Radiological Technology, AAS

Leslie Appling, MSRS, R.T.(R)
(940) 668-3392
lappling@nctc.edu

The Radiological Technology Program is a two-year, 60 credit hour curriculum leading to the Associate of Applied Science Degree that prepares students to assume the role of a radiological technologist, sometimes called rad techs or x-ray techs. Radiological technologists use x-ray equipment to create images of the internal body to diagnose injury and disease. Their services are performed at the request and under the supervision of a physician.

Programmatic Outcomes

By the end of the program, students will be able to meet the following outcomes.

• STUDENTS WILL BE CLINICALLY COMPETENT.
  • Students will apply positioning skills.
  • Students will select appropriate technical factors.
  • Students will practice radiation protection.
• STUDENTS WILL COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY.
  • Students will effectively communicate with patients.
  • Students will demonstrate effective presentation skills.
  • Students will demonstrate written communication skills.
• STUDENTS WILL USE CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS.
  • Students will perform non-routine examinations.
  • Students will evaluate images (Ones they didn’t produce)
• STUDENTS WILL GROW AND DEVELOP PROFESSIONALLY.
  • Students will demonstrate professional behavior. # Students will understand ethical decision skills.
• STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE AS ENTRY LEVEL TECHNOLOGISTS.
  • Students will complete the program.
  • Students will be satisfied with their education.
  • Graduates will pass the ARRT national certification on the 1st attempt.
  • Of those pursuing employment, graduates will be gainfully employed within 6 months post-graduation.
  • Employers will be satisfied with the graduate’s performance

The Radiological Technology Program will accept students every fall semester. The clinical training begins during the second half of the second semester and the hours will be set by the clinical institution to which the student is assigned. This may include days, evenings, nights, and/or weekend shifts. The student will attend clinical 16 hours a week for seven weeks at the end of the second semester. The clinical experience remains 16 hours a week during the entire spring semester and increases to 30-32 hours a week during the summer and during the last year (fall and spring) of the curriculum.

Students are encouraged to take all the academic support courses prior to entering the program. The program is rigorous, and completing the support courses enables the student to complete the program successfully while maintaining personal responsibilities such as work and family commitments.

The Radiological Technology student will employ cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills in the acquisition of their degree. They will be expected to perform as radiographic technologists who must lift and move patients as well as push, pull, lift, and carry heavy equipment. Additionally, students will be required to stoop, bend, and stand for long periods of time and will be required to move quickly in emergency situations. Interpersonal skills are an integral part of the profession and require that the student be able to function appropriately in highly stressful situations.

A physical examination and proof of immunization must be submitted prior to beginning the program. Students must be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the Health Care Provider level as designated by the American Heart Association. A copy of a current CPR card must be submitted to the student’s instructor prior to attending clinical.

Students are required to undergo a criminal background check prior to enrolling in the program and to a drug screen prior to beginning clinical experiences. The criminal background check is conducted once the student has been deemed eligible to enter the program but prior to admission.. If a charge is found on their background check they must complete a pre-application with the ARRT prior to the start of the program. ARRT provides certification and registration of all Radiologic Technologists in the United States. They will determine if you may sit for the registry at the end of the program.The drug screen will be conducted after the student has been accepted to the program. Results of this screen will be reviewed and verification to determine that a student is eligible to attend clinical rotations. The student is responsible for all charges incurred for these screenings and will pay this fee upon registration for the program. Students are responsible for their own transportation arrangements to campus and to their assigned health care facilities for clinical experiences.

Acceptance into the Radiological Technology Program is accomplished by way of a competitive selection process based on a pre-admission assessment exam and a points system composed of:

• grade point average of academic support courses in the curriculum,
• number of academic support courses completed,
• grade in Anatomy and Physiology I,
• grade in Anatomy and Physiology II, and
• a passing score on the TEAS exam.

All students applying for fall admission are invited to take a pre-admission exam (TEAS exam) which will determine their admission to the program.

Students will only be admitted to the program during the fall semester of each year.

Admission Requirements

1. Apply and gain admission to North Central Texas College. Applicant must have earned either a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate in addition to complying with the Texas Success Initiative requirements.
2. Attend a Radiological Technology advisory session. Please contact the Radiology Department for a schedule of these information sessions.
3. Complete the four prerequisite courses. These courses are listed below.
   1. BIOL 2401 Human Anatomy and Physiology I  
   2. BIOL 2402 Human Anatomy and Physiology II  
   3. MATH 1314 College Algebra  or MATH 1342 Elementary Statistical Methods  
   4. ENGL 1301 Composition I  

Admission Points

Admission Points will be awarded as outlined below.

Admission Points are awarded for performance in the two biology prerequisite courses.

For BIOL 2401 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I  and BIOL 2402 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II , admission points are awarded as outlined below for each course.

Complete and submit to the Radiological Technology Program Office at the Gainesville Campus a Declaration of Intent to Enroll form - a formal statement of your intention to enroll in the upcoming fall class scheduled to begin at NCTC. A degree audit and copies of transcripts of all courses must be provided at the time the Declaration of Intent is completed.

It must be completed and submitted between May 1 - June 1.

These declaration forms DO NOT “carry over.” If for any reason you are not admitted to the Radiological Technology Program after submitting your first declaration form, you must submit a new form in order to be considered again for admission.

Radiology Program Cost Considerations

Aside from per semester cost of enrolling in the Radiology program which is typically the sum of tuition, textbooks and course specific student fees, participants in the program will also be expected to personally cover other costs including:

• $104: Criminal background check and drug screen
• $36: Professional liability insurance
• $200: Uniform, shoes, lab coat
• $225: ARRT exam fee
• $ 417: Registry Review Materials
• $200: Physical Examination and Immunizations
• $184: Film badges, Name badges, Lead Markers

NOTE: All tuition rates, fees and other elements of expense for attending North Central Texas College are subject to change by the NCTC Board of Regents

Selection Process

Applicants are selected for acceptance according to the ranking process. Total admission points are added to the cumulative admission assessment exam score. The new total is then used to rank applicants from highest to lowest.

Candidates with the highest combined pre-admission exam scores and priority points will be considered for admission to the Radiological Technology Program. Candidates with the next highest scores will be listed as alternates. If any of those who have been admitted are not able to begin the program for that particular semester, the next highest scoring alternate will be admitted. Anyone wishing to re-apply the following year must go through this admission procedure again in order to be considered for the upcoming semester (including alternates who did not get in). The pre-admission exam may only be taken twice. Those students accepted for admission to the Radiological Technology Program will be registered in the first semester courses by the program staff.