The Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences and the Center for Programs in Allied Health (CPiAH) have launched the Computed Tomography (CT) Technologist Program, an initiative designed to expand imaging services and career paths at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
The program addresses the enterprise’s growing need for specialized imaging professionals and underscores VUMC’s commitment to high-quality health care education. The program officially debuted in March.
The CT Program stands out as CPiAH’s first to offer fully online didactic coursework designed for working professionals. The lectures are provided by 30 different faculty and staff members across 10 departments or sections within VUMC, said Jenny Pafford, EdD, MS, CNMT, program director, Nuclear Medicine Technology and CT. The program is the third Allied Health program sponsored within the radiology department.
“The CT Program is truly an interdisciplinary effort that spotlights the collaborative drive of VUMC to build innovative solutions that simultaneously advance patient care and establish career opportunities. Much like our other allied health programs, we expect to build a network of CT alumni who will positively contribute to the culture, goals and operations of VUMC for many years to come,” said Pafford.
The program features a comprehensive educational approach combining online coursework with hands-on clinical training. Trainees receive instruction in anatomy and pathology, physics and instrumentation, clinical procedures, and patient care, developed by VUMC physicians, physicists and technologists. A pilot in 2024 demonstrated success.
Clinical rotations occur throughout Vanderbilt Health, including Vanderbilt University Hospital, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, and Vanderbilt Imaging Services as well as regional hospitals and facilities in Hendersonville, Wilson County, Bedford and Tullahoma-Harton.
The six-month program offers multiple enrollment dates throughout the year and is open to qualified applicants who hold current certification in radiography (X-ray), nuclear medicine technology or radiation therapy.
The training program is key to meeting increasing demand for diagnostic imaging as Vanderbilt Health expands throughout the region. Vanderbilt Health will need about three dozen new CT technologists in the coming years to meet demand, said Sarah Allen, MBA, CNMT, RT(CT), Senior Vice President for Radiology Services.
“Highly skilled imaging professionals who offer safe and timely care are key to helping our patients on their journey to a restored state of health. Our CT technologists gather crucial information guiding clinical decisions, and they learn best from the physicists who oversee our equipment and radiology faculty who interpret these exams. The CT Program exemplifies this partnership between faculty, physicists, administrators, technologists and students. Professional development remains key to our department’s success,” said Allen.
The CT program builds on the Department of Radiology’s established history of technologist training, joining the Nuclear Medicine Technology Program (established 1971) and the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program (established 2002).
For more information about the program, visit https://www.vumc.org/allied-health-education/CT or contact the program director, Jenny Pafford (Jennifer.b.pafford@vumc.org).
