Career Information
The Radiation Sciences Radiologic Technology (RT) degree tracks consists of two professional programs; RT and either Cardiovascular Interventional (CVI), Computed Tomography (CT), or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
The Radiologic Technologist is a professional, qualified by education and clinical experience to provide radiological services using a variety of radiological procedures. The technologist operates and adjusts radiological equipment and determines proper exposure factors so that optimum radiographic quality is achieved with a minimum of radiation exposure to the patient. Radiographers are employed primarily in hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices, where they work closely with the other members of the health care team to help diagnose and treat patients.
Program Information
Each of the radiation sciences radiologic technology (RT) degree tracks consist of three professional programs—RT and computed tomography (CT), RT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or RT and cardiovascular interventional (CVI). Each of these three-year programs is selective and competitive; acceptance is not guaranteed. Students must satisfy all UI admission requirements, complete all prerequisites, and be accepted into the radiologic technology professional program following an application and selection process.
Radiologic Technology and Computed Tomography
The radiologic technology component of this program provides education in pathology, radiation biology, radiation protection, patient care, and ethics. Students learn about radiographic procedures, imaging, and evaluation. They become acquainted with imaging equipment, study quality assurance, and participate in supervised clinical education in radiography and computed tomography (CT). The computed tomography component concentrates on sectional anatomy, single and multislice CT, electron beam CT, physiologic and 3-D imaging, CT simulation, physics and imaging, and procedures and pathology.
Upon completing the program, graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification exams in radiography and computed tomography.
Students typically apply to this three-year program during their first year and begin it in fall of their sophomore year. Application deadline is January 15. Six students are accepted into this track each year.
Radiologic Technology and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
The radiologic technology component of this program provides education in pathology, radiation biology, radiation protection, patient care, and ethics. Students learn about radiographic procedures, imaging, and evaluation. They become acquainted with imaging equipment, study quality assurance, and participate in supervised clinical education in radiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The magnetic resonance imaging component offers intensive study and practice in MRI, including patient care procedures, pathophysiology, physics, sectional anatomy, and instrumentation.
Upon completing the program, graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification exams in radiography and magnetic resonance imaging.
Students typically apply to this three-year program during their first year and begin it in fall of their sophomore year. Application deadline is January 15. Six students are accepted into this track each year.
Radiologic Technology and Cardiovascular Interventional
The radiologic technology component of this program provides education in pathology, radiation biology, radiation protection, patient care, and ethics. Students learn about radiographic procedures, imaging, and evaluation. They become acquainted with imaging equipment, study quality assurance, and participate in supervised clinical education in radiography, cardiac interventional, and peripheral/neurological interventional. The cardiovascular interventional component concentrates on imaging equipment; pharmacology; sterile techniques; cardiac monitoring; vascular anatomy and physiology; cardiovascular, peripheral, and neurological procedures and pathology; therapeutic intervention techniques; and digital angiography.
Upon completing the program, graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification exams in radiography, vascular interventional technology, and cardiac interventional technology.
Students typically apply to this three-year program during their first year and begin it in fall of their sophomore year. Application deadline is January 15. Two students are accepted into this track each year.
Radiologic Technology Clinical Internship
Clinical internship experiences provide students with a structured and supervised opportunity to interact with patients in a variety of medical imaging settings. The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics serves as the clinical site with assignments primarily in the Department of Radiology . Students have the opportunity to operate a variety of modern medical imaging equipment including direct digital radiography, mobile digital radiography, digital fluoroscopy, digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis units. During the internship, the student will participate in the care and imaging of adult, pediatric and neo-natal patients, including those requiring intensive care, surgical and organ transplant patients, trauma and emergency patients and patients undergoing invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Staff consists of registered radiologic technologists, faculty physician radiologists and physicists, radiology physician residents and fellows, physician assistants, nurses and other ancillary personnel. Annually, more than 300,000 patient radiographic examinations are performed. The department has a long history of contributing to student education by individuals whose mission is to deliver superb clinical care and provide outstanding opportunities for students learning the profession.
Cardiovascular Interventional Clinical Internship
The cardiovascular interventional student will have clinical internship assignments in many different areas of UIHC including Interventional Neuroradiology, Vascular Interventional Radiology, the Heart and Vascular Center and Cardiology in the Stead Family Children’s Hospital. These departments offer a wide variety of heart catheterization, cardiac electrophysiology, peripheral endo-vascular, non-vascular and interventional oncology procedures. The student’s clinical experience will include diagnostic angiography, balloon angioplasty and stenting, central venous access, embolotherapy, chemoembolization, thrombolysis, intracranial aneurysm coiling, and balloon valvuloplasty.
Computed Tomography Clinical Internship
The computed tomography student will have clinical assignments in the Department of Radiology at UIHC and Stead Family Children’s Hospital. The student will have the opportunity to work with state-of-the-art high-resolution multi-detector CT scanners (including dual-source). Diagnostic and therapeutic CT studies that are performed include volumetric CT, CT angiography, CT perfusion, CT colonography, enterography as well as three-dimensional reconstructions for surgical planning. In addition the student will gain experience with therapeutic CT procedures such as arthrography, myelography, biopsy, drainage and embolizations that use CT and CT fluoroscopy for imaging guidance.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Clinical Internship
The magnetic resonance student will complete clinical assignments in the Department of Radiology at UIHC, Stead Family Children’s Hospital, and the UI Sports Medicine Center. While at these clinical facilities the student will have the opportunity to work with the most modern MRI equipment available for patient scanning and research. MRI exams that the student will encounter during their clinical internship include diagnostic imaging of the brain, spine, breast, heart, chest, abdomen, pelvis, prostate, joints, MR angiography, fMRI, diffusion/perfusion and spectroscopy. MRI is also used as guidance for breast biopsy and needle localization.
Accreditation
The Radiologic Technology Program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). (20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182, (312) 704-5300, FAX: (312) 704-5304, mail@jrcert.org)
Links of Interest
Admission/Degree Requirements (click here for printer-friendly version)
Admitted Candidate Information
Bureau of Labor Statistics Outlook
Program Faculty
Jean Eisenhauer Wiese, MS, RT(R), CV, CT, MR
Program Director Radiologic Technology
200 Hawkins Drive | Radiology, C723 GH
(319) 356-4332
jean-wiese@uiowa.edu
Lorie Gillitzer, BS, RT(R)(M)(CT)
Clinical Coordinator
Radiation Sciences Educator
(319) 356-8334
lorie-gillitzer@uiowa.edu
Kathy Martensen, MA, RT(R)
Radiation Sciences Educator
(319) 356-3740
kathy-martensen@uiowa.edu
Stephanie Setter, MBA, RT (R)(MR)
Radiation Sciences Educator
(319) 356-4397
stephanie-setter@uiowa.edu
Holly Bonfig-Becker, BS, RT(R)(M)
Radiation Sciences Educator
(319) 356-4334
holly-bonfig@uiowa.edu
Travis Ehlinger, BS RT(R)(MR)
Radiation Sciences Educator
(319) 356-8333
travis-ehlinger@uiowa.edu
Jesse Brennan, BS RT(R)(CT)
Radiation Sciences Educator
(319) 353-8639
jesse-brennan@uiowa.edu
Mary Huinker
Administrative Services Coordinator, BSRS DMS & RT degree tracks
200 Hawkins Drive | Radiology, C725 GH
Iowa City, Iowa 52242
(319) 356-3861
mary-huinker@uiowa.edu