MSU Master of Science in Radiologic Sciences
Radiologist Assistant Major


The MSU Master of Science in Radiologic Sciences (MSRS) Program now features THREE (3) majors for students with different career interests:  Education, Administration, and the Radiologist Assistant. 

 

Special Notice to RPAS:
    RPAs interested in obtaining a BSRS degree, click here.

     RRAs interested in obtaining an MSRS degree, click here.
      Note: Individuals who hold ARRT RRA certification have a special degree plan
      (30 graduate credit hours)  to obtain their MSRS degrees. 



What is a Radiologist Assistant?

 

The radiologist assistant is a newly emerging allied health care professional providing a recognized advanced clinical role for experienced radiologic technologists. 

 

A radiologist assistant (RA) enhances patient care by extending the capacity of the radiologist in the diagnostic imaging environment.  The RA performs patient assessment, patient management, fluoroscopy, and other radiology procedures.  This new health care professional will also make initial observations of diagnostic images, with official interpretations and final written reports being provided by supervising radiologists (as defined by the American College of Radiology (ACR) Standard for Communication:  Diagnostic Radiology).


Radiologist Assistants are supported by the American College of Radiology (ACR) www. acr.org; the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) https://www.asrt.org/asrt.htm; and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) http://www.arrt.org  For more information do a site search for "radiologist assistant" on any of these sites.  There is also more general information about RA role delineations, practice standards, curriculum, clinical competencies, and RA programs nationwide on the ASRT and ARRT websites.

 

Articles About Radiologist Assistants

2002 The Radiologist Assistant:  Improving Patient Care While Providing Work Force Solutions - Consensus Statements from the Advanced Practice Advisory Panel

2004 Radiologist Assistant Certification - EI Bluth & JB Reid - Journal of the American College of Radiology, Vol 1 No 6 pp 398-401

2004 Reimbursement Risks with Radiologist Extenders:  There is No Free Lunch! - WT Thorwarth - Journal of the American College of Radiology, Vol 1 No 6 pp 405-409

2007 The Radiologist Assistant:  What Radiologists Need to Know Now - PH Ellenbogen, TR Hoffman, BW Short, A Gonzalez - Journal of the American College of Radiology, Vol 4 No 7 pp 461-470

2007 CMS and Radiologist Assistants - Economic Chairman's Report - JA Patti - American College of Radiology Bulletin, Vol 62 No 6 pp 13-14

2007 RA Evolution Continues - RSNA News December 2007 pp 12-13

2008 What is Your Radiologist Assistant Student Worth to You?  R Ludwig & T Ferrara - Journal of the American College of Radiology, Vol 5 No 2 pp 115-118

2008 RAs Increase Productivity DL Wright, JB Killion, J Johnston, V Sanders, T Wallace, R Jackson, D Snodgrass, R Redd - Radiologic Technology, Journal of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, Vol 79 No 4 pp 365-370

2009 Assessing Radiologist Assistant Supervision Levels in Florida.  Ludwig R, Torsiello BA, Norton WB - Radiologic Technology, Journal of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, Vol 80 No 4 pp 309-317


 

MSU MSRS RA Major

For thirty years, the MSU Radiologic Sciences Department has been involved in advanced radiologic sciences education including coordination of numerous off-campus clinical experiences.  In a southern state with a population of over 21 million, the current department has the largest entry-level Associate Degree program and the only totally online Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences (BSRS) program in the state.  ARRT registered technologists may earn up to 46 semester credit hours of advanced standing in the BSRS program. 

 

The department also includes the country’s first-of-its-kind Master of Science in Radiologic Science (MSRS) program.  With this successful infrastructure, the university is uniquely aligned to provide the advanced academic program and Radiologist-directed clinical preceptorships required to prepare experienced and certified radiographers for this new role as RAs.

