Sorry I haven't been blogging (some of you may not care). I have been really busy with school and home and also have become a little like a hermit. I haven't wanted to go out, or talk to anyone on the phone, or leave the house at all really. I was beginning to become a little disturbed about this however, after some thought I ceased to worry about it. I think it is a defense mechanism. I feel a little overwhelmed with school and work so any minuscule amount of free time I want to spend that time on my couch in my pajamas relaxing. It takes a large amount of energy on my part to socialize so I am more relaxed keeping to myself and the company of the dogs and my TV.
Anyway, I have started my RT program at school and am already learning quite a bit about how to take care of humans and how the giant bureaucratic hospitals work. In the Fall I will start going to the hospital from 7:30am until 4 pm on Tuesday and Thursday and getting hands on training, I was really nervous about this at first but now I am kind of excited. I can't wait to meet some new people and learn about my newly chosen profession.
The title of this is "Revised Academic Plan" so I guess I will get to it. Part of one of my classes is learning about what is available to us after we get through these classes and become licensed radiographers. Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls Texas offers an online program to receive a Bachelors of Radiologic Sciences(BSRS). I already have many of the classes needed to go towards this degree and have decided to finish this out instead of getting a BA in biology. Because the classes are online I will be able to do my new job and whatever hours go along with that and get these done at the same time. Of course while this is going on I will be pursuing additional licencing requirements for Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and possibly Cardiovascular Intervention (CV). MSU also offers a Master Degree in one of three disciplines that have to do with the Radiologic Sciences. Education, or the teaching of RT programs ,management of the RT's at a hospital (which I have no desire to do), and finally you can get a Master of Science in Radiologic Assistance, this is the one I want so I can become a Radiologist Assistant or RA. RA's get to do some really cool stuff like, perform fluoroscopic exams (this is real time x-ray), manage patients and make preliminary evaluations of images for the Radiologist. The coolest part of this plan? When I am done and I become "Cassandra Haskins M.S.R.A., RA, B.S.R.S. RT (R),(CT),(MR),(CV)" That is ALOT of letters behind my name, which in and of itself is pretty cool but the really great part is that RA's make on average 120,000 dollars a year. I could go for that.
The hard part is that the masters program for RA's is highly competitive and very limited. So I have to maintain my GPA as well as be a really good RT once I start and probably get on the good side of some of the Radiologists I will be working with so they can write letters of recommendation, and be a proctor for me if I do get in........should be a piece of cake right?
