Question about a degree and overall info*

[NicholasMD]

First I want to say that this forum is such a blessing for those of us who have always loved the medical field in some regards and I am trully greatfull for any advice or comments any of you can share.

I am twenty years old my father was a alcoholic and it put a severe strain on the entire family during my junior and senior years of high school. I went from honors courses to dropping out and smoking marijuana with friends all day and thought life was great. My father died in 2005 and it made me think of what I was doing. I was ashamed to have left high school and not attend college like I know I could have since I was always told I was extremely intelligent and generally know more then most kids my age. Well two years have passed and after a one year stint at local fabrication company doing sales and autoCAD work I knew that 9-5 office cubicle stuff wasn't for me.

I decided if I am going to do something it has to be NOW so I contacted the palm beach community college and will be meeting with them tomorrow to discuss there two year degree in radiology. which is listed in the below pasted information.

Radiography (2303)

At a GlanceLimited Access

This degree program prepares the student to become a radiologic technologist, combining the high technology of medical imaging with skills of patient care to create X-ray images or radiographs.Employment OpportunitiesUpon completion of this program, you may seek employment as a Radiographer or Radiologic Technologist. The graduate will be able to pursue additional advancement and specialization including Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technologist, Computerized Tomography (CT) Technologist, Angiographic/Cardiovascular Imaging Technologist, and Ultrasound/ Sonographic Technologist.
Program DescriptionThe program has a 24-month, competency-based curriculum that includes practical experience in local hospitals. Beginning each January, the program requires a full-time commitment between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily. For more information, visit www.pbcc.edu/radiography.xml.

This program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 900, Chicago IL 60606, phone (312) 704-5300, Web site: www.jrcert.org.Career Path NotesThis program is articulated 2+2 with the University of Central Florida's bachelor’s degree program in Radiologic Science. For information on transfer agreements, visit www.pbcc.edu/transfer.xml.

As a profession, radiography emphasizes career development which leads to additional certification in CT (computerized tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, sonography, mammography and vascular imaging.Admission RequirementsThe following criteria are established to be eligible to be placed in the selection pool. Meeting the criteria for selection does not guarantee admission to the Radiography program. Final selection will be based on the applicant pool. If a student is selected and does not enter the program or is not selected, he/she must reapply and is not guaranteed acceptance in any subsequent selection process.

1. Special Application and Deadline
The applicant must complete and submit the Radiography program application package by September 1 of each year in order to be eligible for consideration for selection into the program.

2. Standard High School Diploma or GED
Proof of a standard high school diploma or a U.S. GED certificate must be submitted.

3. Transcripts
Official transcripts of high school and all previous college work must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office at the Palm Beach Gardens location.

4. Cumulative Grade Point Average
Cumulative grade point average must be at least 2.0 in all previous college work attempted.

5. Placement Test Scores
Placement test scores must meet minimum requirements for entrance into college-level English and math courses or required remediation must have been successfully completed. Completion (C or higher) of three college credits for math and for English courses may be used in lieu of placement scores.

6. Program Advisement
The program faculty conduct a mandatory open house advisement session.

7. Prerequisite: Hospital Observation
Each prospective student must document at least eight hours of observation in a radiology department.Completion RequirementsAll program requirements must be successfully completed.Program Length and LocationTotal program credits: 77. This is a two year-program beginning in January each year and requires a full-time commitment. Students attend clinical education at local hospitals three days a week each semester. The program is offered on the Palm Beach Gardens campus.Financial Aidhttp://www.pbcc.edu/financialaid.xml Program Websitehttp://www.pbcc.edu/radiography.xmlApplicationStudents must complete a Radiography Program application (found on their website) in addition to the general PBCC application:
http://www.pbcc.edu/admissions.xml Advisinghttp://www.pbcc.edu/advising.xml For More InformationDr. Vicki Shaver, [email protected], (561) 207-5067For More Information on Careers in This Program http://www.pbcc.edu/x3594.xml?id=79

Limited Access

Click on the course ID for the course schedule of classes. Click on the course title for the course description.


