Many of my students often question my motive behind writing assignments, frequently expressing this sentiment in the form of a complaint (eg, "This is a technical program," "Writing is a part of English" or "Why don't you just teach us what we need to know to perform radiography?").Sound familiar?Most colleges and universities require the student to complete basic writing and communication courses in their first year. Many instructors are inclined to believe they are not obligated to cultivate writing and communication skills because the students have fulfilled the basic requirements in the introductory courses. However, it is paramount that instructors in the allied health sciences continually foster these newly acquired skills.As educators in radiologic technology, we have a lot to accomplish in 2 years. Besides teaching the radiologic technology curricula, we also are trying to stay current with ever-changing technology in our profession as we prepare our students for a competitive marketplace. How do we prepare our students to be more successful in the current environment? Is writing in radiologic technology important, or should we just continue preparing our students to fulfill the roles of entry-level radiographers - positions that may begin to dwindle as diagnostic equipment becomes more sophisticated? I ask myself these questions each day I enter my classroom.
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