The Radiologic Technology Program at Lone Star College-Montgomery captured a perfect diagnostic image: the class of 2017 achieved a 100 percent first-attempt, pass rate on the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification exam. The 2017 U.S. national average of first-attempt pass rates is about 89 percent.
“I am very proud of these students,” said Dr. Francis Ozor, Medical Radiologic Technology Program Director at LSC-Montgomery. “Our program is intensive and comprehensive. Although the focus of the program is to graduate entry-level clinically competent Radiologic Technologists who are highly skilled in obtaining diagnostic images, we also teach students patient care, how to be compassionate, how to communicate with the doctors and how to work together as a team.”
Radiologic technologists use x-rays to create images of body parts and organ systems to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. The ARRT is the world’s largest organization offering credentials in medical imaging. According to the ARRT, “Radiologic technologists make up the third-largest group of health care professionals—surpassed in number only by physicians and nurses.”
Graduate Jennifer Otrezov was relieved and excited when she found out she passed.
“It is a computerized test and when you finish, it asks you multiple times if you want to submit your answers,” said Otrezov. “I started to question myself, but I hit submit and it said I got a 92. I thought, ‘Yes!’ The whole time I took the test I was very anxious because I spent two years of my life preparing for this specific exam. When I hit submit, I was overjoyed and a sense of relief came over me. It is very intense.”
Otrezov is now enrolled in LSC-Montgomery’s Computed Tomography Program. She says all of her fellow graduates have found employment. Since the program’s inception, 100 percent of graduates who actively sought employment in Radiologic Technology have found a job within a year of completing the program and credentialing exam. The majority of graduates found employment in Radiologic Technology within two months of completing the program.
In addition to long-running board examination pass rates and successful job placement, the program continues to grow and contribute to the industry through clinicals at local affiliates, including:
- Aspire Imaging Center
- Conroe Regional Medical Center
- Houston Northwest Medical Center
- Huntsville Memorial Hospital
- Kingwood Medical Center
- Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center
- Memorial Hermann-The Woodlands Medical Center
- Memorial Hermann Imaging Center-Memorial Hermann Northeast
- CHI St. Luke’s Health –The Woodlands Hospital
- CHI St. Luke’s Lakeside Hospital-The Woodlands
- Texas Children’s Health Center, The Woodlands
- Memorial Hermann Convenient Care Center – Summer Creek
- Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital
- Memorial Hermann 24hr Emergency Care & Imaging – The Woodlands
- Women’s Hospital of Texas.
The department expects to continue to add new area hospitals in the future.
“If you are interested in radiologic technology, LSC-Montgomery has the best program and we have the data to prove it,” said Dr. Ozor. “We have one of the most qualified and unique faculty and our simulation laboratories are well-equipped. When our graduates enter the workforce they are one step ahead and that is what makes them stand out.”
“LSC-Montgomery’s program has proven itself to be the best choice,” said Otrezov. “The professors are great, they are not just faculty, they became family. They are so helpful in giving you all the tools you need to succeed. They even came in on their time off to help us study. I think this program is going to succeed for many, many years.”
The next round of applications for the AAS degree in Medical Radiologic Technology will be accepted from July 9, 2018 – Oct. 8, 2018 by 5 p.m. It is strongly recommended that prospective students attend one of the monthly information sessions accessed through lonestar.edu/medical-radiology-dept-montgomery to learn more about the profession and requirements.
In 2017, LSC-Montgomery health occupations programs Medical Radiologic Technology, Nursing and Physical Therapy Assistant passed their licensure exams on the first attempt for a 100 percent pass rate.
For more information, please visit LoneStar.edu/RadTech.
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 99,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of $3.1 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.