Owens Community College Offers Nation’s Only Accredited MRI Associate Degree Program
Cara Pitchford
Our lives can change in an instant. Cara Pitchford’s life changed when she was in a car accident and the journey to healing brought her to her future.
Pitchford graduated from Old Fort High School in 2015 and began working as a pharmacy technician while deciding what she wanted to do to further her education. Then, she was in the accident. “I remember being so scared when I was taken straight to the hospital,” Pitchford said.
That moment inspired her to want to provide the same care to others in need. “They did everything they could to make me calm, comfortable and get the best care,” she said, emphasizing how she remembers receiving quality care in the radiology department and emergency room the most.
Six years after her high school graduation, Pitchford enrolled at Owens Community College in the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Program in Fall 2021. “Going back to school was intimidating after being away from a classroom for so long, but thank you Owens for making this process so great and helping me find my passion,” Pitchford said. The small class sizes reminded her of high school and made the transition easier both personally and professionally. “Going to such a small high school made me appreciate a more intimate learning setting. Owens allows for a better opportunity to create relationships with my professors and classmates.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for MRI technologists is at 6 percent, slightly above average for the next 10 years. Technologists earn an average salary of nearly $62,000 per year. The MRI Program at Owens Community College has a five-year job placement rate of over 98 percent.
The MRI program at Owens is the only associate degree program in the United States accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. In the program, students learn not only in the classroom, but in a fully functional simulation MRI. “Our lab consists of MRI equipment that allows students to position people for proper centering, equipment placement, MRI software and MRI image regeneration,” said Suellen Barnum, Chair of the MRI Program at Owens Community College. While on campus, students learn all entry-level exams in the lab prior to going to a clinical location to work on a live scanner with real patients.
In addition to learning program curriculum, students in the School of Nursing and Health Professions also take part in learning experiences through interprofessional education (IPE). “IPE prepares students to work in an effective team. That’s important because patient outcomes are improved when a patient is cared for in an effective team environment,” said Cathy Ford, Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions. “IPE learning experiences may be in small groups, program to program, or in a school wide setting such as our assistive technology fair.”
The School of Nursing and Health Professions at Owens offers the most programs in the medical field in the region with fourteen programs including surgical technology, medical assisting, health information technology, sonography and occupational therapy assisting, as well as ten certificates.
Pitchford is dedicated to future student success at Owens. She volunteers for new student orientation for the incoming MRI class, which includes a tour of campus and the MRI lab as well as answering questions about the program. Through her educational journey, she also is a member of the Magnetic gRadient Imagers, an organization for students in the Owens MRI program. She will graduate in May 2024. “You always feel like you matter at Owens,” said Pitchford.
Learn more about Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) >>
Learn more about the School of Nursing and Health Professions programs and certificates >>
Published October 2023