Specialty Imaging: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Application Process

Any student whose first language is not English, must document their English language proficiency by completing a TOEFL test. This requires a minimum TOEFL iBT passing score of 81, with a minimum speaking score of 24.

Program will waive TOEFL requirement if student has already obtained a bachelor’s degree from a US regionally accredited University

Application Deadline

November 15th (Classes begin in January) or July 1st (Classes begin in August)

OTC cannot guarantee that students classified under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will receive approval to take the national registry exam after program/course completion. Please contact the ARRT to inquire about the registry exam requirements.

The Magnetic Resonance (MRI) program is a selective, admission-based program. Students must complete the application criteria below before they will be considered for admittance to the program.

Please use review application information to find the requirements for admittance to this program.

Application Requirements and Information

• Job Shadowing for Primary Pathway Students Only
  Required only for applicants who do not already hold an imaging degree or certificate.
  If you already have an imaging credential (e.g., ARRT, ARDMS, or CCI), you do not need to complete job shadowing.
• Candidate Selection Form Selection into the program is based on a point system. Therefore, this form will allow you to track your accumulated points.
• Immunization Requirements
  Students will be requested at the time of acceptance to submit documentation for required immunizations and TB testing.
• Criminal Background Check

At Ozarks Tech, we want your transfer process to be easy. We accomplish this goal through articulation agreements. These agreements are an official partnership to match coursework between schools. This gives you a more seamless transition from Ozarks Tech to a four-year institution.

We have established an agreement for this program. This will simplify the transfer of your credits to partner schools. To understand how this degree will transfer, review the current articulation agreements. Be sure to consult with your transfer school to ensure you’re on the right path toward completing your four-year degree.

Dr. Daniel Edwards
Program Director
417-447-7620

Kaycie Haynes, MBA, CNMT, R.T.(R), B.S.
Clinical Coordinator
417-447-7621

Health Sciences Team

Student Learning Outcomes  

1. Students will produce quality images and be able to evaluate their images for image quality accurately.   
2. Students will be able to communicate effectively with the patient and other healthcare team members.  
3. Students will be able to apply critical thinking skills by changing technical factors and adapt their patient care to the different scenarios encountered.   
4. Students will demonstrate professionalism and ethical behavior.  
5. Students will successfully pass coursework and pass the ARRT national registry exam on the first attempt.    
6. Students will be able to perform effectively in a variety of settings within the imaging department.  
7. Students will display proficiency and competency for an entry-level imaging professional.

Mission Statement

The Ozarks Technical Community College’s Magnetic Resonance program’s mission is to provide the student with a quality education in both the didactic and clinical setting. This education will develop the student’s necessary skills to become a competent and professional MR technologist. Thus, providing the communities they work in with high-level imaging services.

Program Objectives

1. Develop students who can demonstrate the knowledge and skills to become entry-level MRI technologists.
2. Develop students who can think critically when needing to manipulate patient positioning, imaging sequences, and coverage based on pathology and patient condition.
3. Train students who can communicate effectively with patients, healthcare team members, radiologists, and administrators.
4. Train students to practice the highest level of safety for the patients and staff in the MR environment.
5. Produce high-quality images used for diagnosis.
6. Graduate students who demonstrate professional and ethical behavior in the clinical setting.

Programmatic Outcomes

1. Students will be able to correctly acquire, analyze, and manipulate images for the radiologist review, thus showing their critical thinking skills.
2. Students will properly screen and provide a safe environment for the patient and the staff of the MR clinical setting.
3. Students will exhibit professionalism and ethical behavior in the clinical setting.
4. Students will demonstrate clinical competency using appropriate positioning and sequence set-up and selection.
5. Students will demonstrate effective communication skills with patients and other members of the health care team.

This program is designed for the student who would like to obtain their certificate in magnetic resonance imaging by completing both clinical and didactic coursework in order to be eligible to sit for the ARRT registry in magnetic resonance.

• Primary Pathway Information from the ARRT
• Post-Primary Pathway Information from the ARRT

Structured Education Course Information

For students who would only like to take courses towards the ARRT structured education components. Taking these approved courses helps students who prefer formalized learning and accountability.

Structured Education only students must have at least one of the currently accepted registry/certifications

Students wanting the structured education component only must also complete the clinical experience portion on their own. Please refer to the ARRT’s MRI Clinical Experience requirements. If a student is wanting to pursue the clinical component only through Ozarks Tech please reach out to Daniel Edwards.

Non-certificate seeking courses approved for structured education by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).

*Please be aware that the student must satisfy the clinical component requirements on their own in this pathway.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Certificate Program Information

• All courses are online though the Canvas LMS
• All clinicals are in-person at assigned site locations based on the clinical schedule provided by the clinical coordinator
• Students can set-up their own clinical agreement with their current place of employment, however the agreement paperwork must be submitted for final approval before assignments can be made there
• Some exams and experiences may require the student to be rotated to other locations not associated with their primary location as the students must have the experience on exams to meet the requirements from the ARRT
• Must meet a certain minimum number of exams successfully verified by an ARRT registered MRI technologist
• Currently the number is 125 with certain requirements
• Depending on the semester, the students will perform 10-24 hours of clinicals per week
• Evenings, weekends, days, and other rotations may be required to obtain all the required exams to be eligible to sit for the national registry
• Students may be paid for their clinical time, that is dependent on the clinical site and arrangements between the clinical site and the student, the program is not involved in that discussion

What is the normal schedule for the MRI program?

• Class work is completed online over 8-week blocks, with 1-2 didactic classes per semester while the student performs clinicals.
• The clinical component requires weekly clinical hours and competencies required to complete.
• 18-24 hours per week of clinical is required.

Where do I perform clinical rotations?

• Students can elect where they would like to perform their clinical rotations as long as Ozarks Tech can sign an affiliation agreement with the clinical site
• Students may have to be rotated to other clinical locations to meet the ARRT clinical requirements to be eligible to sit for the registry
• If students would like the program to find their locations, the program currently has affiliation agreements with hospitals and imaging centers across the southwest Missouri region

Ozarks Tech MRI program is designed for students not only in the Southwest Missouri region, but also throughout the country to be trained in the MRI field. Students can perform their clinical rotations at a variety of institutions that Ozarks Tech has current affiliation agreements with, or they may find a location closer to their residency and establish a relationship with that site.

The clinical site will need to enter into an affiliation agreement with Ozarks Tech before the student can start at that location. Students wishing to do their clinicals outside of the region will need to provide the program with necessary information to create an agreement between the two entities. The student is required to do the majority of the legwork of establishing that relationship with the site. Once the student has established this as a possible clinical site, they shall provide, at minimum, the program with the following information:

• The clinical site’s name
• The clinical site’s physical address
• The clinical site’s contact information for educational agreements and acceptance of students (email and phone number preferred)

If they are not open to accepting a student, then we will need the student to attempt to find another clinical site of their choice. This process can take several weeks, or months at times, so the student is encouraged to start this as early as possible, especially before the program begins. Otherwise, they may be delayed in their ability to begin clinicals. Students are also responsible for the cost of any additional labs, drug screens, background checks, etc. required by the clinical site outside of the region.