Next Steps for ACCEPTED STUDENTS

Criminal Background Check

ONCE ACCEPTED, and after students have attended the Mandatory Orientation, students are expected to complete a background check. 

Background Checks for Student Clinical Placement:

In compliance with The Joint Commission (TJC) Human Resources Standards (HR.1.20), staff, students and volunteers who work in the same capacity as staff who provide care, treatment, and services, are to be expected to have criminal background checks verified when required by law, regulation and organization policy. The use of background checks on individuals working in clinical settings is one of the mechanisms that agencies use to help protect its clients/patients.   

All SRJC Radiologic Technology clinical affiliates are requiring background checks on all students placed at their facilities. The clinical affiliates have the right to reject a student based upon information collected from these background checks.

A background check, (including a Social Security trace and criminal records check), must be completed satisfactorily before any student will be offered full acceptance into the Radiologic Technology program. Currently, the program is using Castle Branch Company for this purpose - telephone number (888-666-7788). Do not begin this process until you have attended the mandatory orientation for accepted students.

The criminal background check must be completed no earlier than 60 days and no less than two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester in which the student will begin the RT program. This is necessary to ensure that the background check is thoroughly reviewed for acceptance or rejection. The SRJC faculty will not be responsible for obtaining nor monitoring the background checks on individuals.  If a student cannot be cleared for clinical due to a background check infraction or a positive drug screen, the student will not be eligible for placement at clinical facilities, which is a program requirement.

A student with a background check that indicates any of the following felony and/or misdemeanor convictions is not eligible for a clinical placement and is automatically denied program admission:

- Violent crimes such as murder, rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, attempted murder, assault with deadly weapons.

- Crimes involving theft, embezzlement, burglary, forgery, fraud, arson, identity theft.

- Sex crimes including sexual molestation, and sex crimes against children, or any conviction for which a candidate is required to register as a sex offender with a state or federal agency.

- Drug or alcohol related crimes, (including DUI), drug theft, sales, distribution, manufacturing and possession of controlled substances.

- Multiple convictions (more than one conviction for same or different crime).

- Name posted on any government sanctioned or debarred list.

In the event that a student is found ineligible for clinical placement by the clinical facility after admission to the Radiologic Technology program, they shall be subject to dismissal from the program, as they will be unable to complete the mandatory clinical course objectives.

In the event that convictions are discovered that were not identified in the background check and those convictions are of such an age or nature that they preclude the student from participating at all clinical sites, the student will be dismissed from the Radiologic Technology program. A student convicted of a criminal offense while enrolled in the Radiologic Technology program must report the conviction to the Program Director within five days of the conviction.

Students having any concerns about drug screening, criminal background checks, or criminal convictions are directed to the Ethics Review Pre-Application available at the Students and Educators page on the ARRT Website. https://www.arrt.org/pages/earn-arrt-credentials/initial-requirements/ethics/ethics-requirements .

Mandatory Drug Screening Requirement For Students

Despite the recent change to California state laws regarding marijuana usage, our clinical facilities, which rely on federal funding, require a clean urine drug screen from all students. Clinical agencies must uphold federal laws and therfore cannot accept a positive urine drug screen, including students with medical marijuana authorization.

Clinical agencies hold students to the same standards as they use for their employees; therefore, in order to be placed in clinical rotations, students will be required to clear a urine drug screen test. Any student with a positive result will not be allowed to participate in clinical training at contracted facilities. Since clinical is a required element of each semester in the program, any student with a positive result while enrolled will not be allowed to continue in the program.

Refusal to participate in the drug-screen portion of the requirement shall be interpreted as the student's unwillingness to complete the checklist of requirements and therefore that student will not be allowed to participate in clinical courses and will be dismissed from the program. The drug screen will be repeated annually and as requested by affiliated clinical sites.

The background checks and urine drug screening are done through CastleBranch, a designated independent service. Students are responsible for costs associated with the background check/s and urine drug screen/s. Students will register and self-pay online for this service. The urine drug screen must be completed no earlier than 30 days prior to the start of the clinical experience. Do not begin this process until you have attended the mandatory orientation for accepted students.

Health / Immunization Requirements

It is a requirement of the Radiologic Technology program that all students remain current with their health requirements, which are maintained through our third party screening vendor, CastleBranch. Students should be aware that some facilities where a student may be assigned have another third party vendor in which the clinical facility may want their own additional screening. This is due to the contractual agreements that SRJC and the clinical health care organizations have between each other that mandate that students be up to date and compliant on all of the health requirements, in order for them to be allowed onsite. Upon receiving a provisional acceptance letter, students are expected to complete the following:

Physical Exam

Complete the Health Evaluation form. Students must use and submit SRJC form below. The Health Evaluation must be completed within one year prior to entering the program and signed off by a physician, physician assistant or nurse-practitioner only. Instructions for the provider are included in the Health Evaluation form. Santa Rosa Junior College students can make an appointment with the Student Health Services for immunization and TB screening. Please check the site for dates and times they are open. https://shs.santarosa.edu/

See the Health Evaluation Form below for specific immunizations required.

Health Evaluation Form

All clinical sites reserve the right to change their requirements as the advice of the CDC, state or county. Hospital employees are allowed to decline the flu vaccinations or Covid-19 vaccinations with a signed medical or religious exemption. Students however are not employees and clinical settings may decline a student if not fully immunized. Students who are unable to complete their clinical rotations will not meet course objectives and will fail the course. 

If a student lets a health requirement lapse, the student is not allowed at their clinical site because they would not be following the clinical sites' policies. When a student is not allowed at their clinical site because of a lapse in their health requirements, the student will receive notification for failing to maintain their health requirements, AND a conference note for an UN-excused clinical absence, AND will need to meet with the Program Director in person to determine of the student will be successful in the program. The conference note and action plan usually include that the student will get their health requirements current, and if another lapse happens, the student will fail the clinical portion of the class/program.

It is the student's responsibility to provide the required documentation to CastleBranch before registering for each course. NOTE: Students should keep a personal file of all their health documentation for future employers.

Students must obtain certification in Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers with AED (adult, child and infant) and maintain currency while in the Radiologic Technology program.

Students who do not complete the admission requirements by the admission deadlines will forfeit their provisional acceptance.

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