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Ten Easy Tips on How to Become a Radiology Technologist |
Ten tips on how you can kick start a career as a radiology technician
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If you’ve ever had to get an x-ray, an MRI or a CT scan, you’ve had experience with radiologic technician. There’s a lot more to the specialty than just snapping pictures of snapped femurs. It takes specialized training, an ability to work well with patients, and there’s a wide range of employment opportunities for trained radiology tech. There are procedures that treat cancer, and tech need to know how to use ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and CT Scanning equipment.
It’s not hard to get the training you need – to enter a radiography technician program you’ll need a high school diploma or the equivalent. An understanding of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology is extremely helpful. Once in an accredited program, you’ll get instruction in anatomy and physiology, patient care procedures, radiation physics, radiation protection, principles of imaging, medical terminology, positioning of patients, medical ethics, radiobiology, and pathology. It’s a lot of work, but a pretty simple process:
1. Study life sciences such as biology and chemistry, mathematics, and Health and Physical Education in high school. Get the best grades that you can, because admissions counselors will be looking at your performance in these courses.
2. Talk to people in the field and find out what it is like to be a radiology technologist.
3. Consider taking some vocational tests to see if radiology technology is a good career choice for you.
4. Apply to radiology schools. If you do not get accepted right away; don’t get discouraged. Instead, begin to take some of the pre- and co-requisite classes.
5. Get some exposure to the profession. Volunteer in a radiology clinic or department, or work part time as a patient mover or something.
6. Attend school. Most courses of study that give you the training you need will last for two years, resulting in an Associate's Degree. You’ll get both classroom and clinical instruction, with an emphasis on the information you’ll need to pass your certification exams.
7. Get training in multiple areas of radiology – many hospitals are now saving money by merging their nuclear medicine and radiologic technology departments, so if you’re certified in both radiologic technology (X-ray) and nuclear medicine technology, you’ll greatly increase your chance of employment.
8. Study for and take your licensure exam.
9. Once you’re licensed, you can further your career advancement by continuing your education to become a specialist in MRI, CT scanning, mammography, angiography, or any other specialty. The pay increases substantially if you specialize, and the more training you have in different procedures, the better your chances of moving up the career ladder.
10. Continue to grow in your profession by continuing your education, first by completing the required 24 hours of continuing education every two years, but also by keeping on top of new advancements through classes, lectures, reading papers and industry journals, and attending conferences.
The need for skilled radiology technologists will increase in the coming decades, as the aging baby boomers demand more medical care and the healthcare industry grows to meet that demand. With its relatively short educational requirements and the rewards, both financial and personal, that the job brings, radiology is an excellent career choice.
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