Curriculum
Curriculum
for Advanced Programs in CT and MRI
Program
Schedule
Courses
Clinical Sites
In the radiography program at the UPMC School of Medical Imaging,
students can choose from one of 10 UPMC hospitals for their clinical
experience.
During testing, a clinical site preference form will be distributed.
Once accepted into the program and the deposit has been received, students
are then placed at a clinical site.
Program Schedule
- Radiography program classes start January and July each year
- The program is full-time, and all academic classes are held at
UPMC Presbyterian.
| Academic hours: |
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
|
| Clinical hours: |
7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or
7 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Clinical hours vary depending on site |
|
- The first month of the program, students are in class four days
a week, the fifth day at your clinical site.
- After the first month, classes are two days a week, clinical three
days a week.
- Students also work occasional Saturdays. All students will rotate
through UPMC Presbyterian for a 1 to 9 p.m. rotation in their second
year.
- Clinical areas that a student will rotate through at the clinical
sites include but are not limited to: General, Portables, Fluoro,
Operating Room, and Emergency Department.
Courses
The radiography program courses described below are approved
by the U.S. Department of Education. Attendance is required. Students
must successfully complete all courses to be eligible to take the certification
examination.
Orientation
As an introduction to radiology, this course will provide a concise
history of the radiologic profession and its role in medicine. The
course also includes an introduction to the function and operation of
hospitals and the role they play in our nation's health program.
Professional Ethics
This course will cover information relating to ethical principles; responsibilities
of membership in an allied health profession; and the relationship of
the radiologic technologist to other technologists, the patient, the
radiologist, attending physicians, and other members of the hospital
staff.
Radiation Protection
Methods to promote maximum safety for patients and staff will be covered,
as well as guidelines for protection from unnecessary exposure to ionizing
radiation. The course emphasizes the importance of keeping ionizing
radiation exposure to the lowest possible level when performing clinically
indicated radiographic examinations requested by the referring physician
or radiologist. (This includes an introduction to radiation protection.)
Anatomy and Physiology
This course provides the information necessary to understand the appearance
and function of the body's various systems, structures, and organs. This
knowledge will enable the student to interpret requests for x-ray examinations,
to properly position the part to be radiographed, to recognize the structures
and organs visualized, and to understand the normal function of organs
as a premise for certain x-ray examinations.
Radiation Physics
This course introduces the student to the fundamentals of electrical
and radiation physics and the principles underlying the operation of
x-ray equipment and auxiliary devices. (This includes an introduction
to radiation physics and technique.)
Radiographic Positioning
This course introduces the art of radiographic positioning of all structures
and organs of the body. The course provides detailed information
on various positions and is supplemented with practical instruction
and application in the radiographic room.
Radiographic Film Processing
The information provided in this course includes the knowledge and skills
necessary for thorough and efficient darkroom procedures, the history
and development of x-ray film and darkroom accessories, the chemical
constituents of processing solutions and their functions, and the various
types of darkroom and processing apparatus.
Medical Terminology
This course teaches the medical terminology applicable to the specialty
of radiology, radiographic terms and their common abbreviations, commonly
used medical terms, and prefixes and suffixes.
Nursing Procedures and Patient Care
This course includes nursing procedures and techniques used in the general
care of patients, with emphasis on the role of the radiologic technologist
in various nursing situations. The course also introduces elements
of first aid that are useful to the technologist in assisting with patient
care.
Special Procedures
This course introduces the student radiographer to specialized and highly
technical radiography procedures, the equipment and opaque media used,
and the general indications for each examination. A review of related
anatomy is also an integral part of this course.
Radiographic Exposure
The theory of x-ray technique and its practical application are covered
in this class. The course is designed to develop the student as a thinking technologist
capable of devising a technique chart based on sound principles and
practices. (This includes an introduction to radiation physics
and technique.)
Department Administration
In this course, the clerical organization, function, supervision, and
financial arrangements relevant to the Department of Radiology are outlined
and reviewed.
Quality Assurance
This course includes information about the x-ray unit, detection and
correction of simple difficulties that interfere with or prevent the
proper function of equipment or accessories, and the fundamentals of
preventive maintenance to avoid expensive breakdowns. The principles
of radiographic calibration and implementing a calibration program are
also covered.
Applied Mathematics
A general background in mathematics, particularly its importance to
radiographic exposure, is reviewed so the student can perform technique
and physics problems in the clinical environment.
Film Critique
Students, through observing each other's work, learn to evaluate good
and poor radiographic examinations. Class discussion and review of radiographic
principles are encouraged.
Tomographic (Body Section) Anatomy
This course provides information about the regional anatomy of the human
body. Students learn to locate each organ by using surface landmarks.
Equipment Maintenance
This course reviews the manufacturers of x-ray units, basic x-ray circuits,
the physical location of important parts on each x-ray unit, and the
testing equipment used for the preventive maintenance program.
Radiographic Pathology
This overview of diseases and injuries helps students serve patients
in the Radiology Department. Understanding the patient's physical
and mental health helps students perform positioning procedures to secure
the best diagnostic radiograph possible.
Contrast Media
This course reviews information about the various types of contrast
media, their preparation, contraindications, and methods of administration.
The use of appropriate contrast media for visualizing particular organs
or systems is studied.
Radiation Biology
This course covers information about the effects of ionizing radiation
on biological tissue, the interaction of radiation and matter on various
body systems, and total body response. This course reinforces the
importance of proper collimation and radiation protection.
Computer Science
This course covers information relating to basic terminology, the internal
workings of a computer, and the importance and application of computers
in the field of radiography.
General Review
This course is a comprehensive review of the entire two-year curriculum
and is designed to help the student to pass the registration examination
conducted by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Registry
application is made during this period.
Students must successfully complete all courses to be eligible
to take their certification examination.
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