 

The MSU MSRS program, including the RA major, is be a “hybrid distance education” program, allowing students the benefits of clinical practice where it is most needed (off-campus) as well as the benefits of periodic face-to-face networking with other students and with faculty during on-campus seminars.  The University has successfully used this distance-learning model for more than eight years. 

 

 

MSU MSRS RA Admissions

 

Students may enter the MSRS RA Major either in the Fall Semester or the Spring Semester.  (Click here for the MSRS RA Major Curriculum Plan)  

 Semester  MSRS RA Fall Start  MSRS RA Spring Start
 Fall  5013 Trends 
 5023 Legal		  RA Challenge Prep
 Spring  RA Challenge Prep
 5043 Patient Interactions		  5013 Trends

 5023 Legal

 5043 Patient Interactions
 Summer  5153 Procedures I (Chest)
 5174 Clinical I		  5153 Procedures I (Chest)
 5174 Clinical I
 Fall  5003 Research

 5353 Procedures III (GI/GU)

 5374 Clinical III		  5003 Research

 5353 Procedures III (GI/GU)

 5374 Clinical III
 Spring  6883 Exit File Paper

 5253 Procedures II (MSK)

 5274 Clinical II		  6883 Exit File Paper

 5253 Procedures II (MSK)

 5274 Clinical II
 Summer  6883 (If necessary)

 5453 Procedures IV (Invasive)

 5474 Clinical IV		  6883 (If necessary)

 5453 Procedures IV (Invasive)

 5474 Clinical IV
 Fall  5033 Leadership

 5553 Procedures V (Pathways)

 5574 Clinical V		  5033 Leadership

 5553 Procedures V (Pathways)

 5574 Clinical V


Features of the MSRS Program:

·        The MSU Master of Science in Radiologic Sciences (MSRS) Program features THREE (3) majors for students with different career interests:  Education, Administration, and the Radiologist Assistant.

·         Hybrid distance education delivery model - The unique curriculum design permits working professionals to complete the degree with minimal on-campus requirements while preserving the benefits of face-to-face contact with fellow graduate students. Courses offered during fall and spring semesters, generally require only two visits to MSU. A limited number of graduate courses are available online in the summer session.

·         Students benefit from the diverse experiences of their colleagues as they network within the program. Approximately eighty (80) students are enrolled from across the United States and from several foreign countries. All Radiologic Science disciplines and modalities are represented in the student population including radiography, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, and sonography.

·         Competitive scholarships are available to qualified applicants and for students in Academic Common Market states there is an established mechanism to waive of out-of-state tuition fees.

 

Admission Criteria:

  • Admission to MSU
    • Admission to MSU Graduate School – Students must be admitted to MSU as graduate students before they can apply for admission to the MSRS Program.  Admission requirements for MSU Graduate Programs are listed on the MSU website and include:
    • Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended
    • Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores or equivalent

 

  • Application to the MSRS Program
    • This is a separate process in addition to being admitted to MSU.  Students must request an MSRS Application Packet and submit the appropriate forms by fax or mail
    • Credentials in any of the medical imaging modalities or radiation therapy (including radiography, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, and sonography) with at least one year's experience -  copy of current professional certification card (ARRT or equivalent)
    • BSRS or BSRT degree - Candidates who have appropriate credentials with other degrees will be considered on an individual basis
    • Completion a basic undergraduate research or statistics course (3 semester hours) prior to or concurrent with RADS 5003 Research Methods.  MSU offers two undergraduate courses online that will satisfy this requirement:  RADS 3503 Research and RADS 4123 Statistics.

