A processed MRI image.
State license requirements to work as a radiology technician vary by location. However, the national organization for certifying radiology technicians in the United States is the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists or ARRT. College and technical schools design their curriculum to prepare candidates for the ARRT exam. The standard course of study involves earning an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree with an emphasis on radiologic technology.
Degree Plans
Although, the degree plan varies somewhat from college to college, the overall course of study requires certain basic standards of an AAS curriculum along with elective courses in radiologic technology. Credit hours needed to obtain the AAS degree also vary from institution to institution but are generally between 60 and 80 credit hours, with approximately one-third of the credits in basic courses and two-thirds in specialty courses.
Basic Courses
As part of the core curriculum to obtain an AAS degree, generally one or two English composition classes are required. In most programs one humanities course -- literature, art appreciation, and an introduction to philosophy are examples; one mathematics course, from offerings such as college algebra, general mathematics, or basic calculus; one social science course, which may be U.S. or world history; and two natural science courses are required. The natural science courses may be two courses of human anatomy and physiology, or one course of human anatomy and physiology and one course of medical terminology or a similar offering pertaining to human biology.
Elective Specialization Courses
A degree directed toward radiology technology (RDT) requires elective courses such as an introductory course to the field of radiology technology that provides students with a general overview of the applied science, terminology used in the specialty, and professional ethics. Courses in radiographic procedures are taught in both classroom and laboratory environments where instruction and practice in positioning patients for radiographic images in normal and trauma situations are provided. Several courses that teach students analyze and interpret images, for example read X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results are normally part of the curriculum.
Clinical Practice Courses
Clinical practice techniques are taught in a series of courses from basic to advanced allowing for professional interaction with patients and learning proper techniques for body positioning for various images of human anatomy. Advanced courses in clinical practice provide students with opportunities to practice skills in a supervised real-world environment and additionally teach techniques used in geriatric and juvenile imaging.
Advanced Courses
To complete the AAS degree in RDT, a number of advanced courses are also needed. For example, advanced radiography courses teach proper management to obtain quality results in mammography, digital imaging, ultrasound, MRI, computed tomography (CT) scans, and other imaging systems. Physics of radiation covers topics ranging from properties of electromagnetic radiation to X-rays. Additional advanced requirements vary depending on the institution.
Tags: human anatomy, anatomy physiology, anatomy physiology course, course study, elective courses, human anatomy physiology, natural science
