1. 22 FOCUS ON EDUCATION | 2015 | www.advanceweb.com
I
n many different healthcare fields, prac-
titioners with an associate’s-level educa-
tion might wish to advance their careers by
earning a bachelor’s, master’s or even doctoral
degree. But how long would it take, and what
options are available?
To find out, ADVANCE spoke with faculty
members at physical therapy, occupational
therapy and nursing programs in different
parts of the country.
BREAKING NEW GROUND
Carolyn Utsey, PT, PhD, chair and associate
professor of the physical therapy department
at the University of Texas Medical Branch
(UTMB) in Galveston, has spent the past
three years overseeing the implementation of
a bridge program for physical therapist assis-
tants (PTAs) seeking to become doctors of
physical therapy (DPTs).
“We received a grant from the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to
establish the program,” Utsey told ADVANCE.
“Its goal was to target minority individuals and
give them a chance to advance their careers.”
Now the light at the end of the tunnel is
close at hand, as the first class of bridge pro-
gram students will enroll this May, with grad-
uation scheduled for 2017.
“We received 52 applications and accepted
18 students,” said Utsey. “The only other
PT bridge program in the country is at The
University of Findlay in Ohio. We asked them
many questions about challenges and advan-
tages, and we were curious how their bridge
program students compared to their entry-
level DPT students.”
So will the bridge program at UTMB vary
in format from Findlay?
“I think the main difference is our program
will be two years rather than three,” Utsey
explained. “The THECB wanted us to look
strongly at how to help students avoid incur-
ring debt, but the grant wasn’t intended to
create scholarships to offset tuition costs. So
we focused instead on how long the students
would need to be in school.”
The new class at UTMB is notably diverse,
with nine of the 18 students representing
minority groups, including Hispanic, Asian,
American-Indian and African-American. All
students will attend the program full-time,
with 11-14 credit hours offered per semester.
“Didactic work will be done primarily online,
so they’ll only need to come to campus two to
three times a semester for four days at a time,”
Utsey said. “We have five out-of-state students
among the 18, and what’s really interesting
to me is the class includes 13 males. In our
entry-level DPT program, there’s traditionally
a much higher percentage of females.”
To qualify for the bridge, students must
have a bachelor’s degree, minimum GPA of
BRIDGING BOUNDARIES
Healthcare professionals embrace transitional
education programs to pursue advanced
degrees By Brian W. Ferrie
JEFFREYLEESER
HIGHER LEARNING | FOCUS ON EDUCATION

2. www.advanceweb.com | FOCUS ON EDUCATION | 2015 23
3.0 in several categories, and at least two years
of experience as a PTA.
“We’re really excited about this program,”
added Utsey. “Findlay has an impressive record
for turning PTAs into great DPTs, and I look
forward to seeing how our program will com-
pare to theirs. Especially since the accrediting
agency [CAPTE] allowed us to create a two-
year program with 83 credit hours, and count
prior PTA experience and education as part
of the overall recommended 90 credit hours.
The validity of our structure will be proven by
whether students can pass the licensure exam
on their first try. I think keeping high stan-
dards for our incoming classes will be import-
ant to ensuring success.”
READY FOR THE WEEKEND
In addition to its transitional physical ther-
apy program, the University of Findlay offers
a well-established occupational therapy bridge.
This weekend track takes three years and cul-
minates in a master’s degree. Originally tar-
geted to occupational therapy assistants
(OTAs) when it launched in 1997, the program
has evolved in recent years to include non-
OTAs who have earned baccalaureate degrees.
“We’ve seen an increasing number of aspir-
ing health professionals with bachelor’s
degrees in other fields, so about 5 or 6 years
ago we started accepting some of those candi-
dates,” explained Cynthia L. Goodwin, OTD,
MS, OTR/L, program chair and professor in
the department of occupational therapy at
Findlay.
“Now the weekend program includes a mix
of OT assistants and people with backgrounds
in nursing, social work, education and other
healthcare fields. The courses those students
take are essentially the same as for the OTAs,
but with one additional fieldwork experience.”
Designed for working professionals, the OT
bridge program at Findlay requires students to
meet every other weekend six times between
September and November, another six times
between January and March, then again from
April through June.
“In the summer, they also meet for six week-
ends, but those are consecutive,” Goodwin
noted. “It’s an intensive program because
they must do all the same work as our tradi-
FOCUS ON EDUCATION | HIGHER LEARNING
The new class at UTMB is notably diverse, with
nine of the 18 students representing minority groups,
including Hispanic, Asian, American-Indian and African-
American. All students will attend the program full-time.
The Value of
Formal MRI
Education
Since its inception over 30 years ago, the field of
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has evolved at a
rapid pace. Like the technology itself, the educational
needs of the profession have changed.
The American Society of Radiologic Technologists
(ASRT) is a premier professional association that pro-
motes formal education in MRI. “The goal of each
curriculum document is to outline a common body
of knowledge that is essential to the particular imag-
ing or therapeutic science,” according to www.asrt.
org. “As the radiologic science profession evolves, the
curricula must evolve with it.”
