The radiologist assistant (RA) is an allied health care professional providing a recognized advanced clinical role for experienced radiologic technologists.
An RA enhances patient care by expanding the radiologist's capacity in medical imaging. The RA performs patient assessment, patient management, fluoroscopy, and other radiology procedures. This health care professional also makes initial observations of diagnostic images for the supervising radiologist, who provides official interpretations and final written reports (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) www.asrt.org and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) www.arrt.org . For more information, do a site search for "radiologist assistant" on any of these sites. The ASRT and ARRT websites also provide more general information about RA role delineations, practice standards, curriculum, clinical competencies, and RA programs nationwide.
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 only entry-level Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology (BSRT) Degree program in Texas and the only 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 infrastructure, the university is uniquely positioned to deliver the advanced academic program and Radiologist-directed clinical preceptorships needed to prepare experienced, certified radiographers for this new role as RAs.
The MSU MSRS program, including the RA major, is 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 faculty during on-campus seminars.
Radiologist Assistant Program Updates
Students will begin clinical courses in the Spring. Midwestern State must have an affiliation agreement with the clinical facility by the start of the first clinical semester. Students must also complete onboarding, background checks, immunization requirements, drug screens, or other facility requirements by the first day of the Spring semester.
For more information about the MSU MSRS RA Program, contact:
Vicki Dillard DHSc, R.R.A., RT(R)(CV)(CT)
Midwestern State University
3410 Taft Boulevard
Wichita Falls, TX 76308-2099
Phone: 940-397-4337 Fax: 940-397-4845
vicki.dillard@msutexas.edu
Note: If you reside in a state other than Texas, recent federal regulations may prohibit you from taking courses at Midwestern State University. Please contact Vicki Dillard, vicki.dillard@msutexas.edu, for verification that your state of residence allows you to take courses from a Texas university. Failure to follow this procedure may prevent you from continuing to take courses and/or graduating from the MSRS program.