School of Radiologic Technology

•  ABOUT OUR PROGRAM
•  MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS
•  CURRICULUM
•  ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
•  TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION
•  ADMISSIONS PROCEDURE
•  GENERAL INFORMATION
•  CONTACT US

The program course is 24 months, beginning in July of each year. Upon successful completion of the program, students are awarded a certificate and are eligible to take the registry examination given by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Passing this examination allows the graduate to seek employment as a registered radiologic technologist and to use the designation R.T.(R).

The Columbus Regional Hospital School of Radiologic Technology is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182. 
Phone: (312) 704-5300.  Email: mail@jrcert.org.   JRCERT promotes excellence in education and enhances quality and safety of patient care through the accreditation of educational programs.

MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS
Mission Statement:

"To train competent and caring technologists to meet the healthcare needs of the people we serve."

Goals:

1.  To offer a curriculum, using all of the resources at our disposal, that will enable  students to acquire knowledge needed for entry-level positions in  radiography.
2.  To offer clinical experience of a sufficient quality and quantity that will afford  students the opportunity for practical application of knowledge and concepts,  thus developing the clinical skills and professional values needed for entry-level positions in  radiography.
3.  To prepare students to sit for the national registry exam administered by the  ARRT.

Healthcare is an ever changing technology. Program criteria is subject to change at the discretion of program officials.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Candidates applying to the School of Radiologic Technology must meet the following eligibility requirements:

 • Schedule an appointment to meet with the Program Director, participate in an aptitude test, and tour the facilities on a designated Monday or Friday morning prior to March 15 of the year he/she wishes to attend the program.

 • Have an SAT score of at least 800 (critical reading (verbal) / math) 

 • Have completed 18 credit hours of college-level general education courses  (100 level or greater) with a grade of at least 2.0 (C) on a 4.0 scale:
     – 3 cr. hrs. Intermediate Algebra*
     – 3 cr. hrs. English Composition *
     – 3 cr. hrs. Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication*
     – 3 cr. hrs. Intro to Computers *
     – 6 cr. hrs. (2 semesters) Human Anatomy & Physiology*                               
            (Online Anatomy & Physiology courses are not accepted)

 • Have completed 3 cr. hrs. of college-level Chemistry or Physics* (100 level or greater)  or its equivalent with a grade of 2.0 (C) or better.  Two semesters of high school Chemistry or two semesters of high school Physics with a grade of  2.0 (C) or better will be recognized as an acceptable equivalent.

 • Submit to the Program Director the completed application form by April 1 of the year he/she wishes to attend, along with a $20 non-refundable application fee made payable to Columbus Regional Hospital

 • Submit official transcripts of grades from high school (to include an SAT score) and college by April 1 of the year in which he/she wishes to attend 

 • Possess the physical ability to perform tasks required of radiographers.  See Technical Standards for Admission.

 • If selected as a student, pass a pre-enrollment physical exam to include a drug screening 

 • If selected as a student, pass a criminal background check.  This is required of all healthcare workers having direct patient contact.

Note:  Conviction of a misdemeanor or felony may indicate lack of good moral character for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists’ (ARRT) purposes.  Pre-application review procedures are in place to allow individuals who are not yet enrolled in an educational program to determine if a conviction would interfere with exam eligibility.  www.arrt.org  

Completion of the Admission Requirements does not guarantee admission into this highly competitive program.  Selection is based upon courses and grades in the applicant’s background, SAT score, aptitude test score, and reference checks.  An interview process for the top scholastic candidates will be conducted as well. 
 
*Courses in Progress
The deadline for submission of all application materials is April 1; however applicants who have a required college course “in progress” at the time of application will be allowed to apply with documented evidence of enrollment in that course from their college.  In the event that a student is accepted under these circumstances, the acceptance will be contingent upon completion of all required courses by the end of the current Spring semester with an acceptable grade as stated above.  Students with all required courses completed and grades issued prior to the deadline of April 1 may have an advantage over those who have not yet completed all the required courses at the time of application. 

TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION
All prospective student radiographers must be able to meet and maintain certain minimum technical abilities in order to effectively function and maintain patient safety in this highly demanding field. With at least reasonable accommodation, applicants must:

1. Have sufficient strength, motor coordination, and manual dexterity to be able to:
   • Transport, move, lift or transfer patients from wheelchair or litter to an x-ray table or to a patient bed.
   • Push, pull, bend, kneel, and squat routinely.
   • Move, adjust, and manipulate a variety of x-ray equipment (including the physical transportation of portable x-ray machines) in order to arrange and align the equipment with respect to the patient and the image receptor according to established procedure and standards of speed and accuracy.
   • Work standing on feet 80% of the time.
   •  Physically place patients in proper positions for the examination according to established procedure and standards of speed and accuracy.
   
   
2. Be capable of:
   • Handling stressful situations related to technical and procedural standards and patient care situations.
   • Providing physical and emotional support to the patient during radiographic procedures and be able to respond to situations requiring first aid and provide emergency care to the patient in the absence of, or until the physician arrives.
   
   
3. Have the mental or intellectual capacity to:
   • Communicate verbally in an effective manner in order to explain and direct patients as it relates to their examinations, and to recognize audible tones to ensure care and safety to the patient
   • Read and interpret the physician's orders and corresponding procedural paperwork according to the procedure's standard of speed and accuracy and to ensure care and safety to the patient
   • Calculate and select proper technical exposure factors according to the individual needs of the patient and the requirements of the procedure's standard of speed and accuracy and to ensure care and safety to the patient
   • Review and evaluate the recorded images on radiographs for the purpose of identifying proper patient positioning, accurate procedural sequencing, proper radiographic exposure, and other appropriate and pertinent technical qualities
4. Review and evaluate the recorded images on radiographs for the purpose of identifying proper patient positioning, accurate procedural sequencing, proper radiographic exposure, and other appropriate and pertinent technical qualities

Upon completion of the above, the qualified applicant will receive an application to submit for admission to the School of Radiologic Technology. The completed application, grade transcripts, and a non-refundable $20 application fee (payable to Columbus Regional Hospital) should be submitted to the Program Director by the application deadline of April 1. No action will be taken on applications until after the application deadline.

Following the deadline, all applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee of the program. Those applicants who meet published admission standards are evaluated in terms of academic potential. An interview process may be required to determine motivation, realistic orientation to the discipline, ability to work cooperatively with others and to learn from supervised experiences.

The committee selects up to eight qualified students, six of which are offered admission to the class and two who are selected as alternates in the event all of the six do not enter.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Tuition
The fee for tuition is $2500 per year, payable by June 1st prior to classes starting in July. Tuition for the senior year is due July 1st, upon successful completion of the freshman year.

Refund Policy
A 100% refund of the first year tuition will be granted if the student decides to withdraw from the program on or before the first day of the school year. A 50% refund of the first year tuition will be granted if the student decides to withdraw from the program within the first four weeks of the first school year.

Books
Students are responsible for the purchase of their textbooks. This is done through the hospital to allow the student to qualify for our volume discount.

Financial Aid
Columbus Regional Hospital School of Radiologic Technology does not sponsor financial assistance programs. Arrangements for financial assistance are solely the responsibility of the student.

Academic Calendar
The program is a continuous 24 months of study with classes broken down into (8) 13-week quarters.  Each school year begins July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year. Students are issued grades at the end of each quarter.

Attendance
All classes are held at Columbus Regional Hospital. Clinical Education is received in the facilities of the hospital and on the mobile route offered by the hospital.

Classes are held during weekday hours, with occasional rotations for weekend and evening clinical experience.

Students are expected to attend all schedules meetings of classes.  An absence from class does not excuse a student from the responsibility for material presented or work assigned in that class.

An absence from the clinic which is not reported in advance and excused will result in probationary status for the student.  A second occurrence will be deemed sufficient grounds for dismissal from the program.

Absences/Permitted Days Off
Student "sick" days and "vacation time" have been combined into one category called "Permitted Days Off " (PDO) with students receiving the equivalent of 5 days off per quarter.  These may be used for illness, personal business, or scheduled vacations, but are separate from holidays granted off.  Scheduled days off may be broken into half-day increments if it is only necessary for a student to be gone a part of a day.

