LMRT to RT Bridge program.

Tdiallo · Joined: 30 Sep 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Houston,TX

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone knows of a LMRT to RT bridge program,like the LPN/LVN to RN bridge program that will allow LMRT graduates to become RTs with one additional year of schooling.
I am currently training as an LMRT and would like to continue on to become an RT. Unfortunately all the RT schools I have contacted says that I will have to start from scratch. Which is really sad because we learn pretty much the same stuff (less fluoroscopy and few other things)that RT students learn.
I was thinking about asking LMRT students across the country to sign a petition and send it to ARRT (yes, this body do register our certification) asking them to create such a program.
Your input will be greatly appreciated.

hti143 · Joined: 09 Feb 2009 Posts: 6 Location: N. Carolina

I agree with you, there should be a bridge between LXMO's and RT's we both have the same working knowledge and according to ASRT and ARRT LXMO's are just as competent in performing basic radiographic examinations as RT's are. If there are any other LXMO's interested in signing this petition I am with you. Cool

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hti143

papa · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:30 am Post subject:

***CAUTION*** PERSONAL OPINION AWAITS

unfortunately, i'm going to have to disagree with you guys on this one.

now granted, should the limited techs have to start from scratch? personal opinion? no, they shouldn't. you guys already know the basics behind positioning, basic anatomy (i would hope), and probabally a little bit of the radiological physics. so those parts of the program should be covered. if you've got a degree (not a certificate) for limited tech, then by all means those should transfer over.

however, unfortunately, that's not the way our world works. limited tech jobs are so few nowadays, and, especially in this economy, radiological technologist jobs are few and far between. if it were up to the schools, they probabally wouldn't make a program just for limited techs, because there's little market for it. would skiping those classes work out? probabally not. those classes are designed to teach everything.

and honestly, that's probabally why they haven't made that bridge. there really isn't a good way of seperating out which exams you'd need to learn, and which would be reviews.

my advice, let it ride. take the full course. at the very least, it'll be good review of your practices. you never know, you may be able to teach something in the class.
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Mr. Green

papa RT(R)(CT) Mr. Green

Delusional Radiology
never meddle in the affairs of a dragon, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup

hjhogle · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:52 pm Post subject:

OK, I'm going out on a limb here -

hti143 - can you tell me exactly where you discovered an endorsement of LMXO by the ARRT?

The ARRT administers an exam to candidates for limited state licensure. They are quite clear that this examination is not associated in any way with certification by the ARRT. The ARRT's standard's are higher than states which support limited state licensure, and I'm glad that's true.

As I said in another post - In medicine, PA's have a limited license. If a PA decides he wants to practice as a physician, he attends medical school. He doesn't get to pass 'go' or "skip a grade" because he's a PA - he starts from scratch.

Just as you'll have to do.

This is one nationally certified, state licensed RT who does not support bridge programs, does not support limited licensure. You want to cry "unfair" ... BUT.

You knew what the deal was when you went through your original program. (If you didn't, then you didn't do your homework).

hjh, RT

hti143 · Joined: 09 Feb 2009 Posts: 6 Location: N. Carolina

"it was the philosophy of the ARRT that those persons having a scope of practice that is limited to radiography of the chest or extremities must be as knowledgeable in those particular areas as is the technologist whose scope of practice reflects that of the general staff radiographer at entry level as defined by the ARRT Job Analysis Project. That is, if the same task is performed, the same knowledge and cognitive skills underlying the intelligent performance of the task as identified for the general staff technologist will be required. It was the stated intention of the Board of Trustees that the depth of understanding required for the intelligent performance of a task not be limited, but rather only that the breadth of content coverage be limited according to the particular tasks performed."

from: http://www.arrt.org/index.html?content=licensing/limexam.htm Cool

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hti143

hjhogle · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:01 pm Post subject:

Certainly I've seen that on the ARRT website. Not really a ringing endorsement, it it?

hjh, RT

hti143 · Joined: 09 Feb 2009 Posts: 6 Location: N. Carolina

hjhogle

Just a thought, I found out from CAMRT that they makes classes specifically tailored to teach what is missing to become full RT, to bad that they are in Canada not here in the US maybe we should follow their example.

To answer your comments on PA's, they actually, in certain schools start as 3rd year medical students.

LVN or LPN's take an 8 month course and become RN's.

Most of my teachers were RT(R) and they would agree that there should be a bridge. An new graduate LXMO from a good program like mine would even probably do better plain images than you hjhogle not to mention we can draw blood, insert foley catheters, do injections which in somes states you as an RT cannot.

I think that an LXMO bridge would benefit the field greatly.

In no way am I saying that we skip everything and get a certification but start from were we left off. Besides more money can be made from programs like this, there are a lot of LXMO's in the USA and if some RT's are worried that we are not ready to be an RT because we "are limited in our knowledge" then there should be a test of some sort to see what we know.
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hti143

hjhogle · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:59 pm Post subject:

Isn't it nice that we're both entitled to our differing opinions, without either necessarily being wrong.

hjh, RT

hti143 · Joined: 09 Feb 2009 Posts: 6 Location: N. Carolina

yeah I'm going to talk with ARRT board members and my states law makers and see what can be done.
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hti143