For an individualized course sequence, please see a PBCC academic advisor
Category: I. Program PrerequisitesCredits: 4 BSC2085 Anatomy and Physiology I 3 BSC2085L Anatomy and Physiology I Lab 1 Category: II. General Education RequirementsCredits: 16 BSC2086 Anatomy and Physiology II 3 BSC2086L Anatomy and Physiology II Lab 1 ENC1101 College Composition I 3 MAC1105 College Algebra (or higher) 3 PSY2012 General Psychology 3 Any course from Humanities - Area II 3 Category: III. Required CoursesCredits: 57 CGS1570 Microcomputer Applications (or equivalent) 3 RTE1000 Introduction to Radiography 3 RTE1401 Radiographic Imaging 1 2 RTE1401L Radiographic Imaging 1 Laboratory 1 RTE1503 Radiographic Procedures 1 3 RTE1503L Radiographic Procedures 1 Lab 1 RTE1513 Radiographic Procedures 2 2 RTE1513L Radiographic Procedures 2 Lab 1 RTE1804 Radiographic Clinical Education 1 3 RTE1814 Radiographic Clinical Education 2 2 RTE1457 Radiographic Imaging 2 2 RTE1457L Radiographic Imaging 2 Laboratory 1 RTE1523 Radiographic Procedures 3 3 RTE1523L Radiographic Procedures 3 Lab 1 RTE1824 Radiographic Clinical Education 3 3 RTE2533 Radiographic Procedures 4 3 RTE2533L Radiographic Procedures 4 Lab 1 RTE2613 Radiologic Physics 3 RTE2834 Radiographic Clinical Education 4 3 RTE2130 Pharmacology for Medical Imaging 3 RTE2844 Radiographic Clinical Education 5 2 RTE2385 Radiobiology 3 RTE2563 Advanced Medical Imaging 3 RTE2473L Radiography Seminar 2 RTE2854 Radiographic Clinical Education 6 3 Total Program Credits: 77

I am looking to get my foot into the door and always enjoyed photography and computers and feel MRI/CT and Radiology would be a great place to start. I would like to go to school for this degree as well as prerecs and with a little bit of luck and hard work transfer into a 4 year then to a med program over the course of many years. But I am not concerned. After seeing so many people older then me not give up and continue to work to get in I feel I have just as good as a chance as anyone else.


To sum this up I have a specific question on what this degree might do for me as far as a career to work and continue to go to school? Will this be good to have for future continued education?

Also what are some important questions to ask the director tommorow that maybe I havnt thought about asking or known to ask for.


Thank you for anyone who shares the knowledge

Nicholas M. Druzbik

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[bulletproof]

First I want to say that this forum is such a blessing for those of us who have always loved the medical field in some regards and I am trully greatfull for any advice or comments any of you can share.

I am twenty years old my father was a alcoholic and it put a severe strain on the entire family during my junior and senior years of high school. I went from honors courses to dropping out and smoking marijuana with friends all day and thought life was great. My father died in 2005 and it made me think of what I was doing. I was ashamed to have left high school and not attend college like I know I could have since I was always told I was extremely intelligent and generally know more then most kids my age. Well two years have passed and after a one year stint at local fabrication company doing sales and autoCAD work I knew that 9-5 office cubicle stuff wasn't for me.

I decided if I am going to do something it has to be NOW so I contacted the palm beach community college and will be meeting with them tomorrow to discuss there two year degree in radiology. which is listed in the below pasted information.





I am looking to get my foot into the door and always enjoyed photography and computers and feel MRI/CT and Radiology would be a great place to start. I would like to go to school for this degree as well as prerecs and with a little bit of luck and hard work transfer into a 4 year then to a med program over the course of many years. But I am not concerned. After seeing so many people older then me not give up and continue to work to get in I feel I have just as good as a chance as anyone else.


