Advance Your Health Care Career as an MRI Technologist
STLCC's certificate of proficiency program prepares students for careers as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologists. Designed for health care professionals who already have an associate degree or higher, the program combines classroom instruction with hands-on clinical experience in MRI departments at partner health care facilities. Students gain expertise in clinical procedures, imaging protocols and advanced diagnostic techniques.
What is Magnetic Resonance Imaging at St. Louis Community College?
MRI is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed images of the body. The MRI certificate program at STLCC elevates health care careers. This training provides both specialized knowledge and practical experience. Students master MRI principles and equipment operation while developing advanced patient care skills through classroom instruction and supervised clinical rotations at affiliated health care facilities.
The curriculum covers essential topics including:
- MRI physics, with emphasis on magnetic field interactions and tissue characteristics.
- Pulse sequences and their applications in diagnostic imaging.
- Image formation principles and data acquisition techniques.
- Safety procedures and protocols for patient screening and MRI environment management.
- Parameter optimization to enhance image quality and diagnostic value.
- Contrast media administration for specialized imaging procedures.
- Clinical procedures and positioning across various anatomical regions.
What Can You Do with an MRI Certificate?
With this degree, graduates are eligible to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification exam to earn the credentials to work as an MRI technologist. This is a growing field with employment opportunities available in settings such as:
- Hospitals
- Medical centers
- Diagnostic imaging clinics
- Outpatient care facilities
- Specialty imaging centers
With further training, MRI technologists can specialize in areas such as neurology or cardiology, advance to leadership roles, become educators or transition into related fields including radiologic technology.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Program
- Degree offered: Certificate of proficiency
- Locations: Wildwood
- Hours to complete: 42
- Program contact name: Austin Turner
- Program contact email: mriprogram@stlcc.edu
- The MRI Program is not yet accredited; however, an application for programmatic accreditation will be submitted to the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), located at 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL, 60606-3182. The phone number is 312-704-5300 and email is mail@jrcert.org. Updated information regarding the accreditation process will be posted.
- Missouri does not require state licensure for any medical imaging profession, including MRI. Missouri students interested in pursuing licensure in a different state should contact the program coordinator for more information.
Tuition for district residents is $122 per credit hour for in-district students. Find out more about our straightforward and low-cost tuition structure.
Estimated Additional Costs:
- Uniforms (two pairs of scrub pants, two scrub tops, shoes and one white lab coat): $225
- Textbooks: $500
- CastleBranch subscription (background, drug screen and immunization tracking): $69.10
- Missouri Family Care Safety Registry (Employee Disqualification List): $13
- CPR (Healthcare Provider/Basic Life Support) through STLCC Continuing Education: $109
- Physical exam: prices vary
- Seasonal flu shot (annually): prices vary
- Purified protein derivative (PPD) skin test (annually): prices vary
- Hepatitis B vaccine series: prices vary
- Transportation (school, clinical): prices vary
Admission Requirements
To be accepted into the MRI program, students must meet the following requirements:
Academic Requirements
- Must have an associate degree or higher from an accredited institution
- Complete these courses with a grade of "C" or higher:
- BIO 111 Introductory Biology I or BIO 140 Principles of Biology I or CHM 101 Fundamentals of Chemistry I
- BIO 207 Anatomy and Physiology I
- BIO 208 Anatomy and Physiology II
- PHY 111 College Physics I or PSI 101 Physical Science or XRT 107 Radiologic Physics I
- MTH 160 Precalculus Algebra or MTH 180 Introductory Statistics
- HIM 101 Medical Terminology and Language
- ENG 101 College Composition
- COM 101 Oral Communications or COM 107 Public Speaking
- Overall GPA must be at least 2.7
- Math and science courses must have a GPA of at least 3.0
- Students can only retake a prerequisite course once within five years
- Math and science courses must be completed within five years of starting the program
- Special exceptions for math and science:
- Recent graduates (within two years) from an accredited radiologic technology program don't need to retake old math and science courses.
- If a math course is over five years old, students can take the Accuplacer Next-Gen Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics test instead. Students will need a score of 264 or higher to be accepted into the program.
Practical Experience Requirements
- Complete four hours of job shadowing
- Complete 40 hours working or volunteering in patient care (hospital or nursing home)
Health and Safety Requirements
Before the first day of class, students must submit the following:
- Health history, immunization record and physical exam
- Essential functions acknowledgment form
- Criminal background check and drug screen
- American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification
Program Goals
At the completion of the program, students are expected to:
- Summarize the principles of magnetic resonance imaging physics, image formation and data processing.
- Differentiate the characteristics of spin echo and gradient echo pulse sequences.
- Predict the effects of scan parameter adjustment on image appearance.
- Evaluate the appearance of normal anatomical structures and pathological features on magnetic resonance images.
- Diagram the components of magnetic resonance imaging systems.
- Provide safety education to all individuals within the magnetic resonance imaging environment.
- Perform safety screening on all individuals prior to entering the magnetic resonance imaging environment.
- Mitigate safety risks and hazards within the magnetic resonance imaging environment.
- Perform magnetic resonance imaging procedures specific to the head, neck, chest, spine, abdomen, pelvis and musculoskeletal system.
- Evaluate factors for safe administration of magnetic resonance imaging contrast media.
- Administer contrast media during magnetic resonance imaging procedures.
- Perform quality control procedures on magnetic resonance imaging system components.
- Assess the findings of quality control procedures.
Why You Should Choose STLCC's MRI Program
Graduate with Little or No Debt
We believe cost should never be a barrier to achieving your potential. Our tuition and fees are 75% less than Missouri's largest public four-year university.
Ramp Up High Wage Skills
STLCC offers career-focused programs for high-wage, high-skill and in-demand jobs.
STLCC provides opportunities for college transfers, career development and workforce
training.
Opportunities in the Field
As the health care industry grows, there is an increasing demand for skilled MRI technologists. With advancements in magnetic resonance imaging technology and an aging population, graduates can expect numerous job opportunities in hospitals, clinics and diagnostic imaging centers.
Caring for Students
STLCC goes beyond academics with support services, ranging from stress and anxiety management to grants for childcare, emergency crisis support, clothing and free meals through Archers' Market and Brown Bag Cafe food pantry. We offer free tutoring on campus or online, plus access to Tutor.com.
STLCC. What's your reason?