RADIOGRAPHY

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Radiography

Associate in Applied Science

Radiography is the art and science of using radiation to provide images of the tissues, organs, bones, and vessels that exist in the human body. The radiographer or x-ray technologist positions the patient and uses the proper amount of radiation to produce a diagnostic image. Radiographers enjoy a competitive starting salary and can find employment opportunities in hospitals and doctors’ offices. If you have a strong foundation in math and science and enjoy helping people, radiography might be a great career choice for you.

100%

Credentialing Exam Pass Rate

69 Total Credits

Next Start Date:
Fall 2023

100%

Job Placement Rate

What Jobs Can I Get?

Radiographers are often confused with radiologists, but there is a difference. The radiologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses the x-ray images. We are not radiologists. 

Radiographers can find employment opportunities in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and industry and can earn a starting salary of approximately $70,000. Our graduates are very successful in the field as supervisors, educators, and specialists. 

Interested in areas such as CT, MRI, and Mammography? The North Jersey Imaging Academy (NJIA) offers advanced training to ARRT-certified radiographers in Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Mammography. Learn more about NJIA.

Median Salary in NJ
$76,600

Take x-rays and CAT scans or administer nonradioactive materials into patient’s bloodstream for diagnostic or research purposes. Includes radiologic technologists and technicians who specialize in other scanning modalities.

About the Program

We offer a 2-Phase fully accredited degree program. Phase 1 consists of General Education requirements. Phase 2 consists of the Radiography curriculum which is a 2-year day program that includes two ten-week, 32-hour-per week summer sessions. Every semester of Phase 2 includes a clinical component. Students earn a total of 69 credits and upon completion of the program, receive an Associate of Applied Science Degree (A.A.S.) and are eligible to sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists’ national certification examination and apply for a state x-ray license.

Our course offerings include Anatomy & Physiology, Radiation Biology, Medical & Surgical Diseases, Positioning, Patient Care & Imaging Equipment. We also have clinical affiliations with leading facilities in the area.

Admission Requirements

Procedure and Admission Ranking Criteria

Acceptance to the College does not guarantee or imply acceptance into Phase 2 the Radiography Program. Phase 1 students must apply for admission to Phase 2 and meet established Academic and General Requirements as well as Health Policy Requirements.

While PCCC admits students from outside Passaic County, Passaic County residents have priority in programs where demand exceeds available space.

Once admitted to Phase 2, students are expected to understand and observe related departmental policies.

The program director and the Radiography Program Admission Committee use the Admission Ranking Criteria Form (following) in making decisions regarding an applicant’s readiness for admission to Phase 2 of the Radiography Program.

Other Program Requirements

In accordance with Federal Law, the Radiography Program does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, marital status, national ethnic origin, disability, age or sexual orientation in the administration of its program and policies.

Consistent with requirements of Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 the Radiography Program does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to its program and activities as long as the disabled person does not present a safety hazard to himself/herself or patients.

Applicants to the Radiography Program must be able to perform specific skills in order to care for patients safely and perform all the procedures that would be required of a graduate radiographer in the workplace. A form containing the following seven (7) questions is sent to each student accepted into the program, these questions assure the program faculty that you are able to meet the technical standards of the program.

1. Can you lift 25 pounds?

2. Can you hear someone speaking in a moderate tone that is at least six feet from you?

3. Can you communicate clearly in English verbally and in writing?

4. Are you able to push a grocery cart loaded with food out of the aisles without difficulty?

5. Can you stand for long periods of time with a maximum being for four(4) hours?

6. Can you walk a distance of 2 miles during a normal workday?

7. Is your vision adequate enough to distinguish between black, gray and white?

Health Insurance

Students in the Radiography Program are required to have health care insurance, regardless of credit load. Proof of health care insurance must be provided to program officials each academic year.

Health Examination and Health Record

Each student admitted to the Radiography Program is required to submit a complete Health Record which includes a physical examination and lab tests. In addition, students are expected to maintain optimum health. Those students undergoing long-term or specialized treatment, including medications, which may place limitations on assignments, are required to notify the Dean at the onset of such treatment.

