Gurnick Academy Expands to Nevada, With More Courses to Follow

SAN MATEO, Calif., August 26, 2022—Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts, a California-based allied-healthcare educational entity, is expanding into Nevada, school officials say. The Academy held provisional status over the past year but was approved last week to operate in the “Silver State fully.”

“The process in Nevada is a little different,” says Ted Vanderlaan, Vice President for Strategy and Innovation, of the vetting. “Nevada requires a school to be on provisional status initially, whereby we began with our most successful online program, MRI.” The premier imaging program offered online learning lectures with local clinical sites. Throughout the process, “We were audited by the state, who was keenly interested in how we interacted with students–ensuring we took care of them professionally,” said Vanderlaan, adding that “everyone looks forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”

“Over the last year, we learned a lot,” says Raj Qasmi, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) program director. “We began talking to local imaging leaders regarding their needs and challenges, strategizing how we might help them to grow and stabilize their workforce. This is crucial for helping imaging centers evolve and keep pace with modern trends,” Qasmi says.

“We are committed to supporting the imaging community in Nevada by providing them with residents trained by local technologists,” Qasmi says. “This ensures greater employee retention for the employers and more significant career fulfillment for the students.”

“Gurnick is responding to our employer partner’s requests to create a stable, regional supply of quality imaging graduates. Working closely with our employer network in Nevada, Gurnick will become an important part of solving this professional imaging shortage attributed to the attrition during the pandemic,” said Burke Malin, Chief Operating Officer.

The program comes at a fortuitous time as MRI demands have expanded due to the COVID-enhanced shortage, which far exceeds the BLS estimate of growth. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects a seven percent growth rate for MRI Technologists Between 2020–2030, with an estimated 20,800 job openings for Radiologic and MRI Technologists.¹ MRI Technologists continually report impacting patients’ lives for the better, and MRI careers consistently score six out of ten by the US News and World Report’s “Best Jobs Rankings.” Career scores are calculated using unemployment averages, ten-year growth indexes, future job prospects, stress levels, work-life balances, and other key markers. Further, the vocation placed No. 17 in “Best Health Care Support Jobs” and 89 out of “100 Best Jobs” overall.²

Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts’ fully online classroom cohort, with physical, and local clinical sites, is currently enrolling with courses commencing September 26, 2022. In addition, the Academy plans to follow its flagship program with offerings in Nuclear Medicine, Radiologic Technology, Radiation Therapy, Veterinarian Technician, Ultrasound Technology, and a BS degree in Diagnostic Imaging with tracks in Informatics, Leadership, Education, CT, Mammography, and MRI, among other programs.

Do you think an MRI vocation may be for you or someone you know? Find out by taking an MRI Career Readiness Quiz.

Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is a private, post-secondary academy offering quality allied health, imaging, and nursing programs operating six campuses in California, including San Mateo, Modesto, Fresno, Concord, Sacramento, and Van Nuys.

Citations
¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Radiologic and MRI Technologists. (Accessed August 19, 2022).
² Emily H. Bratcher. “MRI Technologist Ranks among Best Jobs of 2019.” US News and World Report. 2016. (Accessed June 7, 2021).