Pinning ceremony represents major professional milestone for medical imaging students

For Master of Science in Imaging Sciences student Mia Zamora, RT(R)(ARRT), choosing a career in advanced medical imaging is a way to help patients seeking answers through what can be a stressful experience. 

“I’m there to make their anxiety less and their experience better,” said Zamora, who recognized the impact medical imaging technologists and their work have on patients when a close family member was diagnosed with and treated for cancer.

Zamora, president of the Master of Science in Imaging Sciences Class of 2027, and her classmates marked a major milestone in their program journey on Sept. 9, when they received their radiologic technologist pins. Each of the 21 second-year students has taken and passed the certification exam from the American Registry of Radiological Technologists (AART).

The pinning ceremony represents significant achievement by students, whose certification enables them to work as radiological technologists as they continue in their second year of the program, said Jamie Tucker, EdD, RT(R)(CT)(ARRT), program director and assistant professor. She noted that imaging sciences students begin clinical rotations within the first two months of their first semester in the program.

“This is a professional milestone in the lives of our students,” Tucker said. “We celebrate and recognize their transition from being a student to being a certified member of the Radiologic Technology profession and members of the healthcare team. This achievement is the first step to becoming a multi-modality imaging specialist. We are exceptionally proud of each of our students and excited to be a part of their educational journey.” 

During the ceremony, the students recited the Radiographer’s Oath, heard remarks from School of Health Professions Interim Dean Bridgett Piernik-Yoder, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, and from keynote speaker Denise Aguilar, RT(R)(ARRT), supervisor of Imaging Services at UT Health San Antonio’s Medical Arts and Research Center. The class recognized one of the program’s preceptors, Alejandro Galvan, with the Clinical Preceptor Award.

The second-year imaging sciences students transitioned into the computed tomography (CT) portion of the program this fall and will begin the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) portion in the spring. The innovative program enables students to earn ARRT-eligible certifications in radiography, CT and MRI within two years.

“We are very eager, and we know we have the support of not only faculty but also our classmates,” Zamora said of her classmates’ outlook in the second half of the fast-paced program.