Master of Radiologic Science

• Mission Statement

  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
• 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:
  MSRS Director
  Robert Walker, Ph. D.
  rwalker2@weber.edu
  (801) 626-7165
  
  MSRS RA Educational Director
  Dr. Laurie Coburn
  lauriecoburn@weber.edu
  (801) 626-6514

• Assessment Plan

  *The Curriculum Grid above 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 within the clinical emphases of RA and Cardiac Specialist, students are required to demonstrate eligibility and success on ARRT and CCI Board examinations. The pass rate is monitored for effective assessment.

  
   

  Objective	Internal Measurement	External Measurement	Data/Evidence of Learning
  Patient Care & Education The student will demonstrate: a) Patient assessment, monitoring, and management skills inclusive of responding to diverse patient populations. b) Patient education, safety, and comfort skills	Successful completion of Courses: MSRS 6200 MSRS 6210 MSRS 6220 MSRS 6463 MSRS 6486 MSRS 6850	a) Graduate Surveys and Advisory Board Evaluations and Recommendations b) ARRT & CCI Certification Pass Rates	Formative Assessment: a) Students discuss appropriate patient care skills during online and face to face discussions. b) Students demonstrate patient care skills through clinical education and simulation. c) Students participate in global research, global competency coursework, and/or study abroad. Evidence is based on journal entries, group research agendas, and overall changes in attitudes/behaviors toward diverse patient populations. Summative Assessment: a) Students complete clinical competencies related to patient care. b) Students complete comprehensive examinations and successfully pass patient care sections of their Board examinations. c) Students complete the Master's Thesis with a tie to global competency and/or diversity. d) Faculty review individual course, graduate, and employer evaluations.
  Professional Development & Research The student will demonstrate: a) Knowledge and application of research and learning. b) Assessment of research topics and methods with a lens of diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency.	Successful Completion of Courses: MSRS 6100 MSRS 6120 MSRS 6150 MSRS 6461 MSRS 6999	a) Graduate Surveys and Advisory Board Evaluations and Recommendations b) Professional organization (i.e. ASRT, SDMS) membership and participation.	Formative Assessment: a) Students participate in global research, global competency coursework, and/or study abroad. Evidence is based on journal entries, group research agendas, and overall changes in attitudes/behaviors toward diverse patient populations. b) Students learn to support chapters of a MSRS thesis with sound research principles, resources, and grammar. Students complete all components of the MSRS theses over the course of the MSRS core curriculum. Summative Assessment: a) Students complete case studies, white papers, and statistical analysis of data. b) Students complete the Master's Thesis with a tie to global competency and/or diversity. c) Students defend and present on their research agenda. d) Students present research via presentations and/or posters for professional organizations.
  Clinical Competency & Medical Ethics The student will demonstrate: a) Legal, professional, and ethical responsibility. b) Clinical competency, professionalism, and lifelong learning.	Successful Completion of Courses: MSRS 6263 MSRS 6481 MSRS 6482 MSRS 6860 MSRS 6861 MSRS 6862 MSRS 6900 MSRS 6910	a) Graduate Surveys and Advisory Board Evaluations and Recommendations b) ARRT & CCI Certification Pass Rates	Formative Assessment: a) Students discuss professionalism, medical ethics, and law during online and face to face discussions and incorporate current literature from professional sources. b) Students simulate procedures via role play and/or simulation technology. c) Clinical instructors/preceptors evaluate their student(s) multiple times throughout the semester on professionalism, patient care, and competency. Summative Assessment: a) Students must submit a comprehensive application for certification examinations that outline the professional and ethical responsbilities of a certified professional. b) Students document clinical hours, competencies, and evaluations as evidence of their certification eligibility. c) Certification pass rates are reviewed yearly.
  Procedures, Anatomy, and Pathophysiology The student will demonstrate: a) Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology.	Successful Completion of Courses: MSRS 6130 MSRS 6140 MSRS 6310 MSRS 6312 MSRS 6313 MSRS 6403 MSRS 6413 MSRS 6423 MSRS 6433 MSRS 6453 MSRS 6483 MSRS 6486	a) Graduate Surveys and Advisory Board Evaluations and Recommendations b) ARRT & CCI Certification Pass Rates	Formative Assessment: a) Students simulate procedures via role play and/or simulation technology. b) Students identify anatomy and pathology in case review and case study presentations. Summative Assessment: a) Students complete comprehensive examinations, and student scores are compared to certification requirements and outcomes. b) Certification pass rates are reviewed yearly.
  Instrumentation & Quality Control The student will demonstrate: a) Appropriate application of technical training.	Successful Completion of Courses: MSRS 6443 MSRS 6450 MSRS 6484 MSRS 6485 MSRS 6493 MSRS 6992	a) Graduate Surveys and Advisory Board Evaluations and Recommendations b) ARRT & CCI Certification Pass Rates	Formative Assessment: a) Students simulate procedures via role play and/or simulation technology. b) Students involve themselves in Advanced technologies including, but not limited to: sonographic POCUS procedures, 3D imaging, and AI. Summative Assessment: a) Students complete comprehensive examinations to demonstrate competency. b) Students identify new technologies and training in their student portfolio.
  Biological Effects and Assessment The student will demonstrate: a) Appropriate patient safety.	Successful Completion of Courses: MSRS 6311 MSRS 6473 MSRS 6863	a) Graduate Surveys and Advisory Board Evaluations and Recommendations b) ARRT & CCI Certification Pass Rates	Formative Assessment: a) Students simulate and practice radiation safety via role play and/or simulation technology. Summative Assessment: a) Students complete comprehensive examinations to demonstrate competency. b) Students gain pertinent signatures from certified experts in their field of study during clinical education.

