A Career as a Radiology Technician?

Answer 1

When a doctor orders an x-ray, MRI or CT scan for a patient, it is usually the radiology technician is in charge of getting that scan done. They operate the equipment and machines that create images for doctors to read. These have become essential diagnostic tools and medical facilities are in need of competent technicians that can conduct these imaging procedures. The responsibilities of the radiologist technician include preparing a patient for the scan. This can mean helping the patient to understand the procedure, ensuring the patient does not have any metal on their bodies and positioning a patient so that the scanning machine can get the correct image. The radiologist technician must then operate the equipment. This can include some advanced technology such as an MRI machine or CT scan.

Radiology technicians are usually employed by a hospital. However, there has been an increasing trend for doctor’s offices and smaller medical centers to have imaging equipment. Those facilities might also employ radiology technicians.

There are several programs to choose from to become a radiology technician. These programs are accredited radiography education programs that award either a bachelor’s or an associate’s degree. Employers will also require a certification from ARRT , or the American registry of radiologic technologists. Further certifications can be obtained that specialize in some advanced technology such as an MRI machines, CT scanner or even nuclear medicines.

The starting salary range in this field is $42,000 to $49,000. The more experience and certifications a radiology technician receives, the higher salary they can expect. Employers also offer some perks with this job. Some of those include free housing, job related travel reimbursement and paid benefits.

There are very few drawbacks for radiology technicians. Some of those include long hours standing and maneuvering of heavy equipment. One concern of radiologist technicians is exposure of radiation. They often wear badges to monitor the amount of radiation they are exposed to and keep track of their lifetime exposure.

Job stability and outlook for this job are very good. As more and more facilities acquiring imaging equipment, they will need technicians to operate it. A radiologist technician that stays educated in modern technology and certifications can expect to have a long, productive career in the field.