Radiological Sciences

MISSION STATEMENTS

EFFECTIVENESS DATA

The Radiography Program at Indiana University South Bend reports the credentialing examination pass rate, job placement rate, and program completion rate annually to the JRCERT. Data for all JRCERT accredited Radiography Programs can be found at www.jrcert.org/resources/program-effectiveness-data.

Radiography Program Effectiveness Data 

PROGRAM GOALS

1.  The student will graduate clinically competent.
2. The student will be able to effectively communicate.
3. The student will develop and apply effective critical thinking skills.
4. The student will develop lifelong learning

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Student Learning Outcome 1

The student will obtain and assess radiographs of acceptable diagnostic quality.

The student will apply the principles of radiation safety.

The student will deliver effective patient care to a diverse population.

Student Learning Outcome 2

The student will communicate effectively as a part of the healthcare team.

The student will communicate effectively in writing.

Student Learning Outcome 3

The student will be able to adapt radiographic procedures for non-routine situations.

The student will critique images for diagnostic quality and devise necessary factors for quality improvement.

Student Learning Outcome 4

Students will determine the importance of continued professional development.

Students will attend a radiology conference.

Programmatic Goal Radiography Program

Board Eligibility

All graduates of the radiography program are eligible to take the national credentialing examination administered by The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) immediately after graduation.

ESSENTIAL ABILITIES FOR ADMISSION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS IN THE PATIENT CARE PROGRAMS

The Radiologic Sciences faculty has specified the following nonacademic criteria (essential abilities) which all applicants and enrolled students are expected to meet in order to participate in the Radiologic Sciences programs and professional practice.

Observation: The applicant/student must be able to participate actively in all demonstrations, laboratory exercises, and clinical experiences in the professional program component of the degree and to assess and comprehend the condition of all patients assigned to him/her for examination, diagnosis and treatment. Such observation and information usually requires the functional use of visual, auditory, and somatic sensations.

Communications: The applicant/student must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture; assess non-verbal communications, and be able to effectively and efficiently transmit information to patients, fellow students, faculty and staff, and all members of the health care team. Communication skills include speaking, reading and writing, as well as the observations skills described above.

Motor: The applicant/student must have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by appropriate diagnostic or therapeutic maneuvers; be able to perform basic tests; possess all skills necessary to carry out diagnostic or therapeutic procedures; be able to interpret appropriate examinations and procedures, and be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients.

Intellectual/Conceptual Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: The applicant/student must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize. Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of radiologic sciences practitioners, requires all of these intellectual abilities. In addition, the applicant/student must have the capacity to perform these problem solving skills in a timely fashion.

Behavioral and Social Attributes The applicant/student must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of his or her intellectual abilities; the exercise of good judgment; the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to care of patients; and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients and others. Applicants must also be able to tolerate taxing workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environment, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, commitment and motivation are personal qualities which each applicant/student should possess.

Please refer to Radiography Essential Abilities

Admissions into the Radiography Program

Apply and be admitted to Indiana University South Bend.

After being admitted to the University, apply to the Radiography Program by completing an application. The application opens February 1^st of each year and closes on April 1^st.

Admission Rating System

At the conclusion of the spring semester of program application, students in the applicant pool are scored to determine their rank order. The criteria for admission consideration is based on a 4.0 scale as follows:

• Application GPA (the weighted GPA of all program prerequisite courses): 45%
• Essay (the average of reviewers’ scores): 15%
• Radiography Module (an assessment in Canvas about profession and program): 10%

The top ranked applicants (max. of 35) will be selected for an individual interview (30%). The individual interviews will score applicants on:

• Knowledge of the Profession
• Communication
• Responsibility/Decision-making
• Motivation

Students admitted to the Radiography program will be determined by the combination of their pre-interview score (70%) and their interview rank (30%).

Admission Policies and Procedures

The following academic policies and procedures for the Radiography Program have been developed to ensure that program graduates demonstrate competencies in the cognitive, psychomotor and effective skills necessary of individuals who perform quality diagnostic radiographic procedures.

Admission to the Clinical/Professional Program is based upon each applicant’s admission grade point average (AGPA) of the completed preradiography general-education core courses, radiography module quiz, a personal statement (essay), and an interview. A maximum of 24 students are admitted each fall semester.

