Job Description

A radiologic technologist is a person who is in charge of taking the internal images of patients so that radiologists can analyze the results, and physicians can conclude a diagnosis of what is ailing the patient. From this diagnosis, a treatment plan is created for the patient. A radiologic technologist also assists the patient during the procedure and directs them to be the right position so the image can be the best possible quality. They have very important jobs, and thus are compensated well for their services.

Average Salary

The average salary for a radiologic technologist ranges from around $30,000 to $90,000 per year. There are several factors that have an effect on how high your salary will be, such as experience and education level.

Experience

If you have just graduated, then you cannot expect your salary to be as high as $90,000, but more along the lines of around $30,000- $50,000. This is due to lack of experience. With more experience and more years in the industry under your belt, you will be able to earn a higher salary. The longer you work for a company, the more money you will make due to periodic pay raises and bonuses. These increases in salary build up over time and your starting salary could grow by 50% in a few years’ time.

Education

The lowest education level that is needed is just having a two-year degree (also called an associate’s degree) in radiologic technology. You may be able to get a job with this degree and other experience, but most employers want to hire a graduate who has a bachelor’s degree. This degree takes twice as long to obtain as an associate’s, but your depth of knowledge is also doubled. It has been proven that college graduates with a bachelor’s degree earn more annually than just a two-year degree.

Also, a certification by the ARRT in radiologic technology is not required in this profession, but employers look highly upon candidates who are certified. The certification process involves taking and passing an exam, and there are study materials that are available for students to purchase in order to prepare for the exam.

You can earn a high salary within this field if you have a bachelor’s degree, become certified by the ARRT, and stay in the field for a while to increase your experience level.

Job Description

A radiologic technologist is a person who uses high-tech machines to create images of patients’ internal body parts, such as bones and different organs. They work under radiologists, who are the ones who examine the images and determine a diagnosis based upon the findings. The technologists must adjust the machines based upon the patients, and also direct the patients to maneuver themselves so the best image can be captured by the machines.

Process

It is a relatively easy process to become a radiologic technologist, but the steps in the process are not exactly easy. There are only three steps in the process:

1)      Education

The most basic education needed is an associate’s degree in radiologic technology, but most of them go the extra two years and get a bachelor’s degree instead. Having a higher education often results in a higher pay, which is an incentive to be in school for longer.

During your time in school in this field, you will take classes in subjects such as anatomy, radiation, patient care, radiobiology, and many other subjects, depending upon the type of program that your school offers.

2)      Certification

In order to become a radiologic technologist, you should be certified by the ARRT (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists). It is not a requirement in all states, but most employers are requiring their employees to be certified. It proves that you are competent and that you have a more in-depth understanding of radiologic technology. The certification is awarded if you pass an exam. Study guides and test-prep materials are available on the ARRT website to prepare for the exam.

3)      Applying for Jobs

The last step in this process is to go out and start applying for jobs, which is often the most difficult part. But, if you have certification and good education under your belt, you will most likely be on an employer’s radar.

Whenever you go to the doctor or the dentist and are getting an x-ray taken, there is a person who is operating that huge piece of machinery. That same person also helps you get into the right position (which is often at an uncomfortable angle), and covers you in a protective blanket to minimize the amount of rays that your body absorbs. You only really see this person for about 5 minutes total, but her job is an important one that helps physicians determine any ailments that you may have, and she is called a radiologic technologist.

Radiologic technologists often work in hospital settings, but they can also work in dentist offices, medical labs, or clinics. They work directly under radiologists, and they are in charge of setting everything up to take pictures of the inside of their patient’s bodies. They use a variety of high-tech machines to accomplish this, and must know the difference between the different types of machines, such as a CT or an MRI.  They also are in charge of developing the images from the machines and giving them to the radiologist for proper examination.

They do not diagnose or analyze the x-rays; this job task is for the radiologist. They instead assist the patient to put them at the right position to take the best image and they thoroughly explain the procedure. They also must adjust the machine according to the patient, and they cover the patient in protective gear to protect them from the dangerous rays. They must also wear this protective gear every time they operate the machine.

These technologists also create the liquid solutions that patients must drink if the radiologist needs to take a look at the inside of a patient’s body. The liquid solution is illuminated in the picture and allows the radiologist to find anything abnormal within the body that may otherwise not show up on a normal x-ray.

Radiologic technologists have a very important job description; they capture images of a patient’s internal body so that physicians can deduct a diagnosis. Through the diagnosis, these physicians can come up with a treatment plan and allow the patient to be cured of their ailment. The technologists make the patient feel comfortable, safe, and well-aware of the upcoming procedure, which is important because patient’s often feel panicked when they are in a hospital setting.

If you’ve ever broken a bone or gotten your teeth x-rayed at the dentist, you’ve probably wondered who the person is behind that huge machine, and it’s not the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This person is called a radiologic technologist, and he is in charge of using x-ray, ultrasound, MRI and other types of high-tech machines in order to see inside the human body.  They work in the field of radiologic technology, which is the study of pictures taken of internal body parts. These pictures provide the doctor with a diagnosis of what could be wrong with the patient, such as a fracture, break, or an object lodged in a place where it doesn’t belong.

Radiologic technologists work under the strict order of physicians in order to determine which part of the body to take pictures of.  For different parts of the body, these technologists must use different machines in order to generate the best pictures. For example, for scans of the breast to screen for breast cancer, mammography machines are used. They must position the machine at just the right angle in order to capture the body part in the best way.

In addition to actually taking the x-rays, these technologists are in charge of positioning the patient in such a way for the proper body parts to be captured. They also explain the procedure to the patients and help them to remove any jewelry that the radiation will not pass through, such as necklaces or earrings.

Due to the high amounts of dangerous radiation that they are exposed to on a daily basis, they must wear protective apparel to minimize the amount of radiation that they absorb. They also must adorn their patients in protective apparel prior to the procedure taking place. This protective gear may include goggles or radiation-protecting coats or blankets.

A radiologic technologist may choose to specialize in a specific type of radiation machine, such as CT (computer tomography) or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans. CT specialists take x-rays of cross-sections of the body that create 3D imaging, as do MRI specialists. The difference is in the type of machine; MRI machines use a non-ionizing radio frequency to create the image of the body part.

These technologists use different types of machines to generate images of a patient’s internal body parts. These images are analyzed by physicians in order to come up with a diagnosis of the patient’s ailment, which results in coming up with a treatment plan for the patient.