Purpose
Scope
Eligibility
Employee Preference
Priorities
Application Requirements
Selection Criteria
Contact
Partners Medical Imaging Scholarship/Loan Forgiveness Committee
Other Terms
Other Important Information
- Facts about the Medical Imaging Technologist Shortage
- Where do we currently stand in the Medical Imaging Professional “Shortage?
Partners HealthCare Medical Imaging Scholarship Program -
CAREER INFORMATION FACT SHEET
Purpose
The Partners Medical Imaging Scholarship/Loan Forgiveness Program is designed to encourage entry into medical imaging programs, provide support to students while they complete their education and training and fulfill the current and anticipated demand for medical imaging professionals in Partners HealthCare affiliated institutions. Participating Partners HealthCare facilities are:
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Faulkner Hospital
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Newton-Wellesley Hospital
- Salem Hospital
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Network
- Union Hospital
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Scope
The Partners Medical Imaging Scholarship/Loan Forgiveness Program is intended to cover tuition, fees, books, and similar expenses for students currently enrolled in qualified educational programs. The amount to be awarded to each scholarship recipient is up to $2000 per calendar year for each year of approved program participation.
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Eligibility
The Partners Medical Imaging Scholarship/Loan Forgiveness Program is open to all students accepted or enrolled in an accredited medical imaging program who meet Program selection criteria and who are attending programs in Massachusetts. Priority may be given to employees of Partners HealthCare and its affiliates and students who are assigned to a Partners HealthCare facility for their clinical practicum; however, other students are also eligible. In addition to those enrolled in accredited degree programs in Radiography, other students matriculated into certification programs such as Ultrasound, MRI, CT and Nuclear Medicine are also eligible.
Scholarships will be awarded without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, age, handicap, veteran status or sexual orientation. Participants must be US citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
This is a loan forgiveness program, and graduates must agree to work for one of the Partners hospitals upon successful completion of their program. For each semester of scholarship funding, the graduate must work for a Partners Radiology/Imaging department for a minimum of 6 months.
Students who become employed by Partners HealthCare upon completion of their training may also be eligible for sign on bonuses or other programs offered to new technologists at the Partners HealthCare facility that hires them.
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Employee Preference
Preference will be given to Partners HealthCare employees who are in good standing and meet acceptance criteria.
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Priorities
While preference will be given to Partners HealthCare employees accepted or currently enrolled in accredited medical imaging programs, applications from students who are otherwise eligible will be prioritized on the following basis:
- Students entering the second year training program that apply and are approved by the scholarship committee.
- Eligible students currently assigned an imaging clinical internship at a Partners HealthCare facility.
- Students who have been accepted into the full time or part-time evening Medical Radiography option of Accredited Imaging Programs affiliated with Partners including, but not limited to:
- Students who have been accepted into other accredited medical imaging programs affiliated with Partners HealthCare whom are also assigned their clinical internships at a Partners HealthCare facility.
- Students accepted or enrolled in other accredited imaging programs in New England.
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Application Requirements
- Complete Partners Medical Imaging Scholarship Application (download .pdf)
- Three (3) Letters of Recommendation from supervisor/instructor/guidance counselors.
- Agreement to accept a full-time or authorized benefited position as offered by participating or designated Partners HealthCare facility on an at-will basis for one year for each year of funding received (based on full time status) following academic program completion or to reimburse the scholarship fund.
- Letter of acceptance into a Medical Radiography, Sonography or Nuclear Medicine or MR/CT program accredited by the Joint Review Commission on Education in Radiologic Technology, Medical Sonography or Nuclear Medicine Technology.
- An interview with the Selection Committee Representatives if requested.
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Selection Criteria
The following criteria will be considered in selecting scholarship recipients:
- Partners employee status and standing
- Academic performance and assessment
- Clinical performance and aptitude
- Professional demeanor and interpersonal skills
- Quality of recommendations from supervisors and instructors
- Financial need
- Projected participating Partners HealthCare facility staffing needs
- Any additional factors deemed appropriate by the scholarship committee
- Students must be in good standing with their academic program and their Partners HealthCare clinical site each semester to continue to receive funding.
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Contact
Lisa Ewing RT(R), BSM
Partners Radiology Project Manager
101 Merrimac Street
Suite 338
Boston, MA 02114
617-726-9141
lewing@partners.org
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Partners Medical Imaging Scholarship Committee
A Scholarship Committee made up of technologists, imaging administrators and educators, radiologists and human resources representatives from throughout Partners HealthCare will award the scholarships. Scholarship applications must be received by June 1st for consideration for the Fall semester.