To sum this up I have a specific question on what this degree might do for me as far as a career to work and continue to go to school? Will this be good to have for future continued education?

Also what are some important questions to ask the director tommorow that maybe I havnt thought about asking or known to ask for.


Thank you for anyone who shares the knowledge

Nicholas M. Druzbik

First things first Nick, be careful never to mention community college in the same breath as a "two year degree in Radiology". A radiographer is an imaging technician, while a Radiologist is a physician and an imaging consultant. I expect you already know this, and you meant to write "two year degree in Radiography".
Second, sorry to hear about the background. At 20 you are still very young, and if you were so inclined to go through with med. school etc. it sounds like Radiology might be a good fit. Of Course that is all still a ways off.
If you go ahead with Radiography, you may want to ask about how much of that coursework (if any) will be applicable towards an undergraduate degree. Most every U.S. med. school requires 90 credit hours of undergrad. coursework for admission, with most matriculants having an undergrad degree.
As for a career in Radiography, they make pretty decent money, but personally I would rather be the top dog,interpreting, performing procedures and consulting with my colleagues on interesting cases.
Congrats on returning to education.

Edit: Just reread original post, and seen the 2 + 2 option with the university of central florida leading to to Bachelors of radiological science. This looks like a very good option.

 

[NicholasMD]

First things first Nick, be careful never to mention community college in the same breath as a "two year degree in Radiology". A radiographer is an imaging technician, while a Radiologist is a physician and an imaging consultant. I expect you already know this, and you meant to write "two year degree in Radiography".
Second, sorry to hear about the background. At 20 you are still very young, and if you were so inclined to go through with med. school etc. it sounds like Radiology might be a good fit. Of Course that is all still a ways off.
If you go ahead with Radiography, you may want to ask about how much of that coursework (if any) will be applicable towards an undergraduate degree. Most every U.S. med. school requires 90 credit hours of undergrad. coursework for admission, with most matriculants having an undergrad degree.
As for a career in Radiography, they make pretty decent money, but personally I would rather be the top dog,interpreting, performing procedures and consulting with my colleagues on interesting cases.
Congrats on returning to education.

Edit: Just reread original post, and seen the 2 + 2 option with the university of central florida leading to to Bachelors of radiological science. This looks like a very good option.

Thank you for the kind words and helpful post. And I apologize for the mixup in radiology and radiographer I am still learning the vocabulary for all the different medical practices and which ones are the assistant/tech side and which one's are the medical doctor's.

I of course would be the lesser and the assistant side for the any two year degree program.


One question I have is what do you mean by the UCF comment?

As I see somthing now at a different Community college.

One is a Broward Community college where I can do pre recs,

GENERAL EDUCATION DEGREE REQUIREMENTS (PLEASE SEE NEXT PAGE)
[SIZE=-1]

( ) *ENC1101 3 CREDITS
( ) *ENC1102 or *ENC2210 3 CREDITS
( ) SPC1024 or SPC1600 3 CREDITS
( ) HUMANITIES 3 CREDITS
( ) HUMANITIES 3 CREDITS
( ) SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE 3 CREDITS
( ) HISTORICAL,POLITICAL AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES 3 CREDITS
( ) BSC1085 3 CREDITS
( ) *PHY2053 3 CREDITS
( ) *BSC1085L 1 CREDIT
( ) HLP1081 or PEM1131 or
PEM1141 2 CREDITS
( ) *MAC1105 3 CREDITS
( ) *GORDON RULE MATH 3 CREDITS


[/SIZE]

TOTAL GENERAL EDUCATION DEGREE REQUIREMENTS 36 credits


OTHER DEGREE REQUIREMENTS


(Should include completion of the combination of University
pre requisites and Institutional recommendations for a total of 24
credits)




UNIVERSITY REQUIRED PREREQUISITES
[SIZE=-1]

