Published April 2003

Regional radiology program gets federal funding

By Kimberly Hilden
SCBJ Assistant Editor

A regional program that trains displaced workers to become radiologic technologists received a financial boost in March with the announcement by U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen that it would receive $200,000 in federal funds.

“This is a great program that helps fill urgent needs in the Northwest,” said Larsen, D-Wash., in a prepared statement. “The Northwest is in the midst of an economic and health-care crisis. This program is part of the cure for both of these problems.”

The Radiologic Technology program, a collaborative effort between six community colleges in Western Washington — Bellingham Technical College, Everett Community College, Edmonds Community College, Peninsula College, Skagit Valley College and Whatcom Community College — combines distance-education practices such as video conferencing and the Internet with on-site clinical training.

Over the course of the 21-month program, students earn an associate’s degree in applied science. Graduates are eligible to take a national certification examination to become a certified radiologic technologist, an occupation that the Northwest Alliance for Healthcare Skills ranked among the top five health-care fields in need of trained workers.

“It’s in very high demand, almost more so than nursing,” said Patricia Black, dean of Nursing & Health Professions at EvCC, noting that the program began on the part of Bellingham Tech, which already had secured a start-up grant. With demand high for radiologic technologists locally, EvCC approached the Bellingham school about collaborating, she said, “and we’ve co-written grants jointly to support that.”

The program’s first class began in the fall with 30 students — 15 in Bellingham and 15 in Everett, with local students doing clinical work at Providence Everett Medical Center and The Everett Clinic, Black said.

“It’s a very innovative way of teaching,” Black said. “It enables students to not have to commute, and it enables employers in the area to have students. It’s worked out very well.”

“The Bellingham Tech/Everett Community College Radiologic Technology partnership has responded swiftly to this regional health-care need,” EvCC President Charlie Earl said in a prepared statement. “The program demonstrates the flexibility, creativity and versatility of the colleges to identify a need, develop a solution and implement a program.

“This is a win for students, tomorrow’s citizens, community colleges and the economy,” he added.

The $200,000 in federal funds will go toward covering the cost for books, equipment, teaching salaries and some tuition fees for students of the program, according to Larsen’s office.

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