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Other Terms
The scholarship may be used by successful candidates to help defray the costs of tuition, fees, books and similar expenses at any college or university that offers an accredited program in radiologic sciences. Accredited programs must comply with the guidelines and regulations promulgated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and all of the following that apply:
- Joint Review Commission on Education in Radiologic Technology (JCERT)
- Joint Review Commission on Education in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT)
- Joint Review Commission on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRCEMS)
- Massachusetts Society of Radiologic Technologists (MSRT)
- American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT)
Successful candidates may attend school on either a full-time or a part-time basis. Continuation in the scholarship program is dependent upon maintaining good academic standing and satisfactory clinical performance. Scholarship disbursements will be made at the beginning of each semester.
The scholarship is an advanced loan, all or some of which may be forgiven provided that the awardee successfully completes the academic program, and is employed on a full-time equivalent basis at a participating Partners HealthCare facility. For a full loan to be completely forgiven, the awardee must be employed at a participating Partners HealthCare facility for a minimum of 2 years. Partial loans will require less work commitment. Commitment is prorated based on funding acquired. Please note that, if requested, awardees must be prepared to provide substantiation of payments of tuition, fees, books and similar expenses.
Scholarship recipients will be considered priority placements for employment based on their grades, attendance, interpersonal relations, student evaluations and clinical preparation but there is no guarantee of employment as a Radiologic Technologist in a Partners HealthCare Radiology department upon completion of a qualified program.
Please be advised that, under the Internal Revenue Code, scholarship awards may be considered taxable income to you. The amount of taxable income may vary depending upon individual circumstances.
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Other Important Information
Facts about the Medical Imaging Technologist Shortage - Background
From x-rays in the hospital Emergency Room to ultrasound in OB, from CT scans and MRI in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, cancer and other diseases, medical imaging technology is everywhere in the health care industry.
Most Medical Imaging degree programs are completed within two years, and are offered at several Boston-area community colleges. Additionally, there are some four-year advanced degree programs offered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and throughout the country.
Two-year Associate degree graduates can expect starting salaries in excess of $40,000.00 in the Boston area. Earning potential is significantly increased with advanced training and tenure.
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Where do we currently stand with staffing in Medical Imaging?
According to the most recent staffing survey by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), July 2006, national vacancy rates have continued to decrease from the prior year. The most recent data is available from Jan 05 through June 06. In that time period,
- RT vacancies dropped from 7.7% to 4.5%
- Nuclear Medicine Technology: 6.9% to 5.7%
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography: 9.5% to 9.1%
- C.T. (Computed Tomography): 5.7% to 5.1%
- Mammography: 5.6% to 4/9%
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): 6.9% to 6.2%
- Cardiovascular Intervention: 10.7% to 7.9%
Managers report that recruiting for Sonographers, Nuclear Medicine Technologists and Cardiovascular technologists continues to be difficult, while the other listed modalities have seen easier recruitment efforts.
At the peak of the Medical Imaging Technology shortage, in 2000, the national average for vacancy rates was 18%. (American Hospital Association). But, while vacancies have improved, experts warn that the medical imaging shortage is far from over!
“The profession is facing a wave of retirements in the next 10 years, just when patient demand for medical imaging examinations will soar due to the aging population,” cautioned Sal Martino, ASRT executive vice president and chief academic officer. “All indications show that we still need to recruit more people into the field, especially into radiography.”
For the complete 2006 ASRT Staffing Survey, click here.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predict the following number of job vacancies between 2004-2014:
- 76,000 Radiographers (RTs)
- 7,000 Nuclear Medicine Technologists
- 23,000 Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (one of the 17 top U.S. healthcare growth occupations at 35% growth rate)
- Like nurses in the U.S., most working radiology technologists are aging; more than half were born before 1960.
Fewer Medical Imaging Educational Programs:
- In 1994, there were 692 radiography schools nationwide; today there are 611
- There are currently only 99 Nuclear Medicine programs nationwide and 99 Diagnostic Medical Sonography programs
The rapid growth in patient volume and types of services offered continues to raise staffing requirements in all facilities.
Partners HealthCare Medical Imaging Scholarship Program -
CAREER INFORMATION FACT SHEET
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