Clinical experience is one of the key components of the radiation profession. The Health Science Wellness an Education Institute (HSEWI) at Bellevue College works closely with community partners to arrange clinical sites that are well respected by the imaging community. The clinical practicum course provides students with the opportunity to develop required competencies although additional work experience may be required to complete the number of competencies required by the ARRT to be eligible for the national certification exams.
Certificate Pathways: Post-Primary Credential Pathway
Clinical Practicum Site Availability
A 12 credit clinical practicum requires you to be on site for approximately 40 hours per week for 11 weeks. While you may be able to complete your clinical at your place of employment, this is not always ideal. Your work hours must be separate from your practicum hours. We have clinical practicum locations all over Washington State and some locations nationwide. Please contact Jennifer Prekeges to see if we have a location that works for you. We may also be able to set up an affiliation agreement with a specific clinic upon request. Please note this takes several months (6+) and may require some footwork on your part.
PreClinical Checklist
Preparation and onboarding for clinical practicum is often time consuming and consists of numerous moving parts. Your timeline will depend heavily on your ability to get all paperwork turned in to the Clinical Coordinator in a timely matter. This often takes 3-4 months. Please review the preparation and onboarding information carefully. Printable checklist.
Background Checks
Many professions require background checks. Bellevue College requires you to obtain national background checks at specific points in the course of this program. Acceptance into this program is contingent on a national background check, and one or more additional checks will be done in the course of the program.
Clinical Passport
Students must complete all items on the clinical passport to be eligible for a clinical practicum. For more detailed information, see the Clinical Placement Northwest Collaborative Student/Faculty Clinical Passport form.
Immunizations
Upon acceptance into the program, all students completing a clinical will be required to upload copies of their immunization records to a Medical Document Manager that the program maintains through CastleBranch. Accepted students must meet all immunization requirements. The information below only provides an overview.
- Tetanus-Diphtheria vaccine within the past 10 years
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) immunization (proof of two MMR’s), or positive MMR titer result
- Hepatitis B – 3 doses and positive Hep B titer result, or signed declination
Note: choosing not to get Hepatitis B vaccination may impact our ability to assign you to clinical sites. The waiver option is not appropriate for some programs.
- Varicella (Chicken Pox) immunization or positive varicella titer result
- TB Skin Test (also called PPD test) 2-step method with negative resul
Note: if PPD is positive, negative chest x-ray results and clearance from your physician is required, or a negative QuantiFERON blood test.
- annual TB test is required by some healthcare organizations
- Influenza Vaccination – A seasonal influenza vaccine is strongly recommended and required by some clinical locations. A student may decide to sign a waiver but, in so doing, must realize that there are hospitals which will not accommodate students without documentation of their seasonal influenza vaccine. Any student without a flu vaccine must also wear a mask for their entire clinical experience during the “official” flu season.
Radiation Dosimeter Acknowledgement Form
Often, students in our educational programs are exposed to radiation while at clinical practicum sites. In order to measure radiation, programs often require students obtain a radiation dosimeter through our Radiation Safety Program.
Please check with your educational program to verify whether you need to order a radiation dosimeter through our program or if one will be provided to you in another way.
Contact us for more assistance or apply now!
Gina Senz
Clinical Coordinator
Radiation & Imaging Sciences
Email: gina.senz@bellevuecollege.edu
Last Updated December 8, 2021
