About Accreditation

“I have been associated with a JRCERT-accredited program for 27.5 years. JRCERT accreditation is of considerable benefit, as it is a mechanism for programs to take a retrospective and proactive look at themselves to assure didactic and clinical educational standards for student success are being met or exceeded. Voluntary programmatic accreditation, unlike regional accreditation, provides a focused means of a 360-degree evaluation for radiologic science educational programs to evaluate student success from the point of entry though graduation. The Standards provide for minimal expectations of all programs that choose to be part of the voluntary programmatic accreditation. These minimal expectations place the same onus on all programs to demonstrate that students attending and graduating from programs meet the didactic and clinical obligations in a safe and educationally rich environment.

The Standards (effective January 2021) have enriched the Medical Imaging (MI) baccalaureate program at Misericordia University by encouraging “…additional professional content when developing their goals and student learning outcomes (6.3)”. The MI program added a “Research” goal to the assessment process. We were able to garner information from several existing courses, and from a newly added course to identify and assess student learning outcomes regarding our newly added goal of “Research”.

The thorough insights from office leadership, staff, accreditation specialists, and peer evaluators are unmatched. I am grateful to have the JRCERT oversee the quality of education afforded to students though the programmatic accreditation process.”

Lorie Zelna, M.S., R.T.(R)(MR)
Associate Professor | Medical Imaging Program
Misericordia University

“I have been teaching over 20 years and have always worked with a JRCERT accredited program. Even before I was an educator, I worked as a technologist with students at another JRCERT accredited program. In short, JRCERT accreditation shows that a program meets quality standards. Students, technologists, employers, educators, and the public know that a JRCERT accredited program has met specific requirements and is held to high standards.

The peer-review process has been an excellent tool for us to honestly examine what we are doing to ensure that we are meeting the highest standards. It allows our program to reflect on what we are doing and improve. Additionally, having a site visit team review our program helps us know that we are doing all we can to have a solid and successful program. I honestly believe that JRCERT accreditation makes our program stronger. Students, technologists, employers, educators, and the public can know that we take the quality of our program seriously since we work to be in compliance with the JRCERT standards. We learn more about what we are doing that works and what can be improved through the peer-review process.”

Laura Aaron, Ph.D., R.T.(R)(M)(QM), FASRT
Professor | School of Allied Health
Northwestern State University

“Accreditation ensures students, potential employers, and the public that the educational program is in compliance with the quality standards for an educational program. The peer review process has improved the programs at NSU by identifying strengths and gaps in programs and processes. JRCERT accreditation provides formal recognition by peers, both within the institution and across the country, that our program is a quality program.”

Kelli Haynes, Ed.D., R.T.(R)
Department Head | School of Allied Health
Northwestern State University

“I believe that those who benefit the most from JRCERT accreditation are the students. Students enrolled in a JRCERT accredited program are assured that the program content is being delivered by qualified and experienced faculty, with facilities and other resources that fully support the instruction. Student learning must be measured, and data must be analyzed, resulting in JRCERT accredited programs constantly improving. JRCERT accreditation also requires that students gain a knowledge foundation prior to performing procedures on patients and are guaranteed appropriate clinical supervision. JRCERT accreditation means students experience high-quality, safe programs where their learning is paramount.”

Catherine Ford, M.Ed., R.T.(R)
Dean | School of Nursing and Health Professions
Owens Community College

“I have been associated for 33 years, first as a student, then as a clinical staff member, next as a clinical coordinator, and currently as a Division Chair/Dean. Seeing peer review shift from a process to an outcomes focus has given the program many more opportunities to respond to and engage with the regional medical imaging community. Networking also allows program officials to learn from peers. How refreshing to finally understand the point is not to always meet goals 100%, but instead to stretch, be creative, and explore possibilities. Programs need to learn to be as adaptable, flexible, and responsive as new Radiographers are expected to be upon graduation! When institutions of higher education start preparing for regional/institutional self-study & site visit, leadership instinctively turns to the health sciences faculty as experts on developing goals, objectives, and targets; identifying measurement tools; collecting data; analyzing actual results; and developing improvement strategies. The institutional shift towards outcomes & benchmarking has given health sciences faculty opportunities for greater contribution at the institutional level. This engagement across disciplines has also resulted in greater collaboration and faculty collegiality!”

Kae Fleming, Ed.D., R.T.(R)
Dean | Health Sciences
Columbia State Community College