student to explore additional career options through theory and observation.
Pediatric Imaging: (2 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to help the student master the complicated area of radiographing pediatric patients. The student will explore the psychological aspect of children and become more aware of the importance of immobilization, protection, and efficiency in performing exams on pediatric patients. Principles of geriatric imaging will also be included, with the student expected to identify comparisons and contrasts of age-specific appropriate techniques.
Clinical Education V: (5 Credit Hours)
This course is a continuation of Clinical Education I, II, III and IV. At this point in the clinical education component, students should be intimately involved in all aspects of the Medical Imaging department and should be developing and establishing high-level decision-making skills. CT and off-campus rotations will continue. In conjunction with the Specialized Imaging course, the students will participate in observational rotations in the various imaging modalities encountered in the field of Medical Imaging. The student will continue the clinical competency testing process and should now be doing most examinations under indirect supervision and with a degree of independence.
Sixth Semester: (9 Credit Hours)
Registry Review and Board Preparation: (3 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to prepare the student for the Registry Examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Successful completion of this examination enables the graduate to become certified by the ARRT and eligible for licensing by the New York State Department of Health.
Clinical Education VI: (6 Credit Hours)
This is the final section of Clinical Education. CT and off-campus rotations will continue and each student will do a single, one-week, noon to 8pm rotation to expose the student to the differences in workflow when working with a smaller staff. By the end of the course, the student is required to complete all clinical competency components. One of the focuses during this final section is the fine-tuning of all the students' skills to prepare for entry into the work force as entry-level technologists.
This course is designed to give the student better insight into the career of radiology and its relationship to the medical field. The student will learn about the concepts of customer service excellence as well as continuous quality improvement in order to become a vital member of the medical team. During orientation, the student will learn about the potential danger of radiation exposure as well as the methods/principles of protecting the patient and the occupational worker. Students will also complete an American Heart Association Basic Life Support class, receiving a two-year certification.
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