Radiology Tech Jobs
Radiology and all of its sub-fields provide crucial information to doctors about the way a patient's body is functioning. Radiology technicians work on everything from bone X-rays to mammograms to echocardiograms, providing a variety of images that are vital to the diagnosis of serious conditions. A good radiation technician candidate will have impeccable bedside manner, the ability to follow detailed directions and be extremely detail-oriented.
Expert Insight
According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), radiology technicians are one of the most in-demand jobs. This is because the demand for imaging technicians has increased, and the number of graduates has not been able to keep up with the need. The AHA estimates that the amount of graduates entering into the radiology field would need to increase by 15 percent in order to keep up with the high demand that America's hospitals currently face and are anticipated to face as the Baby Boomer generation continues to age. This provides a great outlook for people who are looking to enter into the radiology field, but are not sure about job prospects and job security.
Types
There are a variety of technical jobs in the radiation field. Most technicians start out in the general field of radiology, where they manage an X-ray machine. These technicians also specialize in sub-fields and become abdominal radiologists, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) technicians, echocardiographers, ultrasound technicians, mammography technicians, sonographers and CT (Computed Tomography) technicians.
Education
Most radiologic societies, including the American Society of Radiologic Technicians, recommend that radiology technicians become registered, even if their state of practice does not require such registration. Registered technicians must graduate from an accredited two-year program that either held at a community college or at a hospital, or they must complete a four-year program at a university. After this, graduates must pass a national certification test (see Resources below).
Features
Most radiology technicians, regardless of their specialties, work in private medical offices, urgent cares, hospitals or imaging centers. Unless they work in an urgent care center, most technicians work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 5 days a week. Some full-time technicians receive health benefits and 401k plans, while those who work part-time usually do not. The average salary for a general radiology technician is $40,000 a year, though this varies with experience and specialization.
Application
When applying for a job as a radiology technician, you should include the typical job application information, such as where you went to school, when you graduated and your contact information, but you should also include any internship experience, as well as what specialized imaging tests you has performed in the past, such as mammograms or echocardiograms. If this is not your first job, you should also list where you worked, along with any references who can discuss your history with patients.
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