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Yuba College Mock Board Exam Supports Students |
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For the last 4 years the Yuba RT program has had a 100% pass rate on the American Association of Radiologic Technologist Board Exams and the average score has been above the national average. With this in mind, the program was concerned about the problems that might occur with the new delivery mode. A concerted effort has been made to ensure consistent curriculum delivery and to provide for individual student help necessary to maintain the integrity of the program. Five years ago the entire curriculum was changed to integrate the didactic and the clinical portions. This infusion is more inline with other allied health programs. Each course was designed to assure the requirements established by the California Department of Health Radiation Branch and the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology were adhered to. One important change has been the addition of a course designed specifically as a refresher course to prepare students for the board exam. The content area of the RT exam includes five separate areas. This course is a review of each area and the final portion of this course is a mock board exam. The American Registry of Radiologic Technology has converted all the board exams to computer based testing. Students schedule the mock board exam with the Yuba College testing services and they administer the test in a process that simulates the real board exam. We strongly believe this new curricular change and the mock board class is what has changed our pass rate from 85% to 100%. The students are more prepared and more comfortable with the stressors of taking the real board exam.
While the shortage of nurses has been well documented, the shortage of licensed radiologic technologist is not often discussed. Sacramento has three large medical organizations: Sutter Medical System, Mercy Medical System and UCD Medical Center. It became apparent to the mangers of these organizations that to keep up with the demand for qualified technologists, an increase in new graduates was necessary. The president/superintendents from the Los Rios, Sierra and Yuba College districts were approached for a solution. Yuba has had an RT program for over 35 years and has accepted 25 students each fall into the existing two-year program. However, this has not been enough to meet the growing need. After many meetings, the decision was made to increase the number of entry students at Yuba to 50 students every fall semester. This decision was based upon many reasons, but the foremost was to expedite the graduation of students. If a new program were to open, it was estimated that it would be 4-5 years before the first class would graduate. The decision to expand the Yuba College program would serve to meet the growing demand, and at the same time, provide the most expedient way to graduate qualified technologists as soon as possible. In order to add an additional class, but at the same time maintain JCERT accreditation status, the program looked to a creative method of utilizing distance education to deliver the material. Each of the three above-mentioned medical groups have combined to provide Yuba with a classroom in the Sacramento area, the necessary point-to-point video equipment, a new full-time instructor and additional clinical sites for the increased number of students. The first group of 12 students will graduate in May 2004.
For more information contact: Angela Willson, Program Director, Yuba Community College District, 530-741-6960 awillson@yccd.edu or www.ms.yuba.cc.ca.us
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