Radiologic Technology

RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY
School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety

• Associate of Science in Radiologic Technology

Program Description
Radiologic technology is a healthcare profession whose practitioners work in hospitals, clinics and free-standing imaging centers. The radiographer is a member of the healthcare team who works directly with the patient and the physician in performing a wide variety of diagnostic and interventional therapy procedures. The rapid expansion of medical diagnostic imaging has greatly increased the diversity and utility of medical diagnosis. Radiologic Technology is a 5-term associate of science degree program. The radiographer must be proficient in the knowledge of radiographic exposure, anatomy, patient positioning, the operation of specialized equipment and the care and management of the patient. Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible to take the certification examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). The program meets the ARRT (American Registration of Radiologic Technologist) accreditation requirements through the NCACS-HLC institutional accreditation of Central New Mexico Community College.

Career and Advancement Opportunities
Hospitals are the primary employer of radiologic technologists although national indicators predict that a greater number of new jobs will be in physician offices and clinics. Department of Labor 2000 statistics indicated that there were 167,000 radiologic technologists employed in the U.S. Eighty percent of those technologists were employed full time. More than half worked in hospitals, with the remaining in positions in physicians’ offices and clinics. The national vacancy rate for radiologic technologists is approximately 4.8 percent, while, locally the vacancy rate is less. A career in radiologic technology offers vast opportunities for advancement in specialized imaging techniques.

Special Requirements
Before entering the program, students must have a high school diploma or equivalent, be admitted to CNM, declare Radiologic Technology as a major, establish a CNM GPA of 2.0 or better, and complete the liberal arts prerequisites.
All Health, Wellness & Public Safety Division courses required for graduation must be taken for a traditional grade of A, B or C. For Health, Wellness & Public Safety courses offered only for credit/no credit, a grade of credit (CR) must be earned. A grade of C or better in all liberal arts courses is required for graduation. If necessary, the selection of students into the program will be determined by the number of completed liberal arts courses required for the degree, and date of declared major in Radiologic Technology.
Once admitted to the core courses, students pay a program fee of $110 to cover the cost of the uniform, name tag, hospital parking permits, film markers and preventative lab tests in case of needle stick or other exposure to bodily fluids; a $30 fee will also be charged to each clinical course for Dosimeter film badges. Students are required to provide proof of CPR certification, a recent physical exam and current immunizations (tetanus, rubella, rubeola and hepatitis B) and PPD, prior to working with patients in a clinical setting.
Students may be required to undergo routine drug screening and a criminal background check prior to beginning their clinical experience. Students are required to provide documentation from a licensed healthcare provider that they can safely lift a minimum of 50 lbs. prior to beginning their clinical experience.

Graduation Policy
Health, Wellness & Public Safety Division students must graduate under the current catalog.
 Pre- and corequisites are listed in course descriptions and are subject to change with each new catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to meet the pre- and/or corequisites in effect for the term in which a course is taken, regardless of the catalog under which the student entered or will graduate. Students may be stopped from enrolling or may be disenrolled if pre- or corequisites are not met.
 Students who have successfully completed courses that no longer exist from previous catalogs will be accommodated. Contact the department at (505) 224-4111 for more information.

Contact Information
Information concerning this program is available from the director of the program, Jack Wilder, at (505) 224-5208, pwilder@cnm.edu, or from Advisement and Counseling at (505)224-4321 (Main Campus) or (505) 224-5646 (Montoya Campus).

Program Links:

information session on line links

Information Session, Part 1

Information Session, Part 2

Information Session, Part 3