MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING DIPLOMA

Developments in medical imaging have changed the game when it comes to helping us diagnose, monitor, and treat patients. It’s brought preventative care to the top of the priority list by allowing us to look inside the body and catch life-threatening diseases and conditions early, when they can be treated more effectively. If you’ve been interested in a rewarding career as an MRI technologist, it’s easier than ever to get started. WCUI School of Imaging offers a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Short) diploma program that can be completed in a matter of months, allowing you to be a part of this fast-growing field.

WHAT IS MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING?

Magnetic resonance imaging — often called MRI — is one of the more detailed and dynamic forms of medical imaging available. It uses magnetic fields and radio waves to take detailed pictures of the insides of the body, giving physicians a non-invasive way to see what’s going on in a patient. MRI is unique in that it can look through bones or gas-filled areas in ways that X-rays or ultrasounds can’t, giving us a more complete picture of the patient’s current state. MRIs can be used all over the body, including the head and brain.

WHAT DOES AN MRI TECHNOLOGIST DO?

As an MRI technologist, you’re tasked with managing both patients and equipment, so you’ll need to balance your technical skills with soft skills like communication and organization. You’ll like be asked to:

• Speak with patients about the procedure
• Answer any of the questions or concerns and calm their fears before proceeding
• Inject patients with contrast media needed for the scan
• Shield areas on the patient that don’t need to be image
• Operate the MRI equipment with care
• Follow precise and detailed physician orders in order to get an accurate image
• Clean and maintain the image equipment between procedures
• Keep detailed patient records of the results

HOW DO I BECOME AN MRI TECHNOLOGIST?

The path to becoming an MRI technologist starts with quality training through an accredited program, like the one at WCUI. Our MRI diploma program readies you with the skills and knowledge you need to begin a career as an entry-level MRI technologist. You’ll learn how to use this technology to help a team of medical professionals in the diagnosing, monitoring, and treatment of diseases.

MRI technologists also need:

• Good people skills — MRIs are often ordered for patients who are stressed or experiencing pain, and a technologist must be able to work with them with compassion and care.
• Good math skills — MRI technologists may be asked to calculate the amount of magnetic resonance emitted in order to produce a quality image.
• Strong attention to detail — Producing accurate and helpful magnetic resonance images require following very precise instructions and producing careful work.
• Strong technical skills — Magnetic resonance imaging equipment is often complex, so technologists must feel comfortable working and maintain these machines..

WHAT CERTIFICATIONS DO MRI TECHNOLOGISTS NEED?

Certification requirements for MRI technologists vary from state to state, with some requiring certification and some not. Most employers will tell you, though, that they look for candidates who have passed the necessary exams from the appropriate organizations when they’re hiring. That’s why WCUI provides resources to help you get ready for the exams you need. Our MRI diploma is geared toward a technologist that already has their ARRT(R) in radiography who would like formal education to help them sit for and pass the Advanced‐Level Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination through ARRT.

WHAT WILL I LEARN IN A MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING PROGRAM?

Through classroom lectures and hands-on experience, including an externship, students in our Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Short) diploma will learn:

• Demonstrate their mastery in patient care and patient ethics to provide the highest patient care with ethical considerations to MR imaging patients
• Understand the medical imaging needs of patients focused on MRI
• Communicate and relate referring physician’s MR Imaging request/order with available imaging options.
• Optimize MR imaging-specific parameters to provide the highest visualization of MR finding/s related to the patient’s ailment
• Apply MR Imaging Quality Control (QC) and Imaging Reconstruction (IR) techniques to highest MR imaging standards
• Utilize MR clinical pathophysiology knowledge to correlate all aspects of the patient’s problem with imaging options

Our mission and values at WCUI are about promoting the academic excellence and integrity of our graduates in a way that is supportive and contributes positively to our students’ lives. We are here for you, to get you the healthcare training you need for success.