Radiology Degrees Online

Radiation sciences professionals work with physicians to gather accurate patient information for diagnosis and treatment of disease and injury. They must possess knowledge, skill, and mature judgment in order to: operate complex equipment safely and efficiently, produce quality images using multiple sources of radiation energy, and deliver quality patient care during diagnosis and treatment procedures.

The BS degree in radiation sciences provides the knowledge needed to adapt to the increasing sophistication of the profession and its demands.

In addition to the advantages gained by combining general education with specialized career preparation, the program offers students the advantages of full participation in the social, cultural, and recreational activities of a diverse campus community.

Why Study Radiation Sciences at Iowa?
This program, sponsored by University of Iowa Health Care in cooperation with the Department of Radiology and UI Carver College of Medicine, has an excellent reputation and pass rate for certification exams and boasts dual competency in radiologic technology, plus a specialty. The need for radiation science workers is expected to continue well into the future.

The program’s affiliation with University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC), one of the nation’s largest, public university-owned teaching hospitals, provides a wealth of world-class resources and learning opportunities for students.

Course Work
The BS degree requires a minimum of 124 semester hours of course work. Students complete specific components of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ General Education Program in addition to radiologic technology program requirements, advanced course work, and electives.

Additionally, students must complete a specialty program in one of the following modalities:
Nuclear medicine technology
Radiation therapy
Diagnostic medical sonography
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Cardiovascular intervention (CVI)
Computed tomography (CT)
Quality management/picture archiving and communication system (QM/PACS)

The two-year radiologic technology curriculum provides education in pathology, radiation biology, radiation protection, patient care, and ethics. Students also learn about anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, radiographic positioning, imaging equipment, and quality assurance. UIHC serves as the primary site for didactic and supervised clinical education. Students must pass a national board examination at the program’s end in order to practice in the profession.

Professional Titles
Various professional titles are used to explain the type of examinations most commonly performed by radiation sciences personnel. A radiographer, RT(R), produces X-ray images of the body for interpretation by a radiologist. Specialist titles include:

Radiation Therapist, RT(T)—uses ionizing radiation for the treatment of cancer patients.

Nuclear Medicine Technologist, CNMT—performs diagnostic exams using small amounts of radioactive materials.

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer or Ultrasonographer, RDMS—creates images using high-frequency sound waves.

Cardiovascular Interventional Technologist, RT (CVIT)—assists in diagnostic and therapeutic exams using x-radiation for exams of the heart, blood vessels (vascular), and nonvascular anatomy.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technologist, RT (MR)—images the body in cross sections using a strong magnetic field and radio waves.

Computed Tomography (CT) Technologist, RT (CT)—produces cross-sectional images of the body using X-rays.

Quality Management Technologist, RT (QM)—operates a comprehensive departmental management program; PACS manages the digital departmental aspects.

Admission
Admission to the modality programs is competitive. Each year, the programs admit ten students to nuclear medicine, seven to radiation therapy, ten to sonography, six to both the MRI and CT internships, four to CVI, and four to QM/PACS.

Students who intend to complete the entire bachelor’s degree program at Iowa should apply for admission to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as pre-radiation sciences majors. Applicants to the UI Carver College of Medicine’s radiation sciences major must have completed a radiologic technology program and provide evidence of American Registry of Radiologic Technologists national certification.

A cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.50 in college course work is required.

Requirements, deadlines, and other information vary for the modality programs. Visit the Radiation Sciences web page or contact the various programs directly for more details.

Certification and Licensure
Students who complete the technology and modality programs are eligible to take national certification exams given by the appropriate national agency. At the state level, licensure laws for radiographers vary. Iowa is a licensing state, requiring radiographers to have a permit to practice. Passing the national exam is a criterion used to issue a permit to practice.

Careers
The career outlook for graduates is bright. The majority of students are employed shortly after graduation.

Graduates generally find jobs in hospitals, clinics, and physicians’ offices. With experience and possibly additional education, others find related jobs in management, sales, education, or as application specialists. Most full-time jobs are 40 hours a week and may involve holiday, weekend, evening, night, and on-call hours.

The median Iowa salary for the profession was $50,073 in 2007. The national mean yearly salary for the radiology profession in 2007 was $58,673.