Highlands College

Radiologic Technology

• View Catalog Information »

Learn about the radiologic technology program at Miles Community College.

Montana Tech has determined that the Radiologic Technology program meets the educational requirements necessary for the student to seek licensure/certification in the state of Montana.  Montana Tech has not made a determination that its curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in any other state. Please view this document for further licensure information.

Program Overview

Radiologic Technologists are medical professionals with a primary responsibility to create images of patient’s bodies using medical equipment, helping doctors diagnose and treat diseases and injuries; all while promoting radiation safety and providing quality patient care.  Students in this program learn to master the required technology and become vital members of the patient care team, with time spent in both clinical and classroom settings.  After successful completion of the requirements for the associates degree are met, the student must sit for the national certification exam administered through The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, to become a Registered Technologist RT (R), before entering the workforce.   

A career in radiologic technology can lead in many directions, and there is strong demand for work across the country. Work settings after graduation can vary widely from hospitals, to clinics, physician offices, mobile units, education, management, research, public health, and sales or service of radiographic equipment.  There also are many opportunities after becoming a registered technologist to specialize and gain certification in additional radiologic modalities, including: MRI, computed tomography (CT), radiation therapy, mammography, nuclear medicine, interventional cardiac or vascular radiography, and sonography.

The Radiologic Technology Program includes studies in:

• Anatomy & Physiology
• Radiographic Procedures
• Radiation Safety
• Radiographic Image Production
• Radiologic Sciences – Physics and Biology
• Patient Care
• Medical Law & Ethics

Admission

Admission to Highlands College does not guarantee acceptance into the Radiologic Technology Program. Students entering with the intent to become a Radiologic Technologist are accepted into the program through a formal selection process.

Students planning to study radiologic technology need a strong educational health core and must be competent in computer skills. The minimum selective GPA for consideration into the RT program is 2.75, however the selective GPA from the pre-requisite courses is a large part of the selection process so a higher GPA will increase chances of admittance to the program.

Application for the program occurs once a year.  A limited number of students are admitted each year, due to limited clinical space. If the number of qualified applicants exceeds the available clinical space, not all qualified applicants will be accepted to the program.

Additional Program Admission Requirements

When a student has completed or is enrolled in all program pre-requisite courses, they may submit an application to the program. Applications for the Radiologic Technology program have additional requirements that must be met in order to be considered for placement into the program. These include but are not limited to –

• Job shadow / work experience – applicants must provide proof of a job shadow experience with a registered technologist – Job Shadow Verification Form [PDF]
• Letters of reference – applicants may submit up to 3 letters of recommendation with their application
• Vaccination records
  • Two MMR vaccines or MMR positive titers
  • Complete 3 dose-series of Hepatitis B vaccine or positive titer
  • Tdap or Td booster within the last 10 years
  • Varicella (chicken pox) vaccination, verification of history of chicken pox, or positive titer
  • Seasonal flu vaccines are additionally required depending on clinical site placement
• Annual proof of freedom from TB (via TB skin test of Chest X-ray)
  
• Current CPR certification – Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers – from American Heart Association or American Red Cross
• Background check – those selected to the program will be required to submit for a background check before clinical hours may commence, background check is at the expense of the student
• Interview – the application and selection process will be 2-step, including an interview process for top eligible applicants
• Proof of computer proficiency – passing grade in CAPP 131 (or similar course), successful challenge of the course or verification from employer of computer skills

 

Additional Program Costs and Travel Requirements

• Due to limited clinical space available in the Butte area, students may be required to travel to their assigned clinical site. Travel arrangements and associated costs are the student’s responsibility.
• Current clinical sites include: Butte, Bozeman, Dillon, and Helena; students cannot be guaranteed their preferred site
• Students are responsible for purchasing scrub uniforms
• Students are responsible for the cost of the background check
• Associated lab fees cover costs of malpractice insurance, lab supplies and other costs

Program Updates 2020 - 2021

2020 - 2021 Updates [PDF]

Placement