Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Hands-on MRI Education in California
Magnetic resonance imaging — or MRI — is an incredibly valuable diagnostic tool. MRIs can produce very detailed images of the inside of the body, allowing healthcare providers to gain insight to a patient’s health condition and diagnose serious conditions. MRI techs are projected to be a fast-growing sector of the healthcare field over the next several years. In California, the projected growth in employment for MRI technologists is 22% from 2018-2028.* Our Ontario campus offers an associate degree program that combines online lectures, in-person labs, and externships in MRI clinics and/or hospitals. Discover more about our MRI technologist degree program below:
*Source: Projections Central 2018-2028 long-term projections
Associate Degree:
Academic Associate of Science in Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Can be completed in as few as 18–21 months
Sit for ARRT and ARMRIT upon completion*
Explore the fascinating field of MRI and have the opportunity to learn how MRI scanners create detailed images that help doctors diagnose a variety of patient health conditions and abnormalities. This program provides knowledge on MRI fundamentals, including utilizing and optimizing MR imaging, applying MR Imaging Quality Control (QC) and Imaging Reconstruction (IR) techniques, MRI pathophysiology, MRI cross-sectional anatomy, MRI physics, safety, and bio-effects, and patient care.
*Graduates of Smith Chason College’s imaging programs are eligible to sit for their registry exams, including ARRT and ARMRIT.
Diploma Program:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Short Program
Can be completed in just 9 months
Sit for ARRT and ARMRIT upon completion*
Ideal program for MRI technologists working in the field who aspire to become registered MRI techs through ARRT. Candidates must already have an associate’s degree or higher. Students in this program will have the opportunity to learn MRI Physics, Safety, and Bioeffects, MRI Cross Sectional Anatomy, And participate in an extensive 3-month externship in a hospital or imaging facility.
*Graduates of Smith Chason College’s imaging programs are eligible to sit for their registry exams, including ARRT and ARMRIT.
Frequently Asked Questions about Smith Chason College
Your Smith Chason College education can be divided in three sections:
Lecture – Online through asynchronous courses + Through live zoom lectures
Lab – In-person on campus
Externship – 6 months In-person at a designated site
Communication is critical to your development and success
Time flies when you’re having fun and learning! Your first few courses are the building blocks to your educational journey if you are struggling to comprehend a subject or balancing your schoolwork and life, cracks in those building blocks will develop. It is important to keep an open dialogue with your instructors, student services team, and program director and reach out if you are struggling. They are there to help assess and cultivate a plan that can help you succeed
Like learning a new language
You’ll be learning new terms that will become part of your day-to-day conversations and evaluation of patients
You’ll build on this language from the very beginning, all throughout your education and well into your career
Patients from all walks of life will need your help, compassion and professionalism
In the medical field you will have the opportunity to help people from all parts of your community including those who may be low-income, struggling with homelessness, enduring extreme pain or mental illness. Often people who require medical help are not at their best and will need compassion and care from their physicians, technologists, nurses, and therapists. Your attitude can affect their medical journey
Hands-on work
You will need to be hands-on with your patients, requiring you to be comfortable touching other people
You will also need to hold and manage equipment with your hands oftentimes while multitasking and utilizing hand-eye coordination to complete your job
Vaccinations may be required by your externship site or future employer
As part of the healthcare industry, you are exposed to viruses and diseases that the common population does not come across every day. Your future employer and externship site may require vaccinations to work at their facility
This includes vaccinations against the Flu, Annual TB, Hepatitis, COVID-19, etc. as required by your Externship site or Employer
Externship is a critical time that will help you develop real experiences in your chosen field
During your externship, you will spend 6 months working alongside other healthcare professionals who will teach you the ins and outs of your chosen field. This will require potentially long and late hours, hand-on work with patients, and travel to your designated externship site
This is the moment you can take the skills and knowledge you built in lecture and in lab and apply it to the field! You will have mentors with years of experience guiding you, but there will be moments where you will need to follow instructions and work on your own
You will need to maintain a professional manner – you’re with real patients now! And they’re counting on you.
What is a transfer credit?
All transfer credits will be evaluated by the Smith Chason College Registrar office. Eligible transfer credits must be from a previous college level course, this does not include AP level high school courses.
Accreditation
& Licensure
Grads Are
Registry Eligible
