All new students will be enrolled at the Empire State College Plattsburgh Unit of the Northeast Center in Plattsburgh, following admission at CVPH Medical Center. There will be an orientation day scheduled to answer questions and familiarize students with this part of their curriculum.
ALL STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE THESE CREDITS IN ORDER TO GRADUATE FROM OUR PROGRAM.
The Radiology School will pay for the credits needed, 24 at this time, to complete an Associate Degree in Math, Science, and Technology. The tuition covers New York State residents. Out of State students will be required to pay the additional fee required by Empire State College. (CVPH Medical Center has received 40 college credits from Empire State College awarded as soon as the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists registers the student.) In addition to the AS Degree, students with previous college may work on their Bachelor of Science Degree. CVPH Medical Center will not pay for any subject failed or not completed. The financial adjustment then becomes the responsibility of the student.
CURRICULUM COURSE DESCRIPTIONS: FIRST YEAR
- INTRODUCTION TO RADIOGRAPHY:
Students will be more aware of the responsibilities entailed by becoming a member of the health care profession. This includes the relationship of the technologists to other technologists, to the patients, to the radiologists, to the attending
physicians and to other members of the hospital staff. Medical Law will be reviewed, as will dress code, and ethical
behavior, cleanliness and confidentiality. It also includes Diversity in the Workplace. The student will also recognize
the potential danger of radiation and be instructed on how to observe the principles of protection, which are necessary
to themselves and their patient.
- COMPUTER/ OFFICE PROCEDURES:
This course is designed to give the student a broad background of our departmental filing system, associated
terminology and forms. Operation of telephones, intercoms and other office equipment will be done in a clinical lab.
Introduction to computer literacy is included which teaches history of the computer, basic computer language and the
use of computers in the hospital. An introduction to RIS and PACS is also included.
- MEDICAL TERMS
This course is designed to help the student master medical terminology as applied to the specialty of radiology. Specifically, the student will learn the anatomical names of bones and organs and other anatomical descriptive terms, commonly used medical terms, prefixes and suffixes and understand the meaning of such terms and their proper usage and spelling.
- METHODS OF PATIENT CARE (NURSING PROCEDURES)
This course is designed to acquaint the student with nursing procedures and techniques used in the general care of the radiology patient. Students will have demonstrations and practice many of these procedures. They will become certified in BLS (basic life support) and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
- CONTRAST MEDIAS AND PERTINENT PROCEDURES
This course is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the physics of contrast media, their responsibility for emergencies in regard to iodine sensitivity and the proper use for procedures.
- RADIOGRAPHIC FILM PROCESSING
This course is designed to help the student develop the skills and knowledge necessary for thorough and efficient darkroom procedures. The student will study the history and development of radiographic film and darkroom accessories, the chemical constituents of the processing solutions and their functions, and the various types of darkroom processing apparatus. They will discuss instrumentation used to properly maintain and monitor the darkroom.
- RADIOGRAPHIC FILM EVALUATION I (FILM CRITIQUE)
This course is designed to help students evaluate their own films, to see and evaluate films of others and to discuss interesting cases. Assigned film critique classes are of films of the instructor's choosing to supplement discussions in other courses. Departmental film critique classes are of films of the students' choosing as a form for evaluation or as an opportunity to ask questions regarding their work or the case history.
- PRINCIPLES OF RADIOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE I
This course is designed to familiarize the student with the essential factors influencing radiographs and their effect upon the quality of that radiograph. This knowledge will help the student develop into a technologist capable of devising technique based upon sound principles.
- ANATOMY I
This course is designed to give the student a basic knowledge and understanding of the various structures of the human body as a whole and of the various parts. This will help the student to interpret requests for radiographic examinations, to properly position the area to be radiographed, to recognize the structures being examined. This course includes a lab component.
- PHYSIOLOGY I
This course is designed to give the student a basic knowledge and understanding of the function of tissues and organs, as distinguished from anatomy. This course has a lab component.
- CROSS-SECTION ANATOMY
This course is designed to aid the student in understanding the component parts of the body in a transverse plan, to identify imaging modalities that utilize transverse anatomy, and to identify and label diagrams given in computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
- RADIATION PHYSICS
This course is designed to help the student understand the field of science that deals with the fundamentals of X-ray phenomenon. Electrical physics, principles of X-ray generation, biological effects of radiation, and the operation of X-ray equipment and auxiliary devices will be discussed.
- RADIOGRAPHIC PROCEDURES I
This course is designed to help the student acquire skill in positioning the various parts of the body to demonstrate the desired structures to their best. Stress will also be upon the location of each organ using surface landmarks and the relationship of an organ to other organs within the same film read by a Radiologist.
SECOND YEAR:
- PRINCIPLES OF RADIATION PROTECTION
This course is designed to help the student recognize the dangers that are present in an ordinary radiographic department. This course will provide the student with an understanding of ionizing radiation and the need for protective measures and maximum safety for the patients and themselves.
- RADIOGRAPHIC PROCEDURES II
This course is a continuation of Course I in positioning of the body for additional radiographs of a more specialized nature. It concentrates on the skull, urinary studies and fluoroscopy, which include the use of contrast medias and appropriate equipment. Pediatric radiography is covered, as well as, the basics of mammography. This course includes a lab component.
- RADIOGRAPHIC FILM EVALUATION II
- PRINCIPLES OF RADIOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE II
- DEPARTMENT ADMINSTRATION
This course is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the administrative procedures involved in managing a Radiology Department including JCAHO accreditation
- PHARMACOLOGY
This course is designed to enable the student to recognize various categories of drugs, recognize normal drug nomenclature, basic concepts of pharmacology and discuss specific drugs and to understand the actions, reactions and possible interactions of drugs.
- RADIOGRAPHIC PATHOLOGY
This course is designed to provide an introduction to pathological conditions and diseases with application to Radiology. A basic introduction to the nature of pathology, followed by a systemic classification of diseases will enable the student to understand the importance of providing informative radiographs for diagnosis.
- RADIOBIOLOGY
This course is designed to provide the student with the knowledge of basic pathology as it relates to radiotherapy and radiation biology and the effects of ionizing radiation on biological systems.
- SPECIAL PROCEDURES
This course is designed to provide the student with a knowledge of the supplementary procedures used in advanced technology and related radiographic equipment. ie: (Angiography, Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound)
- ANATOMY II
- PHYSIOLOGY II
- VENIPUNCTURE
This course is designed to provide the student with the theory and practice of the basic techniques of venipuncture and the administration of contrast media and/or intravenous medication.
- QUALITY ASSURANCE.
This course is designed to provide the student with an understanding of quality assurance pertaining to the
radiology department and to identify the required testing of the equipment, time intervals and the standards as
they pertain to state and federal guidelines