Chattahoochee Tech launches Mammography Technologist program
By Cory Sekine-Pettite
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer is the second-most common form of cancer diagnosed in U.S. women. Only skin cancer accounts for more cases. The American Cancer Society’s estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2024 are as follows:
- About 310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed in women.
- About 56,500 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) were diagnosed.
- About 42,250 women died from breast cancer in the U.S. last year.
While the ACS and other organizations report a slight increase in breast cancer diagnoses in recent years (up about 0.6 percent), breast cancer death rates have been decreasing steadily since 1989, for an overall decline of 42 percent through 2021. The decrease is believed to be the result of finding breast cancer earlier through screening and increased awareness, as well as better treatments.
Of course, as more of us are getting screened, the demand for radiologists, mammography technologists, and other qualified healthcare professionals has grown. Chattahoochee Technical College, which in 2023 celebrated its 60th anniversary, is heeding the call. This past October, the college announced a new Mammography Technologist program, which begins its first classes on January 13. The program is designed to equip certified Radiography professionals with the advanced skills needed to excel in the critical field of breast cancer detection.
“Many programs offer CT [computed tomography] and MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] certificates and Chattahoochee Tech wanted to offer something that not many other programs were offering at the time,” said Chattahoochee Tech Radiography Program Director, Jamie Bailey, regarding the impetus for the new program. “The Radiography program and administration at Chattahoochee Tech initially coordinated the logistics of the program with Northside, and later had the support of Wellstar, Floyd/Atrium, and Piedmont in moving forward.”
The program is open to students who hold certification in Radiography from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Participants will develop proficiency in producing digital, 3D, and X-ray images, which are essential tools in detecting breast cancer when it is most treatable, the school reported in a recent news release. At the time of publishing, up to 20 students were expected to be enrolled for the spring 2025 semester.
The program consists of one online course combined with a clinical course, providing students with hands-on experience under the guidance of certified Mammographers in healthcare facilities. This immersive approach ensures students gain practical skills necessary for operating mammography units for both medical screening and diagnostic purposes. The entire program can be completed within one semester.
“The program falls under the umbrella of the Chattahoochee Tech Radiography program so it will consist of the program director, clinical coordinator, and we will have an instructor for the online course,” Bailey said regarding staffing for the Mammography Technologist program.
Upon completion, graduates will be prepared to sit for the national certification examination in mammography offered by ARRT, meeting the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) initial education requirements for mammographers.
“We are excited to offer the Mammography program,” said Dr. Stephanie Puffer, PT, DPT, Dean of Health Sciences, “which will not only fulfill a great need in the community workforce but will also give Radiographers an opportunity to advance their skills in a personally rewarding career where they can have a meaningful impact on detecting early-stage breast cancer when it is most treatable.”
Job placement assistance is a hallmark of Chattahoochee Tech’s commitment to its students, so this program is no different. According to Bailey, the college is collaborating with stakeholders in the local healthcare community to ensure job opportunities for graduates are available within the service area. “Clinical placement for students will provide working interview opportunities for potential employment after completion of the program,” she said.
The Mammography certificate program is offered exclusively during the Spring term. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply early, as spots are limited. To learn more, visit chattahoocheetech.edu.
Mammography Tech
Mammography Technologists produce digital, 3D, and X-ray images as an essential tool in detecting early-stage breast cancer when it’s most treatable. These skills are in high demand in healthcare facilities. This is an advanced program open to students who are certified in Radiography by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Students gain the skills and knowledge required to operate a mammography unit for medical screening and diagnostic purposes under the supervision of a physician.
The program consists of one online course and one clinical course where students will be placed in a healthcare facility under the supervision of a certified Mammographer. The program will be completed in one semester.
The Mammography certificate program prepares students to sit for the national certification examination in mammography offered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). The Program meets MQSA initial education requirements for mammographers.
This program is currently only offered during spring term.
*Note that in order to be eligible for this program students must be certified in Radiography by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
Chatt Tech Foundation Event Raises $85,250 to Help Students in Need
The Chattahoochee Tech Foundation raised a record-breaking total of $85,250 at its annual fundraiser this past October to help students in need. This event featured the Andrews Brothers Dueling Pianos, a high energy, interactive and comedy show, at the college’s North Metro Campus. Proceeds will provide much-needed funding to deserving students for scholarships, emergency grants, and textbooks. Learn more at chattahoocheetech.edu/fundraising-event.
Chattahoochee Tech at a Glance
Students can graduate in two years or less at Chattahoochee Technical College with a meaningful degree that is immediately usable and builds a lasting career. Chattahoochee Tech offers real-world training in a wide range of programs for students at all stages of life to quickly start, change, or accelerate their careers. A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Chattahoochee Tech awards certificates, diplomas and associate degrees in programs of study linked to the state’s fastest-growing, high-demand career fields.
Chattahoochee Tech has nine campus locations, which are located in Cobb, Bartow, Cherokee, Paulding, and Pickens counties. The Aviation Training Academy is the college’s newest campus, which opened in the 2024 spring semester near the Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport. Three of the Chattahoochee Tech campuses are located in Cobb County. The Chattahoochee Tech Marietta Campus continues to have the college’s largest campus enrollment each semester.
In 2020, Chattahoochee Tech celebrated the opening of its newly constructed, 71,716-square-foot Health Sciences building at the Marietta Campus. The facility houses six health sciences programs under the same roof and includes two lecture halls, a computer lab, faculty and administrative space, a covered roof-top terrace, simulation labs, and an electroneurodiagnostic (END) lab used to study brain activity. This is only the second laboratory of its kind in the state of Georgia.
As part of the college’s 60th anniversary commemoration in 2023, the then Chattahoochee Tech President, Dr. Ron Newcomb, told Cobb In Focus, “Our students are becoming well prepared for careers in the medical profession, with 100 percent of recent graduates in five of the college’s health science programs routinely achieving first-time pass rates on their national licensure and certification exams.”
