NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue School of Radiologic Technology Celebrates 50th Graduating Class
The school, located at Bellevue Hospital, trains students in medical imaging
Nov 08, 2024
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue School of Radiologic Technology today celebrated its 50th graduating class of the program. Founded in 1972 offering a 24-month certificate program in Radiologic Technology, the school graduated its pioneer class of 33 students in 1974. Since then, more than 700 students have completed the program. Currently, there are 20 first-year students and 12 second-year students.
All academic, laboratory, and clinical instruction is held at Bellevue Hospital. Graduates are eligible to apply for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) Certification and NYS Licensure.
“Congratulations to the members of the Bellevue School of Radiologic Technology’s 50th graduating class,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue CEO William Hicks. “Radiology is a core and essential diagnostic and therapeutic service and is one of the most high-tech services in healthcare. We are proud of the school’s longstanding success in training skilled specialists to meet patient needs. As we saw during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and other surges in hospitalizations, graduates of the program were able to fill essential shortages throughout the tri-state area.”
“We are very proud to celebrate our 50th graduating classes, and the longevity of the program at Bellevue Hospital,” said Kenneth Martinucci, MS, RT(R), Program Director, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue School of Radiologic Technology. “The Class of 2024 began their training during the difficult time of the pandemic. They were instrumental in helping return the program to ‘normalcy.’ It took a very special group at the right time to do what they did.”
“There are hundreds of our graduates working as imaging technologists in hospitals and imaging centers throughout the United States,” he added. “In fact, many of our graduates stay at Bellevue and within the NYC public hospital system, which is very exciting for us. Having alumni here on staff and all over the New York area has contributed to the success of our program.”
The Bellevue School of Radiologic Technology’s mission is to prepare, educate and train a diverse population of students for entry into the profession of radiologic imaging. Graduates of the school are able to support all other health care professionals, serve a diverse community of patients, equitably provide patient care, radiation protection, and imaging expertise with the highest quality in an atmosphere of diversity, with dignity and respect to the patient.
The school recently instituted a tuition reimbursement program for graduates who agree to stay at Bellevue for three years. At present, four graduates have benefited from the program and are working at the hospital.
One of those graduates is Juliana Chang, Class of 2022, who is now a radiographer at Bellevue.
“My experience at Bellevue has been one of constant growth. As a student, I was exposed to many different situations that only a Level 1 Trauma Center can provide. I was taught to be quick on my feet and creative with my approach to taking x-rays,” she said. “The tuition reimbursement program has allowed me to give back to my parents who have supported me all through school and I was also able to put funds into saving for a future home. I am really grateful that the hospital saw the value in us to develop a program like this.”
“The Radiologic Technology program at Bellevue was like a second chance for me and I know it was for my classmates as well,” Ms. Chang added. “Many of us came from fields that were unfulfilling or were jumping around from job to job looking for something that fit. I know most of us can now say that we have found the field we can finally call our careers.”
For more information about the Bellevue School of Radiologic Technology, visit: https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/bellevue/school-of-radiologic-technology/
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MEDIA CONTACT: Bellevue Public Relations, 212-562-4516
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America’s oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the 851-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. The hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center and annually it sees about 103,000 emergency room visits, and more than 520,000 outpatient visits. Clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Bariatric Surgery; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Children’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/bellevue and follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter).
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.