As a reward for those student who do not miss any days during a quarter, they will be allowed to take the entire 5 days consecutively during the 13th week of that quarter.  No didactic classes will be scheduled during that week so that the student can take the time off to rest and recharge for the next quarter.  Days may not be held over into the next quarter.

Holidays
Columbus Regional Hospital recognizes the following six holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  Students will be granted all 6 holidays "off" during the course of their training.

Dress Code
The dress code for students attending Columbus Regional Hospital School of Radiologic Technology is as follows:
-Scrub-type uniforms of the designated color.  White long-sleeved turtleneck tops may be worn under uniform tops for warmth. 
-Uniforms must be clean and neat.
-White stockings or socks.
-White uniform shoes or white leather tennis shoes.  Shoes and shoe strings must be kept clean and white at all times.  Tennis shoes must be predominately white.
-Watch with a second hand.
-White lab jackets or white cardigan sweaters are permitted.
-A name badge and film badge are provided to each student at no charge and must be worn during scheduled shifts.
-Jewelry is permitted in moderation.
-Hair styles, colors, cuts should be conservative in nature.  If hair is long, it should be pulled back for safety reasons.

Academic Policies
The student is required to maintain an 80% GPA per quarter during the 24 month training program.  The student is required to pass each course with a minimum of 75%.  Each course must be passed to achieve graduation requirements.  Grades are computed quarterly and a report is give to the student at the end of each quarter.  The following grading scale is followed:

                           95-100%              A
                           88-94%                B
                           80-87%                C
                           75-79%                D
                           74 % and below   F

Students acquiring a final grade point average of 3.4 or higher on a scale of 4.0 will graduate "With Honors."

Graduation Requirements
In order to receive a certificate of graduation, students must complete all academic courses and the clinical competency program according to the established criteria.  In addition, candidates must have made up all absences in excess of that allowed by the program and have met all financial obligations to the program.

Radiation Exposure Monitoring
It is the policy of Columbus Regional Hospital to practice and monitor "radiation safety" for all employees and student radiographers. Students are issued a film badge to wear at all times while performing clinical responsibilities during the 24 month program.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists states that customary radiation safety practices for pregnant radiation workers shall be followed. In order to adhere to the guidelines of the National Council on Radiation Protection, a pregnancy policy has been created for this program and is available per applicant request.

Student Services
The following services are provided to students:
Free parking
Free lockers for personal belongings
Discounted meals in the hospital cafeteria
Discounted books when ordered through the hospital
50% discount on Wellness Exercise Program Classes
Free flu-shots
Access to Employee Assistance Program for counseling matters
Access to an assortment of journal and texts within the Professional Library
Internet access within the classroom for educational purposes
Liability insurance coverage

Housing
Columbus Regional Hospital offers no housing facilities for students attending any of the programs sponsored by or affiliated with the hospital.

Transfer Students
Columbus Regional Hospital does not accept transfer, part-time, or advanced placement students.

Outside Employment
Employment outside the school is permitted as long as school scheduling takes priority.  The school will not alter students' schedules to accommodate outside work schedules.  Students are expected to regard their training as top priority and to be present for assigned schedules regardless of outside employment.

College Credit
Program graduates who pass the registry exam are eligible to receive up to 63 credit hours toward an Associate of Science (A..S.) degree in Radiographic Technology from Ivy Tech State College. Completion of the degree will require taking general education courses through Ivy Tech . General education courses taken as pre-requisites for the radiography program generally county toward the required classes, although a minimum of 15 credit hours must have been taken through Ivy Tech to qualify for their degree. This degree completion is merely an option for our graduates desiring a degree and in no way affects one's ability to work as a registered technologist.

CONTACT US
If you meet the program requirements provided and want to set up an appointment for an opportunity to observe our program, or if you would like more information, please call 812-376-5354 (toll free 1-800-841-4938 ext. 5354.) Thank you.

Karen Frazier, M.S., RT(R)
Program Director
School of Radiologic Technology