( ) CGS1060C 3 CREDITS
( ) *PHY2053L 1 CREDIT
( ) *PHY2054 3 CREDITS
( ) *PHY2054L 1 CREDIT
( ) *BSC1086 3 CREDITS
( ) *BSC1086L 1 CREDIT
[/SIZE]



ADDITIONAL INSTITUTIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO COMPLETE REQUIRED 24 CREDITS
[SIZE=-1]

( ) +ANY TRANSFERABLE COLLEGE LEVEL COURSE 13 CREDITS
[/SIZE]



TOTAL OTHER DEGREE REQUIREMENTS 25 credits




TOTAL DEGREE CREDITS 61 credits

What I am wondering is if I do the pre rec's at the BCC will that allow me to possibly transfer to UCF for my BS in

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]College:.[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]COHPA-College of Health and Public Affairs.[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Major:.[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Radiologic Sciences.[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Degree: .[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]BS.[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]CIP: .[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]51.0907.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tracks/Specializations:.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Radiologic Sciences - AS to BS (Track).

Or my other choice is to go with PBCC and do there pre-recs which I am guessing is going to take two years to meet the requirments for there two year radiography degree course which is another two years making it 4 years. But I dont know if thats translates to a Bachlors degree or not.

But I am confused by the two. the UCF program would require 6 years two years pre recs to meet the requirments then if I am able to transfer there radiologic science course is four years. or is that only for years since it says AS to BS.

Sorry the more I think about it the more I am confusing myself and others. Tommorow I am meeting with somthing at the school and I am sure she will iron things out for me.

As far as questions thought is there some specific things I should ask about the courses and what they offer, as in chances of progressing to a medical program or job placement.

As you can probly tell I am very behind the curve as far as how schooling works and how everything goes but at the same time I am very very eager to learn and can use any help I can get to make sure I am pointing in the right direction.


PBCC is far from my house I would spend more money on gas pay more but they say they have a good radiographer course so I am not sure if it would be best to go there for there required courses to get into that program or take a general education course then attempt to get into ucf's program.

Any type of info would be appreciated of course. Sorry if my post isnt very well written it is late at night and I had a couple beers with some friends before they left for a bar and I watched the colts destroy the saints in the 1st real nfl game tonight.

So once again thanks for taking the time out of your busy day or night to help out in anyway it means alot to me. Thanks
-Nicholas

 

[bulletproof]

Thank you for the kind words and helpful post. And I apologize for the mixup in radiology and radiographer I am still learning the vocabulary for all the different medical practices and which ones are the assistant/tech side and which one's are the medical doctor's.

I of course would be the lesser and the assistant side for the any two year degree program.


One question I have is what do you mean by the UCF comment?

As I see somthing now at a different Community college.

One is a Broward Community college where I can do pre recs,



What I am wondering is if I do the pre rec's at the BCC will that allow me to possibly transfer to UCF for my BS in




Or my other choice is to go with PBCC and do there pre-recs which I am guessing is going to take two years to meet the requirments for there two year radiography degree course which is another two years making it 4 years. But I dont know if thats translates to a Bachlors degree or not.

But I am confused by the two. the UCF program would require 6 years two years pre recs to meet the requirments then if I am able to transfer there radiologic science course is four years. or is that only for years since it says AS to BS.

Sorry the more I think about it the more I am confusing myself and others. Tommorow I am meeting with somthing at the school and I am sure she will iron things out for me.

As far as questions thought is there some specific things I should ask about the courses and what they offer, as in chances of progressing to a medical program or job placement.

As you can probly tell I am very behind the curve as far as how schooling works and how everything goes but at the same time I am very very eager to learn and can use any help I can get to make sure I am pointing in the right direction.


PBCC is far from my house I would spend more money on gas pay more but they say they have a good radiographer course so I am not sure if it would be best to go there for there required courses to get into that program or take a general education course then attempt to get into ucf's program.

