Bone Densitometry Technician (DXA) Program

Please review the following requirements: General Admission Requirements for all programs.

Applicants must:

• Submit an essay (no longer than two pages, typed, double-spaced) that describes the following:
  • Reasons for the applicant’s desire to become a Bone Densitometry Technician.
  • The applicant’s attributes will support the profession and the student’s ability to complete the DXA program.
  • Describe the support system, such as a person, time management, and resources to support the applicant’s efforts and success in the program.
• For some campuses, the applicant pool may be larger than the number of available seats at the desired campus. In this case, the campus may require an additional step, such as an interview with the program director, assistant program director, or designees.

Please review the following requirements: General Performance Requirements for all programs.

Each program has physical and non-physical requirements to ensure the safety and welfare of our students and patients. Almost all of our students (check with an Admission Advisor if applicable) must be able to:

• Handle stressful situations related to technical and procedural standards and patient care situations.
• Respond quickly and appropriately to emergencies using the English language.
• Communicate effectively with patients and staff in clear English in verbal and written forms.
• Read and interpret (or learn how to) patient charts.
• Tolerate strong, unpleasant odors.
• Provide physical and emotional support to the patients during procedures.
• Report clearly and legibly through progress notes in patient charts.
• Meet class standards for successful course completion.
• Collect, interpret, and integrate data about patients.
• Recognize and respond appropriately to individuals of all ages, genders, and races and from all socioeconomic, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
• Cope with heavy workloads, demanding patients, and life-threatening clinical solutions.
• Recognize and respond appropriately to potentially hazardous situations.
• Demonstrate the physical and emotional capacity to work a 40-hour week at the clinical rotation(s).
• Behave ethically, soundly, competently, compassionately, and professionally in the classroom and the clinic.
  • One (1) pound (0.45 kilograms) – five (5) pounds (2.27 kilograms) frequently—image receptors, lead aprons.
  • 20 pounds (9.07 kilograms) – 50 pounds (22.68 kilograms) occasionally—patient transfers and positioning.
  • 50 pounds (22.68 kilograms) – 70 pounds (31.75 kilograms) rarely to occasionally—patient transfers.
• Stand and walk for up to eight (8) hours per day.
• Carry a minimum of 20 pounds while walking a distance of 100 feet.
• Bend or flex the upper trunk forward to 45 degrees and the lower torso into a squatting position.
• Rotate the upper trunk to 30 degrees to the right and left.
• Reach at least 72 inches above floor level or a full arm’s reach.
• Utilize the sense of hearing to communicate with the patients and healthcare team effectively.
• Utilize the sense of vision in all levels of hospital lighting, which varies from low illumination levels to bright light levels.
• Sit in class for up to eight (8) hours per day.
• Palpate anatomical structures and handle injured body parts without causing injury to the patient.
• Give manual resistance to a patient’s arm, leg, or trunk during exercise.
• Move with adequate agility and speed to ensure patient safety.
• Walk and balance well enough to help patients walk and transfer with or without equipment while preventing injury to patients and themselves.
• Safely grasp and manipulate small objects and set dials on electrical equipment.
• Use visual, auditory, and tactile senses to observe patients and collect and interpret data.
• Respond to warning sounds, machine alarms, and calls for help.

Students must have sufficient strength, motor coordination, and manual dexterity to:

• Transport, move, lift, and transfer patients from a wheelchair or cart to an X-ray table or a patient bed.
• Move, adjust, and manipulate various radiographic equipment, including equipment for physical transportation.
• Complete examinations on the patient according to established policies and procedures with speed and accuracy.

Students must also be capable of the following:

• Handling stressful situations related to technical and procedural standards and patient care situations.
• Providing physical and emotional support to the patient during the radiographic procedures.
• Ability to respond to situations requiring first aid and provide emergency care to the patient without or until the physician arrives.
• Communicating verbally in an effective manner to direct patients during radiographic examinations.
• Visually recognizing anatomy on the computer monitor.
• Reading and interpreting patient charts and requisitions for radiographic examinations.
• Respond to warning sounds, machine alarms, and calls for help.

Students must have the mental and intellectual capacity to:

• Calculate and select proper technical factors according to the individual needs of the patient and the requirements of the procedure’s standards of speed and accuracy.
• Review and evaluate the recorded images on a computer monitor and archiving system to identify patient pathology, if present, accurate positioning, technical factors for completion of a diagnostic examination, and other appropriate and pertinent technical qualities.
• Cope with heavy workloads, demanding patients, and life-threatening clinical situations.
• Behave ethically, soundly, competently, compassionately, and professionally in the classroom and clinic.

The following requirements must be met for a student to graduate from the Bone Densitometry Technician (DXA) program at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts:

• The successful completion of all program courses and hours.
• All financial obligations have been met, including tuition and textbook charges.

*Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts has not determined if any programs fulfill the educational requirements for specific professional licensure or certification required for employment outside California unless identified by the program below. It is recommended that students located in or planning to relocate to a state apart from where the program’s physical campus is located research any certification or employment requirements for their intended state.