Radiologic Technology, AS

Requirements for Admission

Admission to the Radiologic Technology degree program is on a selective basis. Selection recommendations are made by the Division of Health Sciences and Business Technology Selection Committee to the Division Head. The number of students selected each year will depend upon a number of factors, including the financial, personnel, and other resources available to the Radiologic Technology program. Students must meet the following minimum criteria to be considered for selection to the program:

• Meet the general admission requirements of the university.
• Complete the prerequisite courses with a grade-point average of 2.50 or higher.
• Must have a minimum grade of “C” in all prerequisite courses.
• Have an overall grade-point average of 2.00 or higher in all college work attempted.
• Submit to the Division of Health Sciences and Business Technology a completed Radiologic Technology Selection Application Form accompanied by all required documents and a $10 non-refundable application fee. These materials must be received no later than March 1 of the year for which selection is being sought. Applications will be available by the end of January
• Attend a scheduled orientation session during the month of March.
• Complete the Allied Health Entrance Test.  Contact the Nursing Office for information on scheduling the Entrance Test.

Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee admission into the Radiologic Technology program. Eligible applicants will be considered on a competitive basis. Selection decisions for the Summer class are made at the conclusion of the prior Spring semester.

Selection into the Radiologic Technology Program

The Division of Health Sciences and Business Technology will admit classes in the Radiologic Technology degree program in the summer session of each year. Selection decisions will normally be made and communicated to students by the first week in June. Students not selected during the selection process and who seek admission in a subsequent class must resubmit the entire application and will remain subject to the eligibility requirements specified. Career counseling is available to students through the Office of Career Services. Students applying for selection will be required to complete the prerequisite courses listed below:

• ALLH 1013 - Medical Terminology Cr.: 2
• RADT 1000 - Introduction to Radiologic Technology Cr.: 1

•  

• MATH 1015 (CMAT 1203) - Applied College Algebra Cr.: 3

• or

• MATH 1021 (CMAT 1213) - College Algebra Cr.: 3

•  

• BIOL 1160 - Human Anatomy Cr.: 3
• BIOL 1161 - Human Anatomy Laboratory Cr.: 1
• ENGL 1001 (CENL 1013) - English Composition Cr.: 3
• PSYC 2070 (CPSY 2113) - Developmental Psychology of the Life Span Cr.: 3

•  

• PHYS 1001 (CPHY 1013) - Principles of Physics Cr.: 3

• or

• PHYS 2001 (CPHY 2113) - General Physics Cr.: 3

•  

• BIOL 2160 - Human Physiology Cr.: 3
• BIOL 2161 - Human Physiology Laboratory Cr.: 1

Criteria for Selection

The Selection Committee will consider relevant aspects of each applicant’s credentials. Required prerequisite courses taken during the Spring semester are considered in the selection process. The following variables will be considered during selection:

• Completion of 23 hours of required prerequisite courses with a grade-point average of 2.50 or higher.
• Allied Health Examination Score.
• Overall academic record and cumulative GPA.
• Licensure/certification in a health care profession or a previously earned degree.
• Work experience in a health care profession.
• Number of hours completed at LSU Eunice.
• Number of prerequisite courses completed.

At the time of application to the Radiologic Technology program, the applicant is required to submit all documents requested by the LSU Eunice Radiologic Technology program by the published deadline. Failure to submit requested documents by the due date and comply with above requirements invalidates the student’s application and will prohibit selection into the Radiologic Technology program.

Upon selection into the Radiologic Technology program, the applicant is required to fulfill the following:

1. Complete forms and submit fee for background investigations required by healthcare facilities.
2. Submit a completed Radiologic Technology program health form.
3. Submit a negative drug screen report.
4. Submit all documents requested by the LSU Eunice Radiologic Technology program by the announced due dates at the end of the second week of the first summer semester. Failure to submit requested documents by the due dates will prohibit continuance in the program.

Health information, background checks, initial drug screens, and random drug screens will be managed by the student through a secure on-line information management service for a fee that will be paid by the student. Students entering Radiologic Technology are advised that the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) requires every candidate for certification to “be a person of good moral character and must not have engaged in conduct that is inconsistent with the ARRT Rules of Ethics,” and they must “agree to comply with the ARRT Rules and Regulations and the ARRT Standards of Ethics.” Issues addressed by the Rules Ethics include convictions, criminal procedures, or military court martials as described below:

• Felony;
• Misdemeanor;
• Criminal procedures resulting in a plea of guilty or nolo contendere (no contest), a verdict of guilty, withheld or deferred adjudication, suspended or stay of sentence, or pre-trial diversion.