Transfer Credit Policy

Due to the competitive nature of application to our clinical program, a student must weigh the benefits of using transfer credit courses versus retaking the required general education course work within the IU system. More information about transferring to IU South Bend can be found here: Transferring Students

For students seeking to use transfer credits from within the IU System and/or outside institutions to meet the required general education course work for the Associate of Science degree in Radiography (ASR), the following policy applies:

•Minimum 2.5 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) | Students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for all work completed to be considered for admittance into the pre-radiography program. (Per IU academic policy, only grades earned at an IU system campus can be used to calculate the IU GPA for admittance consideration). Transfer grades must meet the minimum IU standard of C.

• Provisional Student | To meet the IU South Bend Vera Z. Dwyer School of Health Sciences and IU academic educational standards, all grades must be a minimum of C. This is applied at the time of program application and must be maintained.

• Intercampus Transfer | Students wishing to transfer between campuses should check for the process on the campus to which they are transferring. To transfer to the IU South Bend campus, the student must apply for admission and official transcripts from all of the colleges attended.

• Transfer from Non-Indiana University Radiography Program | Students in good academic standing at another university who wish to transfer should contact Admissions office. Preradiography courses completed at another university must be evaluated by the Admissions office for transfer equivalents and student placement.

STANDARD I: Prerequisite Coursework

Applicants for the Radiography Program must be high school graduates or the equivalent. They must apply and be admitted to Indiana University South Bend prior to or concurrent with the application for the Radiography Program.  Applicants must meet the academic standards for the School of Health Sciences and must apply to the Program between February 1^st and April 1^st. 

Applicants must complete the program's prerequisite courses before admission to the Radiography Program. Students may apply for the program and still be completing courses in the spring semester the year of anticipated entry. All prerequisite courses must be completed by the end of the spring semester. Prerequisite general education courses can be taken on a part-time basis and do not have to be completed at IU South Bend.

Students must earn a C or a 2.0 in all admission courses to be eligible to apply to the IU South Radiography Program. The overall admission/application GPA (AGPA) required to apply to the program is 2.5.

Prerequisite courses for the Radiography Program (19 cr):

ENG-W131:  Reading, Writing & Inquiry I (3 cr.)

SPCH-S121: Introduction to Public Speaking (3 cr.)

MATH-M111:  Mathematics in the World (3 cr.) or approved substitution

ANAT-A210:  Human Anatomy (3 cr.)

ANAT-A211:  Human Anatomy Lab (2 cr.)

PHSL-P 130 Human Biology (3 cr)

AHLT-R185: Medical Terminology (2 cr.)

Specific grades in these courses are used as a part of the student’s admission profile number.  

STANDARD II: Grade Requirements

To be considered for admittance into the clinical program, students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for all work completed. Courses for which the grades of I, S, P, R, W, or X are assigned are not used to calculate the CGPA since there are no points assigned to these grades. This requirement is applied at the time of program application and must be maintained. (Transfer grades must meet the minimum IU standard of C).

STANDARD III: GPA Altering Policies

The student’s cumulative GPA for purposes of admission to the program will be based on all past academic courses taken at accredited colleges or universities.  This admission GPA will exclude developmental coursework. The admission GPA will only come from the required prerequisite coursework.

STANDARD IV: Credit by Examination

Applicants to the Radiography Program who have received “credit by examination” in a course that meets a program prerequisite will be viewed as meeting this specified requirement.  Any “credit by examination” hours received by the student must be transferred onto the student’s university transcript before it can be considered as meeting the Program’s admissions prerequisite.  Credit can be earned from a variety of sources.

STANDARD V: Testing

No special testing procedures are utilized in the admission process.

STANDARD VI: Essential Abilities for Admission & Retention

Essential abilities for admission and retention have been developed and are utilized by the Radiography Program.  These are sent to all applicants upon receipt of an application. Once admitted, students are expected to meet these program standards. 

Please refer to Radiography Essential Abilities Policy

STANDARD VII: Additional Requirements

Health and Age Requirements Students are required to show proof that they have met the immunization and health requirements for the Program as well as CPR certification. Additionally, all students must be 18 years or older.  Specific information is provided to all accepted students prior to enrolling in clinical coursework.

Criminal History Check – A criminal history check is required prior to beginning clinical experience.  A positive background check may make a student ineligible for clinical coursework.

Drug Screening Policy-Students are required to have a drug screen prior to attending clinical experience and annually. It may be also be required on demand under certain situations in the clinical site.  A positive drug screen will result in removal from the clinical site and possible dismissal from the program.

