Clinical Education

Clinical education is the second component of theprogram. In order to meet goals and objectives of the Program, the student mustbe able to prove clinical competency by successfully completing the clinicaleducation phase of the program. The clinical phase provides an environment forsupervised competency based clinical education. While in the clinical settingthe staff to student ratio will not exceed 1:1. Approximately 1900 hours ofclinical rotations are assigned to the student to satisfy his/her clinicaleducation.

This phase of the program is correlated with thedidactic portion whenever possible. Upon entering the Radiologic Technologyprogram, students are assigned clinical rotations in the Department ofRadiology under direct supervision of the Clinical Instructor and registeredtechnologists in order to obtain the necessary clinical education. During thefirst semester, the students will be rotating through general radiology rooms,fluoroscopy and intravenous urography with the additional rotations throughportable exams and pain clinics. The students are also assigned to a patienttransportation rotation. Again, students are directly supervised by theemployees in this area who will evaluate the student's performance. Rotationsof clinical schedules change every six months with slight modification afterthe first six months which will include the addition of surgical rotations. Thestudent is to learn to accurately perform the examinations and relatedresponsibilities in each assigned area. Other than the patient transportationrotation, the previously listed rotations will continue throughout theremainder of the program.

The second year includes additional rotations onweekends and evenings as well as specialized areas of cardiac catheterization,angiography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI.) Students are assigned tocardiac catheterization, angiography and MRI for observation purposes, but areallowed to participate according to their ability and initiative levels, underdirect supervision of the technologists in those areas with direct input fromthe staff and supervising technologists. There are competency evaluations thatare to be completed on the student by the radiologic technologists in theserespective modalities. The students will be rotating through the ComputedTomography Department where they will be required to demonstrate clinicalcompetency on various types of procedures in this area. It is also in theComputed Tomography Department where the students will demonstrate competencyin venipuncture. The students have six scheduled evening/weekend rotations thatare required during the second year as well. This rotation occurs on Tuesday,Thursday and Saturdays from 2:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. The student will be free ofany didactic or clinical responsibilities on the Friday to prevent the studentfrom surpassing forty (40) hours for the week.

The month of March, during the student's secondyear, is the month where students are allowed to observe in areas that they donot normally rotate through. These areas include nuclear medicine, radiationtherapy and ultrasound. It is also during this month where students can observeat other hospitals, clinics, etc. that they do not normally have scheduledclinical rotations at. "Observe" implies that students may not assistin, or perform, any aspect of patient care during these observational roles.This observation experience provides the students with the opportunity to beginto "network" with other facilities that they are interested in forpotential employment opportunities. The opportunity to observe at otherfacilities is dependent on the facility accepting the student. The student alsohas the ability to schedule themselves for additional rotations in areas theyfeel they need more experience/practice in.

CLINICAL AFFILIATION

Marian University's Radiologic Technology Programhas affiliated with St. Elizabeth Hospital, Appleton, WI; Mercy Medical Center,Oshkosh, WI; Berlin Memorial Hospital, Berlin, WI; St. Agnes Hospital, Fond duLac, WI and the Affinity Medical Group Clinics in Oshkosh, WI and Appleton WI,as additional sites for the students' clinical practicum. Students selectedinto the radiography program will be assigned a "home" clinical siteat St. Elizabeth Hospital, Berlin Memorial Hospital, Mercy Medical Center orSt. Agnes Hospital for their two year clinical education requirements. In anattempt to reduce the amount of traveling required by the student, the assigned"home" clinical site for the student is based on the proximity of thesite to the address the student included on the application to the program,along with the student’s clinical site preference, though this is notguaranteed. During the first and fourth semesters the students will only beperforming clinical rotations at the aforementioned "home" clinicalsite. During the second and third semesters, the students will be required totravel to all of the previously discussed clinical sites in order to obtain asmuch clinical experience as possible but while still having some clinicalrotations at their "home" clinical site.

For further information regarding clinicalobligations refer to the Radiologic Technology Student Handbook.