Career Option Being A Radiology Technician
Amongst the various technologies and advances that have influenced modern medicine, the most profound of these are those related to medical imaging. It has significantly reduced guess work and made things simpler for the medical fraternity. Of all the radiology and imaging technologies, X- ray is the oldest and one of the most widely used. Because of the expertise required to operate and maintain X-ray and other imaging machines, X-ray technicians, certified and trained at X ray technician schools are required at almost all medical facilities.
A career in medical imaging and radiology holds promise. A degree or a diploma from an X ray technician school is a required to step into the industry. There are large numbers of accredited programs offered by a number of radiology technician schools. Other than X-ray, the scope of medical imaging also includes CT- scan, MRI and ultrasound. As these instruments are so expensive and complicated, skilled technicians are required for the job.
A radiology tech’s job description mainly includes operating the machine, ensuring patient safety and diagnosing medical conditions. Salary of a radiology technician varies from state to state depending on the factors of demand and supply. Furthermore, your educational qualification will also determine your market value. For example, someone with a bachelor’s degree in radiology will command a higher pay than someone with a associate’s degree, other things being equal. There are a number of vocational x-ray technician schools, online and on-campus, that offer associate’s degree.
A one year certification course will fetch you a assistant level job. If you join an online course, you have to train at a local school and then take the certification test. For most, the associate degree, a 2 year program, is the most preferred one. Most x-ray technician schools offer both these courses. There are also more advanced 4 years bachelor programs that give a range of career options and qualify you for more responsible jobs as administrators etc.
Once you complete the training program you will have to get a license or a certification from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). A license or certification is a necessity these days and almost all healthcare institutes will ask for one before they consider employing you. Most of the advanced certification programs also provide training on ultrasound and MRI. Most radiology and imaging schools also have certification programs exclusively for ultrasound technicians or you can join an ultrasound technician school, or join an off campus program for the same.
Interested in a career in medical imaging? For detailed information on x-ray imaging, radiology and ultrasound, visit this webpage: ultrasound technician schools and ultrasound tech schools