LEWISTON, Idaho – The Radiographic Science program at Lewis-Clark State College has been granted maintenance of accreditation by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) for a period of eight years, college officials have announced.
JRCERT is the only agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education for the accreditation of traditional and distance delivery educational programs in radiography, radiation therapy, magnetic resonance, and medical dosimetry. The LC State Radiographic Science program was granted initial accreditation in May 2013. In December 2016, the program was awarded accreditation for eight years, the maximum time allowed by JRCERT in this category.
The Radiographic Science program is one of the most popular programs at the college. The associate’s degree in the program is currently the ninth most popular major at LC State.
Scott Wimer, the Radiographic Science director and professor, said LC State’s program has a strong reputation with employers, several of which approach students in their second year to offer them positions. Because of the high demand for these students, Wimer said the program continues to grow.
“Successful accreditation recognition by the JRCERT validates that our Radiographic Science program maintains high standards of excellence set by JRCERT,” Wimer said. “Those standards hold institutions and programs accountable for the integrity of their work with students and the information they provide the public. The most recent report provides confirmation that our program continues to meet all JRCERT standards. Providing high quality education to our students and preparing them for real world experiences remains a priority.”
Last July, the program submitted the required interim evaluation report focused on areas such as accountability and fair practice, institutional commitment, faculty and staff, curriculum and academic practices, and programmatic effectiveness and assessment. The program was evaluated according to the Standards for an Accredited Educational Program in Radiography and was found to be compliant with all relevant Standards.
According to JRCERT, “specialized accreditation awarded by the JRCERT offers institutions significant value by providing peer evaluation and by assuring the public of quality professional education in the radiologic sciences.”
Wimer gave credit to the Radiographic Science faulty, LC State administration, and regional clinical facilities for helping LC maintain its accreditation.
“Furthermore, our students work hard to get into our highly competitive program and remain dedicated to meeting the high expectations set by faculty,” Wimer said. “Annually, our graduates continue to be highly recruited, maintaining 100 percent job placement. Many go on to seek additional imaging related degrees. The RS program continues to see strong growth and support. I cannot wait to see what the next 5 years will bring.”
The next onsite accreditation visit is tentatively scheduled for the second quarter of 2024.
LC State’s Radiographic Science program offers an associate degree and a bachelor’s degree in Radiographic Science, as well as a newly developed bachelor’s degree in Radiographic Science: Computed Tomography.