Minor traffic citations involving drugs or alcohol must be reported. However, juvenile convictions processed in juvenile court do not need to be reported.

Additionally, candidates for certification are required to disclose whether they have ever had any license, registration, or certification subjected to discipline by a regulatory authority or certification board (other than ARRT). Primary pathway candidates must indicate any honor code violations that may have occurred while they attended school. Candidates becoming certified through the primary pathway may complete a pre-application to determine their ethics eligibility prior to enrolling in or during their educational program.

The Louisiana State Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners (LSRTBE) requires essentially the same documentation as the ARRT at the time of the credential application process once successfully reaching the last semester of the Radiologic Technology program. The LSRTBE will issue a temporary state permit for practice in the field of radiography, which during that time, allows a three-month window for the graduates of the program to take and pass the ARRT Board exam. Once the candidate’s scores are received by the LSRTBE, a state license will be issued to replace the temporary permit for practice.

Retention/Progression Guidelines

Acceptance into the LSU Eunice Radiologic Technology program entitles the student to progress through the Radiologic Technology curriculum with the class to which the student is admitted. In order to be retained and progress in the clinical radiologic technology sequence, a student must:

1. Maintain an LSU Eunice and overall GPA of 2.00 or higher.
2. Maintain a GPA of 2.00 or higher in all required Radiologic Technology courses.
3. Complete all Radiologic Technology courses with a grade of “C” or better. The grading scale for all Radiologic Technology courses is: A 100-93; B 92-85; C 84-77; D 76-65; F 65-0.
4. Maintain current CPR certification (CPR for Health Care Providers) and annual TB testing.
5. Maintain health/immunization requirements.

Failure to complete successfully any Radiologic Technology course (excluding RADT 1000 ), for either academic or other reasons, will require that the student apply for readmission to the Radiologic Technology program if the student wishes to continue in the program. A student repeating a Radiologic Technology course must concurrently re-enroll in the co-requisite Radiologic Technology courses. Re-enrolling in a co-requisite course in which the student had previously received a passing grade will not be counted as repeated Radiologic Technology course hours for the dismissal policy. The most recent grade earned will be the grade for the course. The purpose for requiring re-enrollment in co-requisite courses is to assure that Radiologic Technology students receive the most current health care information.

Dismissal

Students may be dismissed from a Radiologic Technology course and/or the Radiologic Technology program for any of the following reasons:

1. A deliberate attempt to cover up any error or negligent performance during clinical experiences.
2. Repetitive performance of unsafe behaviors during clinical experiences.
3. Performance of unethical or illegal behaviors during clinical experiences.
4. Failure to comply with clinical agency policies and regulations.
5. Breech of patient or agency confidentiality by inappropriate management of information in any form.
6. Cheating or plagiarism (see LSU Eunice’s Code of Student Conduct located in the Student Handbook).
7. Violation of the LSU Eunice Code of Student Conduct.
8. A positive report on any random drug screen.
9. Receive two serious violations based on the Clinical Incident Policy.
10. Asked not to return by ANY clinical settings where clinical experience is being achieved.
11. Committing a breach in the Radiologic Technology program policy on the conduct of social media usage.
12. Earning a grade of “D”, “F”, “NC”, or “W” in a Radiologic Technology course.

The LSU Eunice faculty reserves the right to recommend termination of a Radiologic Technology student when health and/or personal conduct requires such action. If the student challenges the panel’s decision of being terminated from the program, he or she may challenge the due process at the Division level.

Requirements for Readmission

Any student in the Radiologic Technology program whose enrollment is interrupted, either voluntarily or by compulsion, or who fails to earn a grade of “C” in a required Radiologic Technology course after the first successfully completed summer semester, may be considered for reentry to the program provided that the student is in good academic standing as defined in the “University Regulations” section of the LSU Eunice catalog.  If any student receives a grade of “D”, “F”, “W”, or “NC” for the first (summer) semester, the student would have to apply through the regular selection process. 

Students wishing to reenter the LSU Eunice Radiologic Technology program must submit an application for reentry along with a written request to the Division of Health Sciences and Business Technology by July 15 for re-entry in the fall semester, December 1 for the spring semester, and May 1 for the summer semester. A student will be considered for readmission only when there is clear evidence of potential to complete the requirements of the Radiologic Technology curriculum. In reviewing such requests, areas such as overall GPA, previous performance in didactic and clinical Radiologic Technology courses, skills re-validation, and grades earned in the behavioral, biological, and physical sciences may be conserved.  Submitting a request for reentry does not guarantee acceptance into the Radiologic Technology program.

