Master of Radiologic Science
- Mission Statment
Provide appropriate, accurate, and timely advisement for students within the program Nurturing the potential within every individual, the MSRS program will:
- Assist and encourage faculty and graduate students to develop collaborative relationships with other professionals;
- support and assist with scholarship and grant writing;
- promote the recruitment and support of students from diverse backgrounds;
- promote the recruitment and support of faculty from diverse backgrounds;
Promote appropriate professional behavior, ethics, diversity, and respect for self and others. Respect for people and ideas, the MSRS program will:
- assist and support graduate students in professional development and research to improve clinical based research and foundational professional research;
- provide student orientation to community/campus support services.
Providing access and opportunity for all, the MSRS program will:
- provide appropriate technologies in order for graduate students to access, gather, organize, and present information related to clinical, educational and professional research.
Engaged in the community, the MSRS program will:
- provide learning opportunities for students through a variety of instructional methodologies in multiple settings;
- identify essential knowledge and skills for imaging graduate students;
- Student Learning Outcomes
- Graduate Certificate (Not Applicable)
- Associate Degree (Not Applicable)
- Graduate Degree
Students completing the Master of Science in Radiologic Sciences will be able to demonstrate the following competencies:
- Patient Care and Education
- Professional Development and Research
- Biologic Effects and Safety
- Clinical Competency and Medical Ethics
- Procedures, Anatomy, and Pathophysiology
- Instrumentation and Quality Control
- Graduate Certificate (Not Applicable)
- Curriculum Grid
- Program and Contact Information
Historically, the profession of radiologic Sciences has offered its practitioners few career advancement opportunities. Skilled technologists who want to shift into the educational and research arena, or advanced clinical practice have few options. Most other allied health professions, by contrast, have formal career pathways in the clinical environment. By following these pathways, practitioners move to increasingly higher levels of responsibility, authority and autonomy. As the radiologic technology profession attempts to recruit and retain larger numbers of people, the lack of a clinical career path has become an obstacle. Many potential recruits may be deterred from pursuing the profession because they believe a career in radiologic technology leads nowhere. To overcome this perception, radiologic technology must develop realistic career pathways both at the institutional level and within the profession.
Advancement within a professional hierarchy tends to be more formalized than advancement up an institutional career ladder. At the professional level, an advancement hierarchy typically is linked to additional education and additional certification or credentialing. Although experience and skill remain important, it usually is necessary for the employee to achieve a certain level of education or earn a specified credential before advancing to the new position. The Master’s program in Radiologic Sciences continues to meet the demand for Masters-level researchers, educators and advance practice practitioners in Radiologic Sciences.
The MSRS program has allowed for increased research, education skills and knowledge and would credential some individual as an advanced practice radiologic science professional. That credential would allow such an individual to function as a radiology extender, supplementing and supporting the work of radiologists. His or her duties might include patient assessment, patient education, and image evaluation, follow-up images, and performing fluoroscopic and selected interventional procedures. All advance practice must follow national scopes of practice, state requirements and/or institutional policies. In performing these duties, the advance practice radiologic science professionals would free up radiologists to focus on interpretation, diagnosis and treatment.
The goals of the program are accomplished through hybrid courses (face-to-face and on-line), seminars, independent study, cooperative learning groups, individual and group assignments and projects that emphasize a practical application of theory to the imaging environment. On-campus courses are scheduled twice a semester during the Fall and Spring semesters. The 36-hour program of study consists of professional core requirements. A portion of the core requirement is the completion of a Master's thesis, a practical application of knowledge and research.
Contact Information:
Dr. Robert Walker
Radiologic Sciences Department
3891 Stadium Way Dept 3925
Ogden, UT 84408-3925
801-626-7156 - Assessment Plan
All courses in the undergraduate programs are assessed on the six professional categories listed across the table. The MSRS program builds upon the professional knowledge and certification(s) that a student acquired during undergraduate education. The MSRS program was developed to increase Radiologic Sciences professional knowledge and skills, including research and writing, which are lacking in the profession. Additionally, the program is preparing students to assume leadership roles in healthcare facilities and educational programs. Artifacts from each class listed below are collected to assist the student with developing the necessary competencies and allow for further course development.
Please be sure to include your planned assessment of any general education courses taught within your department. This information will be used to update the General Education Improvement and Assessment Committee’s planning documentation.
