Radiology Technology - Curriculum
The Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia (“EMCP”), School of Radiologic Technology is an outcomes-based program. It is designed to provide the community with diagnostic imaging professionals who have not only achieved clinical competency but proficiency in Radiologic Technology. Proficiency is “performing in a given art, skill, or branch of learning with expert correctness and facility.”1 It is believed that graduates of the Program will be of the highest caliber. They will contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of disease by providing radiologists with the highest quality images obtainable.
In order to achieve proficiency, the students must master a wide variety of academic and clinical objectives. The students’ cognitive, psychomotor and affective skills are simultaneously developed throughout the 23-month program. Students must progress through the structured system of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience to achieve competency. Once the baseline of competency has been achieved, the students remain on the clinical floor/units performing numerous additional examinations until proficiency is established.
The Program’s clinical education component, in which the students must maintain an overall course grade of 85%, is a well structured and supervised system that reinforces and supplements the information presented in the didactic courses. It allows for the gradual development and eventual mastery of the students’ skills. The mastery of these skills occurs over the 23-month program.
After students have demonstrated successful retention of the didactic subject matter, they are given a laboratory demonstration by the Program faculty and ample time to practice performing the examination. After sufficient practice, the students are tested via the Simulation (Sim) Form. Students who receive an 85% or better on the Sim Form are then permitted to perform the examination on patients under the direct supervision of the staff technologist. Direct supervision is supervision by a qualified radiographer who: reviews the procedure in relation to student achievement; evaluates the condition of the patient in relation to student knowledge; is present during the conduct of the procedure; and approves the procedure.
Once the students’ feel they are competent in performing a particular examination under direct supervision, they may request to be tested by a clinical advisor via a Clinical Competency Evaluation (CCE) Form. Students who achieve 85% or better on the CCE Form are then able to perform the examination with indirect supervision in the future. Indirect supervision is supervision by a qualified radiographer immediately available to assist the student regardless of the level of student achievement. Immediately available is interpreted as the physical presence of a qualified radiographer adjacent to the room or area the procedure is performed. Students are later retested on the various body parts via the Proficiency Form (“Prof Form”). In order to pass the Prof Form, a grade of 85% or better is required.
At the end of the 23-month curriculum, students must demonstrate competency in all 36 mandatory Radiological Procedures as set forth by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (“ARRT”). At least 28 of the 36 Radiological Procedures must be demonstrated on patients (CCE). Students must also demonstrate competency in at least 15 of the 30 elective procedures. Electives may be on patients (CCE), phantoms or as simulations. In addition, the General Patient Care competencies are mandatory, which may be simulated. Students who have not achieved proficiency in all examinations by graduation may be required to remain in the Program. School of Radiologic Technology Certificates will not be granted until all such requirements are met.
Students must attain an overall course grade of 75% or better in the following didactic courses: Medical Terminology, Patient Care Standards, Physics, Radiographic Anatomy and Positioning, Radiographic Technique, Ethics and Modern Health Issues, Physiology, Quality Assurance and Computer Concepts, Radiation Biology, Radiation Protection, Advanced Imaging Modalities, Pathology, Basics of Computed Tomography and Cross Sectional Anatomy.
Students must also successfully complete all associate degree requirements set forth by Philadelphia University. Students must complete a minimum of 21 credits of Philadelphia University coursework, which includes: MATH 215-College Algebra, PSYCH 101- Introduction to Psychology, WRTG 105-Writing for the Workplace Culture, IT 201-Learning with Technology, HIST 114-Rise of the Modern World: American Transitions, HLTSV 210-Ethical Issues for Health and Human Services Providers and PLA 100-Scientific Reasoning.
1As defined by the American Heritage Dictionary
Radiography Curriculum
Term I
RT101- Medical Terminology I
RT102- Patient Care Standards I
Term II
RT103- Physics I
RT104- Radiographic Anatomy and Positioning I
RT105- Radiographic Technique I
RT106- Clinical Education I
Math 215
Term III
RT203- Physics II
RT204- Radiographic Anatomy and Positioning II
RT205- Radiographic Technique II
RT206- Clinical Education II
IT 201
Term IV
RT303- Physics III
RT304- Radiographic Anatomy and Positioning III
RT305- Radiographic Technique III
RT306- Clinical Education III
RT313- Radiographic Processing
RT607-Ethics and Modern Health Issues
* Junior Comprehensive Examination
Term V
RT306-Clinical Education III continued
WRTG 105
PSYCH 101
Term VI
RT403- Radiation Biology
RT406- Clinical Education IV
RT408- Physiology
RT409- Advanced Imaging Modalities
RT609- Basics of Computed Tomography
HLT-SV 210
Term VII
RT503- Radiation Protection
RT506- Clinical Education V
RT510- Quality Assurance and Computer Concepts
RT511- Pathology
RT604- Cross Sectional Anatomy
HIST 114
PLA 100
Term VIII
RT606- Clinical Education VI
RT612- Certification Examination Review
* Senior Comprehensive Examination
Philadelphia University Courses