Any type of info would be appreciated of course. Sorry if my post isnt very well written it is late at night and I had a couple beers with some friends before they left for a bar and I watched the colts destroy the saints in the 1st real nfl game tonight.

So once again thanks for taking the time out of your busy day or night to help out in anyway it means alot to me. Thanks
-Nicholas

Basically, the programs that you are looking at are at the Associates degree level ( 60 credit hours = 15 credit hours x 4 semesters = 2 years ). An undergraduate degree requires 120 hours of credit hours ( 15 credit hours per semester x 8 semesters = 4 years ). The 2 + 2 option involving UCF allows for you to apply the 60 credit hours you would earn at community college towards a Bachelors of science in Radiologic science.

The most any 4 year degree granting institution will allow you to transfer from Community college is 60 credit hours. What you need to find out is will UCF accept the full 60 hours of coursework from the associates degree in radiography at all or just some of the programs you are looking at? This should help you in deciding which one to attend.

When talking about prereqs. you should bear in mind that for medical school you will need to have 1 year of Bio, gen. chem, physics, organic chem, and possibly calculus, which you could undertake as a junior or senior if they are not already inbuilt into the community college programs. You should be able to fit these courses into a 4 year curriculum as some of them ( bio, chem, physics ) will most likely be required for a degree in radiologic science I would think, and others such as O. Chem you can take as part of your electives. The only reason I can see it taking you six years to get a degree is if you were working alot and had to attend part time ( less than 12 creit hours per semester ).

I suggest you start investigating the pre-medical forums as alot of people in your situation go there to sort out their situations and help each other out with info. on the undergraduate process, applying to med. school etc.
Let the community college counselors know of your interest in completing a bachelors degree and a premed curriculum, and they should be willing to work with you to select the best course of study. Best of luck.

 

[digitlnoize]

I was in a similar situation a few years ago. I was then 26, and working a full-time job that I didn't really enjoy. I was dating this girl whose father was head of a radiographer program, and could have gotten in if I wanted it. What helped me decide was some shadowing of both radiographers and radiologists, and I found that I enjoyed the diagnostic aspect of being a radiologist to the difficulties of trying to position a 400 lb guy with a broken leg correctly...but that's just me...

If you are interested in doing both, then you have some difficult choices ahead...

If you do the Comm. College route, then you finish with and A.S degree, and if/when you decide you want to go to med school, you will then have to return to school for 2 more years and finish your B.S before med school.

If you go ahead and do the extra 2 years now, then you have a B.S. already, and you can apply to med school whenever you want.

That's the difference. I found it easier to just get all of the "student" part of my life over with in one lump sum, rather than:

live like a student-->live like a tech-->live like a student-->live like a resident...it's kinda up and down...ya know?

again, that's just me. Do some soul searching and see what you want to do. Being a physician is a long, hard road, and radiology is a very competitive field, so you have to be pretty good (I hear).

I decided to go the med school route and am now applying for admission in fall 2008. I've got 1 interview so far, and hoping for more...wish me luck!

 

[NicholasMD]

Thanks you guys hit the nail on the head answered my questions completely and I wasnt able to meet with the admin people today but monday I will be discusing everything and hopefully doing all the college in one sweep as I can imagine it would be harder to manage a job and have time for studying and schooling secondary. But I will get a full understanding once I meet with them to see finacial what I am looking at and what loans can do for me.

 

[digitlnoize]

You're looking at a butt-load of loans, and more loans. It sucks. But hopefully, you can pay it all off when you're done...Loans can help alot, but you have to pay them back...

 

[NicholasMD]

You're looking at a butt-load of loans, and more loans. It sucks. But hopefully, you can pay it all off when you're done...Loans can help alot, but you have to pay them back...

I know but I dont have much else of a option so if I can do it then nothing else matters

 

[digitlnoize]

My thoughts exactly. You should still be careful about only taking out as much as you need, but I'm trying to still live comfortably...even if I don't have a plasma TV yet.