 

    • Admission to the RA major is limited and competitive.  Applicants to the Radiologist Assistant major must complete additional admission requirements: 
      • Students must be recommended for the program following an interview.  Interviews are usually scheduled on MSRS Orientation Days.
      • Students must provide documentation of professional certification.  The RA curriculum is based on general diagnostic radiography clinical practice.  Applicants must have a working knowledge of general diagnostic radiography procedures.  Evidence = Copy of current ARRT card showing certification in RADIOGRAPHY
      • Students must provide documentation of two (2) years of clinical experience within the previous ten (10) years.  Evidence = Letters from Appropriate Employers / Human Resource Departments.
    • BEFORE RA students can participate in any RA Clinical Courses, they must have faculty approval AND meet the following criteria – there are NO exceptions to these requirements.  Students can NOT progress through the program without taking the RA Clinical Courses:
      • Students must must provide documentation of current ACLS Provider status.  Evidence = Copy of current ACLS card
      • Students must clear with MSU Vinson Health Center their compliance with Texas Mandated Immunizations. 
      • Students must provide documentation of the Formal Written Agreement with the Radiologist Preceptor / Group.  Although one radiologist will be identified as the preceptor, it is better for students to develop an arrangement with a group of radiologists rather than an individual radiologist.  The Preceptor Agreement has to be approved and accepted by the MSU faculty.
      • Students must provide documentation of the Formal Written Agreement with the Clinical Facility.  The students, their preceptors, and the clinical facility need to be aware of the variety and quantity of procedures required.  The Clinical Facility Agreement has to be approved and accepted by the MSU faculty.

 

 

MSU MSRS RA Clinical Courses

 

MSU MSRS RA Major clinical competencies meet or exceed the required clinical competencies set by the ARRT.  At least five semesters in the RA Major include clinical preceptorships with at least twenty- four (24) contact hours per week including at least four (4) hours of direct image review with the Radiologist Preceptor. The program currently requires about 1400 total clinical contact hours. 

     (Summer 1)  RADS 5174 Clinical I = 168 clinical contact hours

     (Fall 1)   RADS 5274 Clinical II = 336

     (Spring 2)   RADS 5374 Clinical III = 336

     (Summer 2)   RADS 5474 Clinical IV = 168

     (Fall 2)   RADS 5574 Clinical V = 336


See the MSU RA Clinical Competency Requirements on the left menu link. 

 

MSU MSRS RA Prerequisites & RA Challenge Exams

In addition to the content of the RA courses, the ARRT RA Certification Exam includes information related to several “prerequisite” courses currently in the BSRS curriculum.  Students in the RA program need to demonstrate proficiency in these content areas by taking the courses or passing Challenge Exams.

 

RADS 3203 Pathophysiology

RADS 3213 Advanced Clinical Practice Skills

RADS 3773 Radiobiology

RADS 4633 CQI

RADS 4733 Sectional Anatomy

 

Passing a Challenge Exam for a course does NOT give the student academic credit for the course, but it does decrease the number of courses the student has to take.  Passing the Challenge Exam for a course only applies to the MSU RA Program is NOT transferable to any other degree or institution.
 

Students have to be enrolled in courses at MSU to take RA Challenge Exams.  The exams are scheduled with the Radiologic Sciences RA Program Director and there is a minimal deparmental fee.  The exams are proctored and administered through WebCT.  Each exam is comprised of objective-based questions (usually multiple choice or short answer).  Students should review the course descriptions, sample syllabi, and textbooks to prepare for the exams.  Students will be notified whether they earned a Pass or Not Pass instead of a numerical score.  Students may take each Course Challenge Exam only once.

 

Students must get their proctors and test site approved by MSU faculty before they can use them to take Challenge Exams.   Click here for the Proctor Approval Form.

For more information, or to schedule RA Challenge Exams, contact:  Dr. Donna Lee Wright

donna.wright@mwsu.edu

 



 


For More Information About the MSU MSRS RA Program:

 

Jeff Killion, PhD, RT(R)(QM) RA Program Director or Vicki Sanders, MSRS, RRA Clinical Coordinator

Midwestern State University, 3410 Taft Boulevard, Wichita Falls, TX  76308-2099

Toll Free:  866-575-4305   Fax: 940-397-4845

jeff.killion@mwsu.edu or victoria.sanders@mwsu.edu