The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
(ARRT) has two designations for MRI education pro-
grams: post-primary and primary pathways. The
educational institutions that have been recognized by
ARRT as primary pathways have very structured and
comprehensive curricula and include clinical compe-
tencies. Post-primary education is not as structured
as primary, and includes clinical repetitions.
Currently, for MRI technologists receiving their
training on the job, ARRT recognizes the educational
eligibility requirements for certification based on
experience.
The ARRT has changed its requirements for
post-primary pathways to include 16 hours of struc-
tured education for those taking their MRI registry
examination beginning Jan. 1, 2016. This is a major
step forward in recognizing the importance of formal
education for MRI technologists.
When choosing a formal education program in
MRI, there are a number of questions to ask:
• Is the MRI program formally recognized by
ARRT?
• Is the program designated as a primary or
post-primary pathway?
• Are the courses comprehensive and
structured?
• Does the faculty have the credentials and expe-
rience to teach the courses?
• Are there enough clinical hours required in the
program to meet the eligibility requirements to
take the MRI registry exam?
• Does the program offer the flexibility to let you
earn your degree on your schedule?
• Do you have testimonials from recent gradu-
ates of the program (like the following one)?
“The MRI program at Penn College was appealing
to me because the classroom instruction was all in an
online format, enabling me to seek employment else-
where while still attending my classes,” said Joseph
Sarmento, RT(R), of Charleston, S.C., a 2014 gradu-
ate of the Penn College program.
“From my studies in the MRI program, I have
learned everything I needed for my first job. Our
didactic instruction was well planned out and pre-
sented in logical order, with concepts building on the
ones learned from previous lessons. In addition to
the comprehensive physics, anatomy and pathology
instruction, we learned a great deal about patient
comfort and safety.
“The professor has a tremendous amount of
hands-on experience in the clinical setting,” added
Sarmento. “She brought up many different real-world
scenarios in our chats, things I have had to deal with
at my job. My clinical supervisors were impressed
with the amount of knowledge I had retained from my
classes. The skills I learned definitely landed me my
first job in radiology, as an MRI technologist.” n
Eyvonne N. McCarty, BSRT(R)(MR), is faculty MRI
instructor at the Pennsylvania College of Technology,
Williamsport, Penn.

3. 24 FOCUS ON EDUCATION | 2015 | www.advanceweb.com
tional OT students but in a more condensed
timeframe.”
Approximately 25 students are enrolled
each year in the weekend track, and the three
cohorts add up to about 75 students at any
time. They hail from all over the country, with
many being residents of Ohio or surrounding
states Michigan, Indiana and Pennsylvania.
“Our students certainly appreciate the
opportunity to enroll in a weekend format that
fits their lifestyles,” said Goodwin. “Most of
them are working, married, and able to main-
tain employment throughout the course of the
program. The difference between our week-
end students and those who graduate from the
traditional program is negligible. They all pass
the certification exam with the same very pos-
itive rate — 87 percent first time and 100 per-
cent overall.”
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
DeSales University in Center Valley, Penn.,
also offers extensive bridge options for health-
care professionals, including an RN-to-BSN
(bachelor’s of science in nursing) program,
along with several different RN-to-MSN (mas-
ter’s of science in nursing) tracks.
“The Future of Nursing report issued by
the Institute of Medicine in 2010 has influ-
enced many nurses to go back to school for
their BSN,” explained Mary Elizabeth Doyle-
Tadduni, PhD, MBA, MSN, RN, chairperson
for the department of nursing and health at
DeSales.
“It recommended an increase in the propor-
tion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree [or
higher] to 80% by 2020. In addition, many hos-
pitals are now pursuing ‘Magnet’ status from
the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
One of the standards for that designation is
making the BSN a prerequisite for entry-level
staff nursing positions.”
DeSales boasts an extensive nursing enroll-
ment, with about 450 students overall, includ-
ing approximately 150 in the MSN offerings
and 250 pursuing their BSN.
“For the RN-to-BSN program specifically,
we try to bring in about 40 students per year,”
Doyle-Tadduni commented.
“The majority of the coursework is offered
online, and can be completed in a year or two
depending on how fast students want to do
it. But since many of them are working and
have families, it can sometimes take four or
five years.”
Students in the program tend to come from
the Mid-Atlantic region, primarily the imme-
diate Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia area, as
well as New York and New Jersey.
“The Future of Nursing report has really
changed the face of the profession,” concluded
Doyle-Tadduni. “And though we tend to think
of the U.S. education system as progressive,
the European Union has actually already
shifted to a BSN as the entry-level degree into
nursing practice, along with Australia and
New Zealand.” n
Brian W. Ferrie is on staff at ADVANCE.
HIGHER LEARNING | FOCUS ON EDUCATION
resu.edu/dnp
We created our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) specifically
for the working Advanced Practice Nurse. Now you can advance
in your career without giving up your career.
Classes are held just 1 night a week and are focused on urban
health. All professors are doctorally prepared, and are currently
practicing, so you’ll get real-life insight from real-world
professionals. Focus on changing the world, community and
systems. Earn your DNP at Resurrection University in Chicago.
A part of Presence Health
Becoming a DNP takes ambition,
intelligence, and 1 night a week.