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MRI Program Technical Standards

The Magnetic Resonance Imaging program technical standards describe the motor, sensory, communication, behavioral/social and intellectual/critical thinking skills students need to perform MRI tasks safely and effectively.

These standards are based on the ASRT Scope of Practice for MRI Technologists. Students in the MRI program must be able to perform each standard listed in this policy. In some cases, adaptive devices may be permitted so a student can meet selected technical standards.

After reviewing these technical standards, students who believe they may need disability-related accommodations to fully engage and participate in the program should contact the Access Office at STLCC. Because clinical-based programs can involve complex requirements, additional time may be needed to implement an accommodation effectively. In general, disability-related accommodations are not applied retroactively, so students are encouraged to contact the Access Office as soon as possible.

Motor Skills

Students must have sufficient motor capabilities to execute the movements and skills required to provide MRI services. These include, but are not limited to:

  1. Adjusting and positioning equipment and patients, which may involve bending or stooping freely to floor level, reaching above the head, lifting, carrying and pulling.
  2. Standing for extended time periods without a break.
  3. Enduring the assigned period of clinical practice.
  4. Ambulating within the assigned area of clinical practice.
  5. Assisting and safely guarding patients who are ambulating, transferring or performing other activities.
  6. Using fine motor skills and manual dexterity of either or both hands to manipulate imaging and medical equipment and peripheral devices.
  7. Administering basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation without assistance.
  8. Using proper body mechanics as indicated by regulatory agency guidelines.

Sensory Skills

Students must be able to detect and internalize information in classroom or clinical settings through observation and other measures. These include, but are not limited to:

  1. Seeing with functional vision, with or without corrective eyewear.
  2. Hearing with functional hearing, with or without assistive devices.
  3. Detecting differences in object shape and appearance.
  4. Visually discriminating changes in color shade or gradation.
  5. Assessing and monitoring patients using visual, auditory and tactile stimuli.

Communication Skills

Students must use effective communication skills and techniques with program faculty, peers and other health care providers. This includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Reading, writing and understanding English at a competency level needed to carry out the essential functions of assigned duties.
  2. Interpreting and processing information from varied sources effectively.
  3. Communicating effectively and efficiently with others within the assigned setting.
  4. Recognizing, interpreting and responding to nonverbal communication of self and others.

Behavioral and Social Skills

Students must interact appropriately with diverse populations, including people of all ages, genders, races, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses and medical or mental health conditions, in both normal and abnormal situations. This includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Interacting with single or multiple patients and/or colleagues at the same time.
  2. Interacting and coordinating with peers, faculty, health care providers, patients and others in an effective, professional and respectful manner.
  3. Adapting to expected or unexpected situational and environmental changes.
  4. Having the emotional stability needed to function effectively under stressful or emergent situations.
  5. Showing professionalism, including integrity, compassion, empathy, altruism, responsibility, tolerance and social consciousness.
  6. Recognizing personal limitations in knowledge, skills and abilities and seeking appropriate assistance as needed.

Intellectual and Critical Thinking Skills

Students must have sufficient skills in reasoning, calculation, problem solving, prioritization and judgment to process information in an appropriate time frame. This includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Collecting, interpreting and analyzing written, verbal and visual data.
  2. Integrating and applying qualitative and quantitative information to solve problems.
  3. Prioritizing tasks and making decisions in a prompt and timely way.
  4. Acting safely and ethically in classroom and clinical settings.

MRI Safety Note

Certain medical conditions and circumstances can create a safety risk in the MR environment. Examples include, but are not limited to, implanted, on-planted or retained medical devices such as pacemakers, clips, cochlear implants, medication pumps, stimulators and wires; non-removable metallic or ferromagnetic objects and materials; and metal fragments in the eye or orbit.

Any MRI program applicant who has an implanted or on-planted medical device, or a non-removable metallic or ferromagnetic foreign body, must contact program faculty for clearance into the program. Please review the MRI Safety policy in the MRI Program Handbook for more information.

Rev. 03/2025

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