  Assessment Plan - All students will complete the courses in each of the 5 categories as required within their emphasis with a summative assessment of 80% or higher.
  Timeline	Objective	Emphasis - Data Reviewed	Program Faculty Engagement Cardiac Specialist: Chris Steelman RA: Dr. Laurie Coburn Innovation: Dr. Robert Walker
  Course specific projects and grades are monitored and reviewed at the end of each semester.	Patient Care & Education	Cardiac Specialist - Simulation Projects & Clinical Competency RA - Simulation Projects & Clinical Competency Innovation - Global Competency Presentations	Faculty supervise simulation projects at WSU campus and clinical competencies are supervised by affiliate clinical instructors. All students must complete 100% of all certifying (ARRT or CCI) competencies to qualify for board examinations. All innovative students are active contributors to the MSRS Research agenda which has a focus on DEI and global competency.
  Composite scores, certification exams, and clinical performances are reviewed annually	Professional Development & Research	Cardiac Specialist - Case study thesis RA - Case study thesis Innovation - Research agenda master's thesis	All faculty assist students in their research and education for master's thesis. In our clinical-based emphases, students focus on case study research and presentations. In the Innovation emphasis, the focus is on DEI and global competency.
  	Clinical Competency & Medical Ethics	Cardiac Specialist - Clinical Education Competency RA - Clinical Education Competency Innovation - Capstone review	Within the clinical emphases, clinical logbooks are reviewed by WSU faculty on a regular basis and are graded based on clinical skills, behaviors in professionalism, patient care, and clinical hours. Within innovation, students may choose several clinical electives wherein they are required to achieve 80% or higher and approach current trends in practice. A capstone review of learned skills is required in MSRS 6900 and reviewed by Dr. Walker.
  	Procedures, Anatomy, and Pathophysiology	Cardiac Specialist - Clinical Competency & body systems coursework RA - Clinical Competency & body systems coursework Innovation - Capstone review	Within the clinical emphases, certified clinical faculty educate students in several body systems and procedures as related to their specialties. All students must achieve above 80% or higher in these courses. Within innovation, students may choose several clinical electives wherein they are required to achieve 80% or higher and approach current trends in practice. A capstone review of learned skills is required in MSRS 6900 and reviewed by Dr. Walker.
  	Instrumentation & Quality Control	Cardiac Specialist - Simulation Projects & Clinical Competency RA - Simulation Projects & Clinical Competency Innovation - Capstone review	Within the clinical emphases, examination competencies cannot be achieved without an understanding of instrumentation, equipment, and quality control. Additionally, student use a cardiac simulator and role play invasive procedures. Innovative students are required to take electives demonstrating current trends in instrumentation and advanced imaging options. These courses require up-to-date information and faculty assistance in providing the most current information, guest speakers, and application specialists. A capstone of learned skills is required in MSRS 6900 and reviewed by Dr. Walker.
  	Biological Effects & Assessment	Cardiac Specialist - Simulation Projects & Clinical Competency RA - Simulation Projects & Clinical Competency Innovation - Global Competency Presentations	All students within the clinical emphasis receive training in Biological Effects and Safety. These principles are effectively tested upon during certification examinations and faculty prepare students through comprehensive practice examimations on which students must achieve 80% or higher. Students within the innovative track review the expectations of biological effects in relation to current practice and global heatlh. This is discussed during global competency presentations with Dr. Walker and Dr. Parkinson
  Comprehensive External Assessments are reviewed Annually & composite scores are reviewed every 3 years.	Comprehensive Review: External Sources	Employment rates Advisory Board surveys Graduate surveys Institutional review Student course evaluations Student exit evaluations Clinical experience and certification examination results	In addition to the information above, the following is collected externally to inform us of our graduates' critical thinking, clinical competency, research skills, and program effectiveness.

   

• Assessment Report Submissions
  2023-24
  2021-22
  2019-20 - No Report Submitted
  2017 - Conducted Program Review
  2016
  2015

• Program Review

  2017-18
   

This information is part of the cyclical program review process. Details such as mission statements, learning outcomes, etc., are updated as part of the biennial assessment reporting process, an integral component of program review.