A student requesting reentry into radiography courses must do so the next time the courses are offered.  If allowed to reenter, the student would begin in the semester he or she did not pass successfully.  If not accepted, the student may request reentry once more when the course is offered again (2 years from the first time the student enrolled in the courses).  After 2 attempts, the student will not be considered again for reentry into the radiography course.  Therefore, the student would be required to apply for selection into the program.

The overall resources available to the Radiologic Technology program will also be a consideration in readmission decisions.  The decision of each applicant’s status will be decided by a committee consisting of the following:

• Radiologic Technology Program Faculty members (permanent)
• Division Head, Health Sciences and Business Technology, ex officio

Under no circumstances will a student be considered for readmission when the student has earned more than one “D”, F”, “W”, or “NC” in a required Radiologic Technology course.  Nor, will a student be allowed to reenter the program if he or she was dismissed from a clinical setting.

Transfer Radiologic Technology Students

Students who wish to transfer with radiologic technology credits are subject to the “Requirements for Readmission” and the “Retention/Progression Guidelines” specified above. Radiologic technology credits will be evaluated on an individual basis. Students requesting transfer into the LSU Eunice Radiologic Technology program must:

1. Arrange a personal interview with the Radiologic Technology Program Director.
2. Provide transcripts of all previous college work at the time of the interview.
3. Submit a course description and course content from completed Radiologic Technology courses at the time of the interview.
4. Submit a Letter of Good Standing from prior Radiologic Technology program(s). This letter from the administrative head of the prior program(s) should be mailed directly to the Radiologic Technology Program Director, to be received by the time of the interview.
5. Have earned a minimum grade of “C” in required Radiologic Technology courses and have enrolled in Radiologic Technology course(s) only once.

Advanced Standing Policy

Registered technologists in radiography are eligible to receive 43 advanced standing credits in college Radiologic Technology courses that they can apply toward the associate degree. Such students would then need to complete a one-year program of study consisting of 12 credits in Radiologic Technology and 34 credit hours of general education college courses. For more information, contact the Radiologic Technology Program Director.

Special Provisions and Requirements

In addition to meeting all other curricular requirements, Radiologic Technology students must: (1) meet immunization and physical examination requirements; (2) prior to entering a clinical facility, submit to a Level 1 criminal history verification background check; (3) maintain CPR Certification (CPR for Health Care Providers) for the duration of their program; (4) assume responsibility for providing their own transportation to and from clinical agencies; and (5) have a negative random urine drug screen.  Students are covered with liability insurance if they remain currently enrolled through LSU Eunice.

Degree Requirements

In addition to fulfilling the “General Degree Requirements ” specified in this catalog for all associate degree candidates, Radiologic Technology students must complete all required Radiologic Technology courses and general education courses with a grade of “C” or better. The last grade earned in a “repeated” course will be considered the grade of record for purposes of applying these requirements.

Graduates of the program are awarded the Degree of Associate of Science in Radiologic Technology. After successful completion of this curriculum, the graduate will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. The Radiologic Technology Program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL, 60606-3182; phone 312.704.5300.

Curriculum in Radiologic Technology

Current CPR Certification (CPR for Health Care Providers or CPR for the Professional Rescuer from the American Red Cross) is a prerequisite for all radiologic technology courses.

Notes:

Students Needing Accommodations:

Students accepted into the Radiologic Technology Program must be physically capable of successfully performing these standards related to the occupation safely, accurately and expeditiously. 

Students requiring academic assistance should contact Ms. Sharon Williams at ext. 254 or e-mail at sawillia@lsue.edu; office S-145-B.  For disabilities services, contact Ms. Shelly Haley at ext. 204 or e-mail at shaley@lsue.edu; office S-147.

Clinical Obligations:

The program limits required clinical and academic involvement for students to not more than 40 hours per week and not more than 10 clinical hours per day. The furthest distance to an affiliated clinical site from campus is 68 miles. All students are subject to a drug test and background check when entering the program. Students may also be subject to random drug testing and background checks during the program. Students are required to attend orientation for each clinical education setting assigned.

Grading Scale:
Program Core Courses: 93 - 100 = A, 85 - 92 = B, 77 - 84 = C, 65 - 76 = D, and below 65 = F.
General Education Courses: 90 - 100 = A, 80 - 89 = B, 70 - 79 = C, 60 - 69 = D, and below 60 = F.

2+2 Agreement:

Upon completion of the Associate of Science in Radiologic Technology, students meet the qualifications to participate in the 2+2 program established between LSU Eunice and Northwestern State University. For more information about this program, please consult with an LSU Eunice academic advisor and check out the following website: radiologicsciences.nsula.edu/rt-to-bsrs/