Radiologist Assistant – Education And Training

The Radiologist Assistant, or RA is a technician or radiographer with supplemental education. They can do some of the more advanced imaging jobs, and they do not require supervision. More often than not, the radiologist assistant will not be working under a radiologist, but rather under a licensed physician.

The radiologist assistant represents a new field today, and there are fewer than fifty courses to take today. More and more universities are expected to follow suit as radiology assisting becomes more accepted. More universities today are offering radiologist assistant courses than in the previous years. These courses, being new to the allided medical professions are obviously still in development.

If you want to become a radiologist assistant, you will need to finish a radiology assistant course recognized by the American Registry of Radologic Technologist.

In 2010, 11 programs are being offered for the radiologist assistant program. These will of course involve degrees of either Master’s or Bachelor’s. In the radiology field, it is impossible to obtain a degree lower than a Bachelor’s.

If you truly wish to become a radiology assistant, you will need to finish the course, and graduate in good standing. Something to note is that RA programs are only available to those who have already spent a considerable amount of time as a technician.

All things considered, the degree program for a radiologist assistant will take about two years to finish, and will include: patient assessment, care plans, diagnosis, testing, clinical radiology, radio-biology, pharmacology, and of course, ethics.

Before you can graduate the course with a Master’s Degree you will need to produce your master’s thesis. Even when you have been certified, you might find that you need to carry our some continuing education.

Aside from the graduation of an accredited degree program for your profession, the radiologist assistant must also take and pass an examination in order to practice. Though not every state requires any state licensing, some accrediting institutions will require it. That being said, there are some states that require a state license, which currently takes place in11 different states.

One of the final steps in obtaining your Registered Radiology Assistant certification is taking the exam offered by the AART.

While you are only a Radiology Assistant, the ARRT still requires that you become certified in Advance Cardiac Life Support which is a certification provided by the American Heart Association.

Your radiologist assistant licensing and registration must be renewed each year and you must maintain your radiology technician certification by renewing it every two years.

The renewal is a condition of your job retention. Note that every two years you must renew your technician certification and pay the renewal fees. In order to perform as a radiologist assistant you must also be a radiologic technologist.

You will find that many of the procedures you perform as a radiologist assistant will be the same as that which is done by a full fledged radiologist. You will typically assist or perform invasive techniques such as fluoroscopy, MRI, x-rays, and other examinations. Once the RA completes the tests in question, the results need to be sent to the licensed radiologist for a conclusion.

As the work for standard radiologists grows in the next decade, the need for RA’s will grow exponentially, says the ASRT. Right now there is a huge calling for radiologists and radiologists assistants, but that need is not being met. There are a number of people out there who need diagnostic testing, and as a result, the field will grow considerably over the next few years.

The American Medical Association reported in 2009 and 2010 that radiologist assistants are becoming both popular and needed. They further state that as of 2008, the licensed radiologist assistant can expect to receive about $100,000 USD per year in compensation for this employment position, depending on the geographic area in which they are practicing.

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