The Radiography program at Bluegrass Community and Technical College is a full-time 21 month Associated in Applied Science Degree which combines academic and laboratory courses with high technology clinical instructions. A new class is accepted in late spring for the upcoming fall semester. A student will receive his/her clinical education in numerous hospitals located in the Lexington metropolitan region. This program prepares the individual to become a radiographer which utilizes radiation to obtain images for medical purposes. The radiographer is prepared to administer ionizing radiation for medical diagnostic imaging purposes. Emphasis is on radiation protection and quality patient care. Radiography is both an art and a science. You'll use radiation to provide images of the human body’s tissues, organs, bones, and vessels. Radiologists (physicians who have had special training in interpreting x-ray images) read or diagnose these images. Treatment of patients depends on the accurate and precise production of radiographic examinations. The radiographer is an essential member of the health care team. The body part of the patient must be positioned, and only the amount of radiation necessary to produce a quality diagnostic image must be applied. These are two important aspects of the responsibilities of the radiographer. Radiation, when used by persons uneducated in its characteristics and potential hazards, can be dangerous to the patient and the user. The radiographer understands radiation and knows how to produce quality diagnostic examinations safely. This protects both the patient and the radiographer. With this knowledge, radiography is a safe career. It is also a satisfying career. The radiographer contributes a special talent to help diagnose injury and disease.