Health Insurance Requirement-Students are required to show proof that they have health insurance.

STANDARD VIII: Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy

Indiana University prohibits discrimination based on arbitrary consideration of such characteristics as age, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Admission Profile Number

Candidates are ranked according to a calculated Admission Profile Number developed by the Program Admission Committee.  The academic and interview profile numbers are combined to provide a TOTAL ADMISSION PROFILE NUMBER for each candidate. 

The total admission profile number is calculated through the admission rating system.

STANDARD IX: Admission to Program

Students offered a clinical position within the associate degree program must formally accept or decline admission, in writing, to the program prior to the beginning of the semester to which they are admitted. Students offered a position in the Clinical/Professional Program but decline acceptance or become academically ineligible can reapply to the program the following year. They must compete with the applicant pool for the semester in which they request entrance with no preference or wait listing given. Students have only three opportunities to decline admission in writing prior to losing their eligibility to apply.

A list of anticipated expenses outside of tuition, textbooks, and dorm or rent fees has been compiled for students to assist with financial planning. This list should not be viewed as all-inclusive, rather a guide to help in planning student-related expenses associated with the clinical professional program. 

AS IN RADIOGRAPHY ESTIMATED PROGRAM COSTS

This list does not include tuition or fees. Information about tuition and fees is listed on the Office of the Bursar website at: https://southbend.iu.edu/administration/bursar/index.html

*Tuition and fees are assessed on credit hours enrolled per semester and may include parking, activity, and computer/laboratory fees. 

*This list does not include travel expenses or fuel costs associated with traveling to/from campus to affiliated clinical agencies. 

**The total cost is an estimate and could be subject to change without notice. 

To graduate, the student must:

• Complete 75 credit hours, including 19 credit hours of general education courses and 56 credit hours of clinical/professional courses. Students must achieve a grade of C (2.0) in each required course.
• Receive a passing grade of C (2.0) or above in all didactic and clinical courses in the radiography program.
• Have all clinical experience time completed.
• Meet all University degree requirements.
• Complete all clinical requirements and competencies.
• Turn in radiation badge.

LENGTH OF PROGRAM

The length of the Radiography Program is 22 months beginning at the end of August. Radiography students graduate in May of their senior year.

The total time to earn an Associate of Science in Radiography is 3 years; an estimated 1 year of general education courses and 2 years in the professional program.

STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM

The Radiography Program is a full-time clinical/professional program that provides the academic and clinical education required for a career as a diagnostic radiographer. The program consists of highly focused college coursework designed to complement clinical experience course work. Clinical experience courses are completed at various off campus locations within the regional community. Students attend class on-campus and clinical practicum courses at affiliated clinical agencies throughout the region. 

CLINICAL PLACEMENTS

Admission to the university as a preradiography student, and successful completion of the general-education coursework, does not guarantee admission to the Associate of Science degree program. The number of clinical/professional students admitted each fall semester is dependent upon the number of clinical placements available at affiliated agencies.

INDIANA STATE CERTIFICATION

Indiana State certification is required to operate a unit that produces ionizing radiation. The state accepts ARRT registry for certification. As a student radiographer, you must also obtain a student permit from the Indiana State Department of Health.

ARRT CERTIFICATION ELIGIBILITY 

Issues addressed by the ARRT Rules of Ethics include convictions, criminal procedures, military court martials, or any matter described as a gross misdemeanor, misdemeanor, or felony act(s).

Candidates are required to report charges or convictions that have been withheld, deferred, stayed, set aside, suspended, or entered into a pre-trial diversion, or involved a plead of guilty or no contest (nolo contendere). Candidates do not need to report juvenile convictions that were processed in juvenile court, traffic citations that did not involve drugs or alcohol, or offenses that were previously reported to and formally cleared by the ARRT.

Candidates who had any license, registration, or certification denied, revoked, suspended, placed on probation, or subjected to discipline by a regulatory authority or certification board (other than ARRT) must contact the ARRT.

Additionally, candidates for certification are required to disclose any honor code violations that may have occurred while attending any institution of higher education (probation, suspension, or dismissal). If any of these situations apply or if a candidate is uncertain about a potential probable cause (drunk driving, possession of alcohol, possession or use of an illegal substance), they must contact the ARRT at (651) 687-0048 to discuss their particular case. This is to prevent the student from having completed the Associate of Science degree program only to be found ineligible to take the ARRT examination.