Are you interested in a fast-growing, well paying, high demand career in the medical field? Then why not look into the field of radiology. The need for Radiology Technicians is on the rise now and more will be needed in the coming years.
RADIOLOGY TECHNICIAN JOB DESCRIPTION
What does a radiology technician do day to day? As a radiology technician you will be required to take x-rays of patients as well as administer injections of non radioactive material for diagnostic purposes. You will need to provide a comforting experience as you explain the purpose of the procedure to the patient. You will also have to situate a person in a more or less comfortable position to get the best x-rays of the part of the body that is needed. To minimize the exposure to radiation the use of lead shields and other devices will be employed and as a radiology tech it will be your job to use these tools in the safest and necessary way possible. You will also learn how to minimize or expand the size of the x-ray beam in order to use the smallest amount of radiation but to also get the best x-ray possible.
You will be trained on how to use a badge that measures radiation levels to make sure levels are safe and you will need to do some record keeping of a lifetime dose. You will learn to use a device that measures the thickness of a body part to find the correct amount of an x-ray beam, this will help in getting an accurate x-ray of the inside of a body part that is needed to diagnose. Doing this as well as learning to control the actual x-ray machine will lead to the best x-rays possible. You will learn where the x-ray film needs to be placed, making an exposure and also developing the film. In addition there are many other job requirements to be done that you will as a radiology tech do. You will be required to prepare work schedules, to keep patients records and learn to use and preserve equipment, assess equipment purchases or you may even manage the radiology unit. But one of the most important aspects of this career is the ability to effectively communicate and comfort patients, so people skills are needed.
RADIOLOGY TECHNICIAN SCHOOLING
Most hospitals and physician offices will require a certificate or diploma in radiology, so schooling or training will be needed. Many radiology career schools as well as some colleges and hospitals offer programs to teach and train people in radiology. Usually it takes from one year to four years depending on where you go to school for this career.
RADIOLOGY TECHNICIAN SALARY
It is important to remember that starting off in any career you will be making less money that someone who has more experience will make. You can expect making as your starting rad tech salary around $35,000 a year but as you gain more experience, just as in many other careers, you will see raises in your salary. The amount of schooling you have in radiology will be a determining factor in the amount of money you make in addition. If you gain a bachelors degree in radiology you can anticipate making a starting income of around $63,000 a year.
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