Rasmussen College may not prepare students for all positions featured within this content. Other facilities that hire these specialists include nursing homes, outpatient care centers and stand-alone facilities that specialize in diagnostic imagery. 01, 2019 – Jun. And what is the job outlook for the field? 2Burning-Glass.com (analysis of 46,895 radiologic technologist job postings, Jul. They are also able to answer simple questions that patients may have about the procedure, and help patients prepare for the procedure. If you’re interested in the medical field and love technology, a career as a radiologic technologist might be for you. If you’re excited about the prospect of pursuing this profession, you’re likely curious about some important career details. MRI technologists typically have less than 5 years of work experience as radiologic technologists. Keep reading to debunk some common myths. Medical Radiography Technologist Medical Radiographer. It offers a sense of helping others while being able to provide for your family. Less commonly earned degrees for Diagnostic Radiologic Technologists include a Military Technology … This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. By selecting "Submit", I authorize Rasmussen College to contact me by email, phone or text message at the number provided. Radiologic technologists use diagnostic imaging equipment to help physicians identify illnesses and injuries. You’ll be a member of the physician’s team. A radiologic technologist and technicians take diagnostic imaging exams on patients using computed tomography imaging (CT Scans), X-rays, and other technology such as mammographs. 12.02.2019, Callie Malvik | So, what does a radiologic technician do? Some may choose to specialize in imaging techniques like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET). These often behind-the-scenes medical professionals aren’t always at the public’s top of mind when it comes to healthcare careers. Radiologic Technologist Duties & Responsibilities Radiologic Technologist Salaries and Hiring Outlook. One can follow by getting their Radiologic Technologist certification then on to areas such as Radiation Therapy, MRI, CT, Mammography, The list is long. Some focus on diagnostic imaging technologies, such as computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). First off, how much do radiologic technologists make? Most radiologic techs are experts in x-ray and computed tomography (CT) imaging. Rasmussen College is a regionally accredited college authorized to operate as a postsecondary educational institution by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. WHAT DO RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGISTS DO? What does a radiologic technician do? If you can relate to the transferable skills listed above, you might be naturally inclined to find success as a radiologic technologist. She is passionate about creating quality resources that empower others to improve their lives through education. It’s a rewarding career with the opportunity for advancement and specialties. This is a 28% increase based on the amount of current jobs available, which is a faster growth rather than the national average for all jobs. They like tasks that are tactile, physical, athletic, or mechanical. A high level of understanding of anatomy and physiology is a basic requirement of this job, and students who excel in biology courses in high school will more likely be prepared for work in this field. Success is a journey, not a destination. Technicians operate sophisticated equipment that includes X-ray, mammography, computerized axial tomography (CAT) and positron emission tomography (PET) scan devices. Some who are employed in hospitals are required to work outside of traditional business hours, including nights, weekends and holidays shifts. A radiology technician, also referred to as a radiographer, is a medical specialist who takes images of the internal organs, bones and tissue of the human body for diagnostic purposes. They may use x-ray equipment, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or mammography to perform X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or mammograms. Medical testing is improving by leaps and bounds. Those Diagnostic Radiologic Technologists who do attend college, typically earn either a Medical Technician degree or a Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies degree. Diagnostic Radiographer He does his best to explain the steps that will be undertaken, the length of time it will take and any particular positions that the patient must do or solutions that he must drink to ensure that the image taken will be clear. If you can’t picture yourself working in a bustling hospital, there are still plenty of options for starting your radiologic technologist career. External links provided on rasmussen.edu are for reference only. Now you know what a radiologic technologist does and what it takes to become one. They simply report these images to the radiologist. A radiologic technologist is a radiologist's assistant who administers nonradioactive treatments to patients for diagnostic purposes, as well as takes x-rays and fluoroscope readings. The BLS states that most radiologic techs work full time. Radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging examinations, such as x-rays, in order to help physicians diagnose the problems that are ailing their patients. Get Radiology School Information or find Jobs in Radiology at www.radiologyworkers.com. Radiologic technologists do not decide which tests a patient needs. In order to gain a better understanding of what a radiologic technologist does, it’s important to understand what they don’t do as well. The technologists also operate these machines; however, radiologic technologists do not make any judgements based on the images they obtain. All Rights Reserved. Please select another program of interest. They will also perform various other duties throughout the work day as requested by the radiologist. Compensation