Department of Radiologic and Medical Laboratory Sciences

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Mission

The mission of the Department of Radiologic and Medical Laboratory Sciences parallels the mission of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, focusing on preparing healthcare professionals to perform diagnostic procedures and to provide direct and indirect care to meet the healthcare needs of individuals and families. The department offers two nationally-accredited, professionally-focused health science programs:  radiologic sciences and medical laboratory science. The radiologic sciences program prepares students for a health profession involving the use of technological equipment and human compassion in providing diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injury. The medical laboratory science program prepares students for a healthcare profession which analyzes various body fluids and tissues for abnormalities, for decisions in determining the causes and cures of a variety of diseases.

Curricula

Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences

The radiologic sciences curriculum is designed to prepare students for the healthcare profession as competent radiographers. Radiography is a discipline of the radiologic sciences in which a radiographer:

• Utilizes ionizing radiation and other forms of energy to produce medical images, with minimum radiation to the patient and personnel;
• Serves as a specialist in the application of knowledge in patient care, anatomy, physiology, positioning, and radiographic techniques to accurately demonstrate anatomical structures on an image receptor; and
• Provides patient care and, in some situations, initiates basic life support.

The curriculum consists of two phases: preprofessional and professional. The preprofessional phase comprises the first three semesters of the program and consists of general academic requirements together with the basic physical and life sciences. The final two and a half years comprise the professional phase of the program. Acceptance into the professional phase is on a competitive basis.

Students enrolled in the professional phase are rotated through several area hospitals and clinics serving as clinical education settings. Students spend 15-25 hours a week in the clinical education setting in addition to other courses. Special placement is available to individuals who are registered technologists.

Certain physical and sensory skills are related to successful performance in the occupation. Contact the Department of Radiologic and Medical Laboratory Sciences before declaring radiologic sciences as your major.

The curriculum also offers advanced courses in mammography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, bone densitometry, vascular interventional technology, and cardiac-interventional technology. The student may select one advanced area for a clinical rotation beyond radiography. The curriculum integrates learning and clinical environments to promote advanced professional development.

The program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, 20 Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182, (312) 704-5300, email: mail@jrcert.org.

Upon successful completion of the program, the student is eligible to receive the Bachelor of Science degree and apply for the primary certification examination in Radiography (R) offered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Program graduates may also achieve some, or complete documentation, of the ARRT clinical experience requirements for post-primary certification examinations in one of these advanced areas:  Mammography (M), Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MR), Bone Densitometry (BD), Vascular-Interventional Radiography(VI), or Cardiac-Interventional Radiography (CV).

Admission to Professional Phase of Radiologic Sciences

Acceptance into the professional phase of the radiologic sciences program is on a selective basis due to the limited number of students approved for each clinical education setting. Students are admitted to the professional phase of the program in the spring semester of the sophomore year and continue for two and a half years. The application must be submitted no later than October 1 of the preceding fall semester. Applications for the professional phase can be obtained from the Department of Radiologic and Medical Laboratory Sciences. In cases where the number of qualified applicants for the professional phase exceeds the capacity, applicants will be accepted based on highest cumulative GPA. In order to be considered for admission to the professional curriculum, the student must:

1. Have earned a minimum grade point average of 2.5 or better in all courses outlined in the preprofessional phase;
2. Have earned a minimum grade point average of 2.5 or better and no grade lower than a C in all science courses in the preprofessional curriculum (BIOL 225, 226; CHEM 101; MATH 113, 231; NRHP 100; RADS 101);
3. Have repeated no more than two courses in the preprofessional curriculum due to a failing grade;
4. Have completed or will have completed all the preprofessional courses by the starting date of the professional curriculum; and
5. Submit documentation verifying 20 hours of observation in a radiology clinical setting.

