Radiology technicians are in need to supplement the overall general growth of the health-care industry, due in part to the aging of baby boomers. Pennsylvania has many options for certification, depending on how much time and money you want to invest. Additionally, there are several accredited facilities that offer options for specializing within the radiology field.
Features
Pennsylvania businesses employ about 10,000 radiology technicians. They assist radiologists in performing tests such as X-rays and MRIs, but they can also specialize in one of four main areas: radiography, sonography, nuclear medicine and radiation therapy. Many hospitals offer two-year programs where you can earn a certificate, and technical schools and community colleges also offer two-year programs for an associate's degree. Four-year colleges or universities offer bachelor's degrees.
Types: Radiography and Radiation Therapy
Radiographers use specialized equipment to produce images of bones or tissue and organs. Radiation therapists treat cancer and other diseases with focused radiation. The Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh admits 55 students per year to its radiation-therapy program, which offers a 12-month certificate program or an associate's degree in science in 24 months. It is one of three programs accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology in the state. The school also has a radiography program, but there are 38 other accredited radiography programs in the state, many at hospitals such as Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.
Types: Sonography
A tech specializing in sonography uses high-frequency sound waves to create images. Eleven Pennsylvania programs are certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs for a certificate or degree in general sonography. Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia offers all three specialties: general, cardiac and vascular sonography. Additionally, Lackawanna College in Scranton offers a vascular technology concentration as part of a two-year commitment toward an associate's degree in applied science.
Types: Nuclear Medicine
Technologists specializing in nuclear medicine use cameras in combination with radioactive drugs to produce images of organs and help determine their functions. There are six nuclear-medicine programs in Pennsylvania accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology. Thomas Jefferson University has a baccalaureate program that accepts 31 students per term. Applicants are admitted on a rolling basis for three terms: pre-fall, fall and spring. It boasts a career placement rate of 95 to 100 percent for graduates since 1995.
Potential
Job opportunities are better for candidates with training and certification in radiological sciences, and certain programs allow you to study two specialties simultaneously. The American Registry of Radiological Technologists reports that Pennsylvania is one of 35 states that uses the AART's certification exam as a factor in state licensing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for Radiological Technologists and Technicians in Pennsylvania is $46,110.
Tags: associate degree, accredited Joint, accredited Joint Review, Jefferson University, Joint Review, Joint Review Committee, nuclear medicine