tends to be highest for radiologic techs working in outpatient care centers.1. As a radiologic technician (x-ray tech), you will work directly under a radiologist using imaging techniques such as basic x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, mammography, fluoroscopy, and computed tomography. What is the workplace of a Radiologic Technologist like? This is more hands-on training than most other entry-level healthcare programs at any degree level. After checking the film for quality, the rad tech will send it to the radiologist for interpretation. What is the difference between a radiologist and a radiologic technologist. You’ll be happy to hear that the median annual salary for radiologic technologists in 2019 was $60,510, according to the BLS.1 This is higher than the national average for all occupations, which the BLS reports as $39,810.1 Earning potential can fluctuate depending on the type of facility in which you’re employed. After a residency, most radiologists do a fellowship. Information represents national, averaged data for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. Contributing to safer, better health care. For example, they make sure that patients remove all of their jewelry prior to a CAT scan, and also warn patients about potential risks and dangers to their health. Over the next decade it is expected that 61,000 new radiologic technician jobs will be added into the economy due to the rising age of the baby boom population. A primary responsibility of many technologists is to create images of patients’ bodies using medical equipment. 30, 2020). The technologist needs to have earned either an associate's or a bachelor's degree before practicing, and must be licensed. The radiologist, not the radiologic technician, is the one who analyzes the data. Nearly 60 percent are employed in hospitals, according to the BLS.1 But that’s not the only place their skills are needed. “Whether producing an x-ray image to detect a broken bone or delivering radiation therapy to destroy a cancerous tumor, radiologic technologists provide the care that leads to diagnosis, treatment and cure,” according to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT). When a patient is brought to the imaging department, a radiology technician will first talk to the patient to inform him of the procedure. Read on for more information about what an MRI technologist does. You’re finally ready to leave your dead-end job in the dust in pursuit of a stable career that makes a difference. Read on for a closer look at the crucial role of a radiologic technologist. It may sound intimidating to work with radiation and specialized imaging equipment, but radiologic techs need plenty of soft skills, too. Hannah Meinke | Radiologic technicians are primarily concerned with prepping patients and performing imaging procedures. 1 As you consider earning a degree in radiologic technology, you should become familiar with the various influences on radiologic technologist pay. What Does a Radiology Technician Do? Rasmussen College does not guarantee, approve, control, or specifically endorse the information or products available on websites linked to, and is not endorsed by website owners, authors and/or organizations referenced. Rasmussen College is not enrolling students in your state at this time. Radiologic technologists are required to gather high-quality images and data. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ( www.bls.gov ) says that radiologic technologists prepare patients for exams by explaining procedures and positioning patients for radiography. If you’ve ever been to the emergency room with a broken bone, it was probably a radiologic technician who explained the x-ray procedure to you, made sure all of your jewelry was removed, positioned you, and then took the x-ray. The next logical question is around job availability. All radiologic technologists work in medical offices, hospitals, or community colleges. An MRI technologist works in this area of specialty in radiology. Radiologic technologists are skilled equipment operators who know exactly how to capture the images they need and how to shield patients from harmful radiation in the process. If you can picture yourself in this position, learn more about the next steps needed to enter the field. A radiologic technician, sometimes referred to as a limited scope technician, has a limited scope of practice and is not allowed to perform certain imaging procedures. A variety of imaging techniques such as X-ray radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography, nuclear medicine including positron emission tomography, fluoroscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging are used to diagnose or treat diseases. A radiologic technologist must complete a wide variety of tasks every day, such as setting up MRI machines, X-ray machines, CAT scan machines, ultrasound machines, and a variety of other radiologic equipment. There is no obligation to enroll. The average radiologic technologist makes $54,340 per year and the career is growing at a rate of 28% of 2010-2012. Fill out the form to receive information about: There are some errors in the form. Regardless of the setting, these professionals are always required to wear specialized equipment to protect them from harmful effects of radiation. Employment conditions in your area may vary. Now that you know what radiologic technologists don’t do, it’s time to learn about their daily job duties and their role in the medical community. Radiologic technologists play an important role in patient care and in the healthcare community as a whole. After a two year internship, they take a residency in radiology for four to seven years. Residency is a combination of further medical education and on-the-job training in different areas of radiology. Here are some of the daily job duties a radiologic technologist might encounter, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):1. 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