After acceptance is granted to the professional phase, the student must meet the requirements for continuation in clinical radiography courses including but not limited to the following:

1. Clearance and verification from a healthcare worker background check which includes: criminal search, social security number verification, maiden name/AKA name search, Sexual Offender Registry/Predator Registry, National Wants & Warrants Submission, 13224 Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, U.S. Government Terrorist List Search, Investigative Application Review, Adverse Action Letter, and Medicare/Medicaid Sanctioned. This background profile must be conducted by a specified agency at a cost of $50. More details are in the acceptance letter and the Student Handbook for the Professional Phase.
2. Negative results from a 15-panel split study drug screening performed by a specified medical laboratory at a cost of $35-$75. More details are in the acceptance letter and the Student Handbook for the Professional Phase.
3. Assignments for clinical radiography courses are typically Monday-Friday during daytime hours, with the exception of the occasional evening rotation. Evening rotations during the summer session include a Saturday assignment. More details are included in the Student Handbook for the Professional Phase.
4. Travel to and from the classroom and clinical assignments is the responsibility of the student. All Clinical Education Settings are located within 15 miles of the campus. Professional liability coverage for all students assigned to a Clinical Education Setting is covered by the University.
5. Course delivery for professional phase courses is a combination of face-to-face classroom courses on campus, clinical courses off campus, and web hybrid courses.

Post-Certificate Standing in Radiologic Sciences

The radiologic sciences curriculum provides an opportunity for registered technologists to receive advanced placement credit toward the baccalaureate degree program. Technologists registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists will be awarded 54 credit hours to be applied to the professional curriculum. Additional information and the curriculum are available on the Radiologic Sciences, RT to BS, BS program page below.

Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science

The medical laboratory science curriculum is designed to prepare students for a healthcare profession as competent medical laboratory scientists. Medical laboratory scientists:

• Perform, interpret, and supervise the analysis of blood, plasma, serum, body fluids, and tissues in a medical laboratory;
• Test body fluids including blood, urine, stool, cerebral spinal fluid, bone marrow, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, synovial fluid, and many others for abnormalities; and
• After entering the workforce may choose to specialize in blood bank, chemistry, hematology, histology, microbiology, molecular genetics, or virology.

The four-year program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), 5600 North River Road, Suite 720, Rosemont, IL 60018-5156 (773-714-8880), www.naacls.org.

The curriculum consists of 120 semester hours. The first three years (82 hours) are completed on-campus while the final year or clinical internship (38 hours) requires students to participate in web-based courses, campus lectures, and medical laboratory instruction.

There are specific-essential functions related to successful performance in this occupation. Contact the Department of Radiologic and Medical Laboratory Sciences before declaring medical laboratory science as your major.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be eligible for a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science. Graduates are then eligible to take the ASCP Board of Certification national exam and apply for a state license. The granting of a Bachelor of Science degree is not contingent upon passing the ASCP Board of Certification national exam or applying for a state license.

During the medical laboratory science internship, students may receive a grade of I (incomplete) if a course is still in progress when the semester ends. Grades of I will be changed to letter grades at the end of the internship. If an I grade is changed to a grade below a C, the student may be required to repay a portion of his/her federal financial assistance.

Admission to Medical Laboratory Science Internship

In order to apply for the medical laboratory science internship, students must meet the following requirements before submitting the internship application to the admissions committee during the second semester of their junior year:

• A minimum grade point average of 2.7 with no grade lower than a C in the curriculum;
• Have repeated no more than two courses in the curriculum due to a failing grade;
• Have dropped or withdrawn from no more than four courses in the curriculum;
• Complete internship application by the specified deadline; and
• Complete all pre-clinical courses by the internship start date.

Selection into the clinical internship of the medical laboratory science program is competitive due to the limited number of students approved for each clinical site. Students are admitted to clinical sites in June, August, and January. If a student is denied acceptance into the medical laboratory science internship, the student will be redirected to alternative career opportunities or to appropriate remedial action. There is no substitution for the 12-month medical laboratory science internship. Students must comply with all University and medical laboratory policies during the medical laboratory science internship.

Graduation Requirements

Students in the Department of Radiologic and Medical Laboratory Science must meet the graduation requirements listed in the Degree and Graduation Requirements  section of the Academic Regulations page.

Programs

• Medical Laboratory Science, BS
• Radiologic Sciences, BS
• Radiologic Sciences, RT to BS, BS

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