The Radiography Program is no longer accepting applications for 2013. Please check this website in August for information regarding 2014 enrollment.
Below are questions that the program faculty frequently answers.
Why did the program change its admission requirements? ARRT, the certifying organization for radiography, will require all applicants for the certifying exam in 2015 to have earned an academic degree. This requirement is forcing hospital-based imaging programs across the U.S. to change their requirements for admission.
How does the St Vincent/St Joseph program intend to meet this degree requirement? We will meet this requirement by either accepting applicants who have already earned an academic degree, or by accepting candidates who will have earned a degree by the time they complete the program.
Why does the program require that Ivy Tech evaluate courses completed at other colleges? Hospital-based imaging programs in Indiana have partnered with Ivy Tech to allow our program graduates to complete the associate degree in imaging sciences. To earn this degree, candidates must take all general education course-work for the AS degree. These courses can be taken at any regionally-accredited college but must be evaluated by Ivy Tech to determine transferability. A list of transfer courses among Indiana colleges can be found at http://www.transferin.net/College-Students/CTL.aspx.
Why does the program require 15 credits hours be completed through Ivy Tech? Ivy Tech will not grant an associate degree unless at least 15 credit hours have been completed through Ivy Tech. The remaining course-work can be completed at any regionally-accredited college. Because of this requirement, the program cannot consider candidates who have not completed the required 15 hours through Ivy Tech.
Does the 15 Ivy Tech credit hours have to be completed at a specific Ivy Tech campus? No - the 15 hours can completed anywhere (including online courses) through the Ivy Tech system.
Does all general education course-work have to be completed to get accepted? No, but preference will be given to applicants who have or will have all general education courses finished prior to enrollment in August. If an applicant is accepted without having all general education course-work complete, the student will be required to complete the remaining general education courses while enrolled in the radiography program.
What is the general education course-work required for the associate degree in imaging sciences? The general education course-list can be found here.
How difficult is it to be accepted into the program? The increased interest in radiography over the past few years has indeed resulted in an increased number of applicants applying for a limited number of positions in the program and has therefore made the application process more competitive. For any applicant to be considered for acceptance they will need to demonstrate a history of successful academic performance as well as a personality that is compatible with both the academic and healthcare environment. Our selection panel evaluates many factors when selecting candidates for the program and has found that there is no one “model” for the ideal student. There is no one factor or attribute that can guarantee acceptance into the program.
Jobs are hard to come by these days. Do you guarantee employment after graduation? These are difficult economic times, and healthcare is certainly being affected by the struggling economy. While competition for employment in medical imaging has stiffened, there are opportunities available for new graduates, especially for those willing to continue their education into advanced imaging areas. The long-term employment projections still show that there will be a need for qualified radiographers as our population continues to age.
Our program has been very successful in placing our graduates within 6 months following graduation, and we expect that trend to continue. But please keep in mind that no academic program can guarantee employment after graduation.
What do you look for when evaluating candidates? We look for individuals who have a strong background in biological sciences and mathematics (and good grades). This will come from regionally-accredited college-level course work. We also look for work experience with customer contact and service-oriented emphasis. Candidates should possess good interpersonal communication skills and a discernable interest in health care.
How can I enhance my chances of being accepted? Given the tremendous interest in our program, we cannot guarantee that any candidate will be accepted. The program will stop short of prescribing a specific plan to any or all candidates. Each candidate is expected to evaluate his/her own strengths and weaknesses and to establish a plan that will address relevant weaknesses. Should a candidate not be accepted, we are always happy to discuss with a candidate our perceived strengths and weaknesses.
The ideal candidate will possess a healthy balance of characteristics and skills deemed desirable by the faculty. The ideal candidate:
- Has a proven record of academic success, particularly in math and sciences;
- Has work experience with the public in the service sector;
- Is knowledgeable of the field of radiography, including the less-than-desirable aspects;
- Possesses a strong work ethic, positive attitude, and caring demeanor desirable of a health-care giver;
- Communicate well verbally and in writing;
- Is knowledgeable of his/her own strengths and weaknesses.
I’m concerned about the travel. Is it worth it? The program faculty is sensitive to the inconveniences of traveling for classes and clinical assignments and makes every reasonable effort to minimize the travel expectations. However, traveling is a necessary and reasonable expectation given the learning opportunities that result. We are proud of the comprehensive education in medical imaging that we provide, which will greatly benefit our graduates as they seek employment opportunities.
The program does have a central classroom located at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. Approximately half of the class sessions (about once a week) will require students at St. Joseph Hospital in Kokomo and Saint Johns Health System in Anderson to travel to Indianapolis for some classes. However, by conducting classes at each student’s clinical site, we have effectively reduced travel expectations by half. Additionally, the program requires some traveling to clinical sites throughout Indiana during the senior year.
To help offset the expenses of travel, the program keeps tuition and book expenses very reasonable. While the tuition costs of some local programs can reach $14,000 annually, our tuition is a very reasonable $3,000 annually. Most programs also require students to travel to multiple clinical sites or a central campus for academic classes. We encourage candidates to inquire of all programs regarding their travel expectations and to weigh the costs of travel with tuition and textbook expenses.
We believe that our program is one of the most cost-effective programs in this region that is able to offer a comprehensive approach to education in varying settings and access to state of the art technology to ultimately make our graduates highly marketable!
- What is the starting salary for rad techs? The starting salary varies throughout the country. Entry level salaries in Indiana range from $38,000.00 to $42,000.00.
- I completed an anatomy (or physics, or medical terminology, or…) course in college, why do I have to complete those courses in your program? Although courses may have similar names and subject matter, the program courses are presented with an emphasis on material that is relevant to radiography.
Can I get financial aid? Scholarships? Tuition assistance? The program does not participate in Title IV financial funding and therefore does not offer financial aid opportunities. Thus Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, and other state and federal-sanctioned aid do not apply. As a result, the program does keep tuition and textbook expenses very reasonable.
We encourage candidates to seek scholarship opportunities throughout their local communities and local civic organizations. We will be happy to work with any third-party payer who will guarantee tuition or textbook payment on behalf of an enrolled student.
Can I work full-time while attending this program? This is a very common and poignant question and an issue we cannot emphasize enough to be seriously considered by each individual applying to the program. Although we cannot dictate what a student does outside of the program, past experiences have demonstrated that it is extremely difficult to successfully meet the requirements of the program while working a full time schedule. Some factors to consider beyond an individuals personal stamina and abilities are:
- Physical and mental demands of the job.
- Flexibility of work schedule
- weekend vs after program hours
- ability to reduce/switch hours to accommodate program demands
- Additional personal/family responsibilities
- Study time requirements outside of program hours
- Are you a quick learner or an individual that needs to spend a fair amount of time to master material
Many students do work part-time while in the program. The program faculty, while sympathetic and understanding of the situation, cannot lower the performance expectations of a student. Ultimately it is for each individual to honestly evaluate their abilities, both physical and academic and determine if after the commitment to the program hours and the hours to the job that there is enough time left to eat, sleep, study, travel, and for family while still meeting the requirements of the program…for 22 months.
Do you allow students to attend part time? … evenings or weekends? The program is full time and 22 months in length. During the week a student will spend 3 days in the clinic usually from 7:30am – 3:30pm and 2 days in the classroom usually from 9:00am – 2:00pm. The program is unable to accommodate applicants seeking any form of part time education.