Curriculum Grid Masters of Science Radiologic Science
Six departmental competencies used for direct measurements of learning in ALL Radiologic Sciences Programs
Patient Care and Education
Professional Development and Research
Clinical Competency and Medical Ethics
Procedures, Anatomy and Pathophysiology
Instrumentation and Quality Control
Biological Effects & Safety
MSRS
Core Courses (Blue)
Supporting Courses (Black)
MSRS 6200
MSRS 6100
MSRS 6900
MSRS 6140
MSRS 6450
MSRS 6310
MSRS 6463
MSRS 6120
MSRS 6263
MSRS 6130
MSRS 6443
MSRS 6311
NSRS 6992
MSRS 6910
MSRS 6501
MSRS 6310
MSRS 6493
MSRS 6312
MSRS 6850
MSRS 6999
MSRS 6502
MSRS 6311
MSRS 6313
MSRS 6503
MSRS 6312
MSRS 6473
MSRS 6860
MSRS 6313
MSRS 6501
MSRS 6861
MSRS 6403
MSRS 6502
MSRS 6862
MSRS 6413
MSRS 6503
MSRS 6423
MSRS 6860
MSRS 6433
MSRS 6861
MSRS 6453
MSRS 6862
MSRS 6463
MSRS 6863
MSRS 6473
MSRS 6910
MSRS 6483
MSRS 6863
*The above grid is used for all direct measures of learning. All courses utilize pre and post testing with multiple choice questions, case studies, simulated clinical scenarios, and radiographic reconstructed and segmented images, as appropriate. All MSRS students complete a Master’s Thesis project, and in RA and Cardiac Specialist Emphasis, each student receives a comprehensive review in preparation for Certification exams. Board examination pass rates will be monitored for effective assessment.
Objective
Internal Measurement
External Measurement
Data Collection
Patient Care & Education
Patient assessment, monitoring and management skills inclusive of responding to a diverse patient population.
Successful completion of MSRS courses 6200, 6463, 6992, 6850
Graduate surveys and advisory board
Student course evaluations, graduate evaluations and employer evaluation
Patient Care & Education
Patient education, safety and comfort skills.
Successful completion of MSRS courses 6200, 6463, 6992, 6850
Graduate surveys and advisory board
Student course evaluations, graduate evaluations and employer evaluation
Professional Development & Research
Legal, professional and ethical responsibility.
Successful completion of MSRS
Courses 6100, 6120,6910 and 6999
Completion of CITI, WSU IRB and Clinical institutional IRB if required. Data collection and research skills
Course papers and Master’s Thesis and student professional publications
Professional Development & Research
Knowledge and application of federal regulations & continued research and learning.
Successful completion of MSRS
Courses 6100, 6120,6910 and 6999
Completion of CITI, WSU IRB and Clinical institutional IRB if required. Data collection and research skills
Course papers and Master’s Thesis and student professional publications.
Number of students entering Doctoral programs
Clinical Competency & Medical Ethics
Clinical Competency, Professionalism, and Lifelong learning.
Successful Completion of 6900, 6263, 6501, 6502, 6503, 6860, 6861, 6862
Graduate Surveys and Advisory Board
Clinical emphasis logbooks demonstrating hours, competencies, and evaluations.
Certification examination results.
Student research presentations, posters, and publications. Professional and clinical changes resulting from research.
Procedures, Anatomy, and Pathophysiology
Knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology
Successful completion of MSRS
6410, 6130, 6310, 6311, 6312, 6313, 6403, 6413, 6403, 6413, 6423, 6433, 6453, 6463, 6473, 6483, 6863
Graduate surveys and advisory board
Student course evaluations, graduate evaluations and employer evaluation
Simulation training and certification examination results.
Instrumentation & Quality Control
Appropriate application of technical training and patient safety.
Successful completion of MSRS 6310, 6311, 6313, 6473, 6501, 6502. 6503, 6860, 6861, 6862, 6863, 6910
Graduate surveys and advisory board
Student course evaluations, graduate evaluations and employer evaluation
Simulation training and certification examination results.
- Assessment Report Submissions
- 2021-2022
1) Review and comment on the trend of minority students enrolling in your classes (particularly lower-division, GEN Ed) and in your programs.
Although we have little influence on diversity within the general education offered at Weber State, we currently seek diverse student populations to serve the healthcare community. We currently serve rural and urban communities across the state of Utah, as well as across the United States.
2) What support (from enrollment services, advising, first-year transition office, access & diversity, etc.) do you need to help you recruit and retain students?
The MSRS Graduate Program Enrollment Manager recruits several students via marketing plans, graduate events, social media, and the MSRS program webpage. She works with all students one-on-one, including our International applicants, to support their potential acceptance and enrollment into the MSRS programs. She creates for each student a detailed graduation plan that outlines their course and professional goals. Faculty members meet with students on a regular basis to ensure that they are meeting the requirements for credentialing and degree attainment. One of the keys to recruitment is providing personalized laboratory and simulation experience and training. We are currently keeping equipment in small spaces, and each simulation requires extensive set up and take down which limits time and increases wear and tear on the equipment. Potentially, one of the most helpful assistance would be an increase in space for these special one-on-one or small group activities for skill and community development. Currently, several students have complained about or declined their positions in our program due to the financial aid process. The admissions, transfer credit, registration, and financial aid offices and representatives are absolutely necessary to these students. However, the messages they receive are confusing, inconsistent, and fairly uncompassionate.
