New MRI certificate starting at TCC this fall

Tidewater Community College will offer a Career Studies Certificate in Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology beginning in August to prepare students for one of the most lucrative careers nationally that does not require a bachelor’s degree.

MRI technologists operate MRI scanners to create diagnostic images necessary for determining medical diagnoses. They work in health care settings that include hospitals, outpatient imaging centers and physicians’ offices.

Applicants seeking to pursue the 12-month program that starts with the fall semester and ends after summer session in August must have previously completed an approved program in radiography, radiation therapy or nuclear medicine technology. TCC offers an Associate of Applied Science in Radiography as well as a Career Studies Certificate in Computed Tomography and Mammography.

“TCC is excited to offer this advanced modality to imaging professionals, many of whom are TCC alumni,” said Ellyn Hodgis, radiography program director. “Our community employers have indicated a need for trained MRI technologists in the region. Students successfully completing the MRI certificate will be well prepared for the advanced certification exam and employment in the field.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, MRI technologists make a median annual wage of $71,760 with job growth projected at 14 percent through 2026. According to the business news site CNBC Make It, MRI technology is one of the highest paying career fields achieved with an associate degree.

All of the didactic courses for the TCC certificate will be offered online. Clinical rotations will require students to commit to 24 hours weekly during the fall and spring semesters and summer session. TCC’s professional affiliations with every major health care system in Hampton Roads allow students to learn on state-of-the-art imaging equipment.

Graduates are prepared to sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists examination.

Financial aid is available; interested students should fill out a FAFSA immediately. For information on the program, contact Hodgis at ehodgis@tcc.edu or 757-822-7462.