The following items are required of all students enrolled in the Radiography Program:

  • Physical examination by a physician or nurse practitioner
  • Urinalysis (attach a copy of lab results)
  • CBC (Complete blood count, attach a copy of lab results)
  • Initial Tuberculin Mantoux (PPD) Two-Step TB Test, date given, date read, and results. If negative, a Mantoux PPD skin test must be done and submitted annually. All positive reactions must be measured in millimeters and documented on the physical form. Students, regardless of history of bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG), are required to have a Mantoux TB skin test (PPD) if their previous PPD documentation is unavailable. Positive reactors must have a chest X-ray with a copy of the report attached. The second year, a TB questionnaire is required in place of the chest X-ray. Quantiferon TB blood test may be used at the discretion of the health care provider.
  • Tetanus, Diptheria and Pertussis Booster (TDAP) 47
  • Rubella (German Measles) Rubeola (Measles), Parotitis (Mumps), blood titers are required, regardless of boosters, with a copy of each lab report. Varicella (Chickenpox) blood titer is required only if the student has NOT received the varicella vaccine. If the student received the varicella vaccine, documentation of both doses is required and the titer is NOT done. If a student is found non-immune to Rubella, Rubeola, Mumps, and/or Varicella, the student must obtain 2 MMR and/or Varicella re-immunizations regardless of age.
  • Documentation of Hepatitis B immunization series or a Hepatitis B titer showing immune status. If the student is found to be non-immune, the student must have the immunization series.
  • Flu shots are required annually. Clinical agencies may refuse to permit students who have not been immunized for the flu (or other communicable diseases) to attend clinical in their facilities. Students are reminded that clinical practice in the assigned agency/care unit is necessary to meet program objectives and if refused by a clinical agency, a student may not be able to complete the program.
  • COVID vaccination and booster are required.

Note:
Students who do not submit a completed Health Record prior to the beginning of the first semester will not be permitted to attend clinical. Continuing students must be current with all requirements to attend clinical. Any clinical days missed due to non-compliance with clinical requirements will be counted as failures and may prevent the student from meeting clinical objectives and result in clinical failure for the course. Medical requirements are those of the clinical agency and may change and students will be required to meet any additional requirements. Clinical agencies may require copies of the student’s health record be provided to them before permitting the student to attend clinical.

Additional Policies

Grading

The following point values are assigned to letter grades for all radiography courses:

A = 95 – 100
A- = 90 – 94
B+ = 87 – 89
B = 84 – 86
B- = 80 – 83
C+ = 78 – 79
C = 75 – 77
F = 74 – 0

Final Exam Policy

This policy applies to all radiography courses. A student with a course Average below 80 must pass the Final Exam for the course, in order to successfully complete the course requirements. Failure to pass the Final Exam with a grade of 75 or better, will result in failure of the course and suspension from the program sequence.

Clinical Experience Policies

Transportation

Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to the clinical education centers. Each student is responsible for arriving on time at the assigned clinical education center. Parking arrangements vary at each facility. Students must familiarize themselves with the regulations at their assigned facility.

Reporting Absences or Lateness to Clinical Centers

The following is a listing of the clinical education centers and their telephone Numbers. These numbers are to be used when reporting clinical absence or lateness.

St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center(973) 754-2662
St. Joseph’s Wayne Hospital(973) 956-3312
Chilton Memorial Hospital(973) 831-5088
St. Mary’s Hospital (Passaic)(973) 365-4459
Hackensack Meridian Health-Palisades Medical Center (201) 854-5117

Contact Us

Phone: 973-684-5280
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 973-684-5843
Postal address:
One College Blvd.
Paterson, NJ 07505

Faculty & Staff

Parsha Hobson
Professor/Chairperson
Phone: 973-684-6243
E-mail: [email protected]

Cheryl Duncan-Morgan
Assistant Professor, Clinical Coordinator
Phone: 973-684-5182
E-mail: [email protected]

Nakita Stephen
Radiography Lab Coordinator
[email protected]
(973) 684-5285