Clinical Education

Applying the knowledge obtained in the classroom in a radiology department is essential. The student's purpose during his or her clinical rotation is to develop skills needed to practice general diagnostic radiography, supervised by a qualified physician and registered technologist. The clinical portion of the program is a competency based-sequencing curriculum. The clinical education assignments are correlated with classroom activities and students pass off exams to become competent and proficient. All students will rotate through the programs clinical education sites throughout their enrollment in the program which ensures a wide variety of clinical experiences.

This information is condensed from the Clinical Education portion of the Program Handbook/Catalog, but will serve as an introduction of the requirements for the two year clinical phase of the program.

Clinical Education Plan

1. Clinical assignments will be conducted at DCH Health System and other JRCERT approved clinical affiliates of the program.
2. Clinical education will be concurrent with academic classes.
3. Clinical assignments will vary from quarter to quarter. A schedule listing assigned hours and areas will be posted before the end of the previous quarter.
4. The Clinical Coordinator will schedule shift assignments.
5. Total clinical and classroom hours will not exceed forty hours per week. Assignments on any given day or shift will not exceed eight hours.
6. Students will have all DCH holidays off and other such time off as determined by the program.
7. Students will be assigned various clinical hours in order to supply students with clinical experiences to prepare them to competently perform duties of the entry-level radiographer.
8. Each student's performance of clinical procedures outlined in his or her assignment is supervised by Radiologic Technologists and evaluated periodically by the clinical instructors.
9. Clinical rotation schedules are subject to change when and if the clinical coordinator and/or program director recognize the need to do so based on individual student competency requirements.

Clinical Travel Obligation

All prospective students must be aware of the clinical obligation of travel to and from clinical sites. Radiography students are required to travel to assigned clinical education sites. All students are required to fulfill their scheduled clinical rotations.

Objectives for Non-Traditional Hours

Students may be scheduled to perform clinical rotations on all shifts. The intent is to provide additional clinical education opportunities in performing trauma radiography during real-world work situations. It is not an attempt to supplement staffing needs or shortages. Each student will be assigned three evening shifts and one weekend rotation each eleven (11) week quarter. Days will be scheduled off before and after weekend rotation to ensure radiography students are not assigned to more than 40 hours per week educational training.