3) We have invited you to re-think your program assessment. What strategies are you considering? What support or help would you like?
Currently, we have both formative and summative assessments throughout the program. Early in the MSRS program, students struggled to complete the MSRS thesis. The number of enrollment and those who graduated increased with the implementation of the MSRS research agenda. We appreciate the assistance and support that we have received from Heather Chapman with statistical analysis. We may need additional support with writing services through the WSU Writing Center. Two MSRS emphasis are uniquely based on their clinical education requirements. Clinical competency is supervised and documented by the clinical preceptor and WSU faculty. The requirements are set standard by national credentialing agencies.
4) Finally, we are supporting our Concurrent Enrollment accreditation process. Does your program offer concurrent enrollment classes? If so, have you been able to submit the information requested from the Concurrent Enrollment office?
As a graduate level program, pre-requisite courses would exceed the level of comprehension and skill developed through high school concurrent enrollment. Although concurrent enrollment does not have a direct effect upon us, we do have concerns in our undergraduate programs wherein we do not see a direct transition from Concurrent enrollment students to applications in our programs. We do not believe that there is extensive marketing and understanding of our programs among High Schools, their administration/counseling, students, and their parents. As a result, many students do not differentiate our curriculum and degrees from technical and community college offerings.
The full report is available fore viewing.
- 2019-2020
- 2017
Master of Radiologic Sciences underwent a program review. The documents are available.
- 2016
1)Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?
-
During the next year the program will add expand the course offerings as outlined in this report
Strengths
- Clinical-based curriculum
- Dedication of faculty and staff
- Strong undergraduate programs at Associate and Bachelor levels
- Strong support from community partners
- Collaborative student working groups
-
Diverse student population
Weaknesses
- Current program is focused on cardiac imaging
Ameliorating Weaknesses 2015-16
- Add course work in MSK ultrasound
- Add options for Osseous System and Chest
- Offer Osseous, Chest and MSK as Inter-professional education courses
- Add course work to for continued registration and publication assistance
- Add course work on grant writing
-
Sponsor workshop on Radiology Coding
Ameliorating Weaknesses 2015-16
- Hire adjunct faculty to develop and teach MSK courses
- Hire adjunct radiologist to teach the osseous and Chest course
-
Non-focused research agenda
Ameliorating Weaknesses 2015-16
- Obtain grant funding to create 3D imaging research agenda
- Publish more faculty and Student research
- Consider graduate research and publication assistants
- Better utilize the writing center on campus
- Sponsor a writing boot camp for the students
-
Obtain a 75 thousand endowed graduate publication and research fund
Enhancing strengths 2015-16
- Expand the course offerings
- Hire new faculty as appropriate
- Continue to expand partnerships around the country
- Comprehensive national student recruitment plan
- Expand student recruitment for a diverse student population
- Work with WSU administration and the Dean of International students to
2) We are interested in better understanding how departments/programs assess their graduating masters students. Please provide a short narrative describing the practices/curriculum in place for your department/program. Please include both direct and indirect measures employed.
The graduating graduate students from the Masters of Sciences, Radiologic Sciences are evaluated in a variety of ways
- In the final semester of the program the student have a qualifying exam that tests their knowledge base for all previous course work as outlined on the curriculum. This exam is part of the MSRS 6900 course.
- Each student does an exit interview with their respect faculty advisor. The student also may request to have an exit evaluation with the department chair. During this interview the program of study is reviewed to include such things as textbooks, program delivery, testing, time and course content, application to clinical practice, availability and helpfulness from faculty and staff and employment at the time of graduation is also reviewed.
-
We do follow up graduate surveys and employer surveys every three years.
The information obtain is review by the faculty assigned to the specify course of study, the department chair and our advisory committees. Any trends are discussed by the entire faculty and staff and if appropriate our clinical community partners. If there are issue that need to be addressed with other student in the department then the department chair will discuss these issues with students to assure that any issue they might have can be addressed before graduation.
The full report is available for viewing.
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- 2015
1) Based on your program’s assessment findings, what subsequent action will your program take?
- During the next year the program will add expand the course offerings as outlined in this report.
The full report is available for viewing.
- 2014
The Masters of Radiologic Sciences Department conducted a 5 year program review with full self-study during the spring of 2013. Those results are presented in place of the Annual Assessment. Please reference those documents for information that includes data for the 2013/14 academic year.
- 2013
To view the full report select this link: Rad Sci Graduate Program 2012/13 Annual Assessment Report
- 2021-2022
- Program Review