Pasco college lands $5M-plus to expand medical imaging training

Pasco-Hernando State College will receive more than $5 million in federal funding dedicated to training medical imaging professionals, the college announced Tuesday, expanding a workforce pipeline for Tampa Bay health care providers as Moffitt Cancer Center builds out its nearby Pasco County campus.

The college plans to double its radiography program and introduce advanced technical certificates in computed tomography, or CT, and mammography, the announcement says. The certificates provide professionals already working in imaging a way to gain specialized skills locally.

“As healthcare grows in our region, we want local residents to have a direct path to the careers that this growth creates,” Eric Hall, president of Pasco-Hernando State College says in the release. “For PHSC, this is about helping our students build their futures here and ensuring our healthcare partners have the skilled professionals they need to care for our community.”

PHSC currently lists capacity for 20 students annually in its limited-access radiography program. The college’s announcement did not specify when the expansion or new certificates will launch. 

The funding comes through the Florida Oncology and Radiopharmaceutical Growth Engine, known as FORGE — a coalition of Tampa Bay area businesses led by Moffitt that is focused on developing, manufacturing, and advancing next-generation cancer treatments called radiopharmaceuticals. PHSC is a FORGE member along with the University of South Florida and Tampa startup support organization Embarc Collective.

The coalition is spearheaded by leadership on Moffitt’s 775-acre Speros life sciences research campus in Land O’ Lakes. 

PHSC’s portion of the FORGE funding will support an initiative called IMPACT, short for Imaging Modality Pathways for Advanced Clinical Technologists, the college says. The college plans to use the money for faculty support, instructional equipment, curriculum development and additional clinical training partnerships.

The college’s existing radiography associate degree program takes 24 months and combines classroom instruction with clinical training, according to its 2026-27 catalog. Graduates are eligible to apply for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists credentialing exam. Radiographers produce diagnostic images used by physicians, with employers including hospitals, imaging centers and clinics.

The FORGE investment in PHSC is one piece of a larger effort to build a regional industry around radiopharmaceuticals, which use radioactive substances to help detect or treat cancer, Moffitt says.

On Oct. 29, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its intent to award $47.3 million to FORGE through the Economic Development Administration’s disaster supplemental funding program. 

According to Moffitt, the federal funding supports five projects representing approximately $88.2 million in investment when matching contributions are included. Alongside PHSC’s imaging programs, the projects cover radiopharmaceutical manufacturing, laboratory and office space, startup support and specialized training for nuclear pharmacists.