Program Overview
Polk State Radiography is a limited-admission program that prepares students for careers as members of healthcare teams as entry-level technologists. A radiographer is a licensed professional who is primarily responsible for applying ionizing radiation to demonstrate portions of the human body on a radiography, fluoroscopic image or other imaging modality to assist the physician in the diagnosis of disease and injury.
A graduate of the Radiography Program is eligible to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) examination for certification. This examination confers national certification and allows the student to apply for state licensure.
Program curriculum and outcomes
Classes available next semester
Program Highlights
Taught by Professionals
Instructors have decades of experience in related fields and/or are working professionals who bring their real-world knowledge to the program.
Technology
Train with the latest technology in a hands-on learning environment that simulates the real-world healthcare setting, including the Radiography Program’s virtual reality (VR) equipment and medical simulation software that allow students to work in 3D and 2D.
Industry Partners
The program remains at the forefront of industry needs through close partnerships with local hospitals, clinics and healthcare systems.Admission Requirements
- Admission to Polk State College
- Completion of each prerequisite course with a “C” or better
- Grade-point average (GPA) of 2.0 or greater
- Pass the Assessment Technologies Institute’s Test of Essential Academic Skills (ATI TEAS)
Example Courses
Classes in this program are engaging, flexible and full of real-world application.
Strategic Planning and Management
This course provides a survey of the use of medical and anatomical terminology including word roots, suffixes, prefixes and combining forms, as well as the definitions of terms, symptoms and pathologies, diagnostic and treatment procedures, laboratory tests and abbreviations used in healthcare settings and reflected in medical documentation.Principles of Radiographic Exposure I and II
These courses cover topics including radiographic density/brightness, contrast, image resolution, distortion, beam restriction, filters, radiographic grids, as well as atomic structure, x-ray production and interactions with matter.Radiographic Physics
This course presents the principles of radiation physics. The course includes the structure of matter, fundamentals of electrical generation and electromagnetism, properties and production of x-rays, attenuation factors, special radiology equipment and circuits and the design function of digital imaging equipment.Radiation Biology and Protection
This course includes the study of radiation interaction and its biological effects. Radiation dangers and the safety procedures used in response to these dangers are the basic content of this course.Notable Employers
Accreditation
The Radiography Program is accredited by The Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182, 312.704.5300, mail@jrcert.org.
The program’s current award is eight years. General program accreditation information and the current accreditation award letter can be found on the JCERT website. The JRCERT standards for an accredited educational program in radiography can also be found on the JCERT website.
This data is updated annually and is submitted as part of the Radiography Program’s annual report to the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850 Chicago, IL 60606-3182 (www.jrcert.org). This information is also available at www.jrcert.org/resources/program-effectiveness-data.
The following is the most current program effectiveness data. The programmatic accreditation agency, the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), defines and publishes this information. The information can be found directly on the JRCERT website.
The number of students who pass, on the first attempt, the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification examination, or an unrestricted state licensing examination, compared with the number of graduates who take the examination within six months of graduation. The five-year average benchmark established by the JRCERT is 75%.
| Year 1 – 2020 | 11 of 14 – 79% |
| Year 2 – 2021 | 12 of 12 – 100% |
| Year 3 – 2022 | 26 of 26 – 100% |
| Year 4 – 2023 | 16 of 16 – 100% |
| Year 5 – 2024 | 17 of 17 – 100% |
| Five-Year Average | 82 of 85 – 96% |
The number of graduates employed in the radiologic sciences compared to the number of graduates actively seeking employment in the radiologic sciences within twelve months of graduating.
The JRCERT has defined not actively seeking employment as: 1) graduate fails to communicate with program officials regarding employment status after multiple attempts, 2) graduate is unwilling to seek employment that requires relocation, 3) graduate is unwilling to accept employment, for example, due to salary or hours, 4) graduate is on active military duty, and/or 5) graduate is continuing education. The five-year average benchmark established by the JRCERT is 75%.
| Year 1 – 2020 | 8 of 8 – 100% |
| Year 2 – 2021 | 7 of 7 – 100% |
| Year 3 – 2022 | 17 of 17 – 100% |
| Year 4 – 2023 | 10 of 10 – 100% |
| Year 5 – 2024 | 8 of 8 – 100% |
| Five-Year Average | 50 of 50 – 100% |
The number of students who complete the program within the stated program length. When calculating the total number of students enrolled in the program, programs need not consider students who attrite due to nonacademic reasons such as: 1) financial, medical/mental health, or family reasons, 2) military deployment, 3) a change in major/course of study, and/or 4) other reasons an institution may classify as a nonacademic withdrawal. The annual benchmark established by the program is 75%.
| Year – 2024 | 17 of 20 |
| Annual Completion Rate | 85% |
