Why choose a radiology career in the healthcare industry?

If you are looking for a career that is personally fulfilling, monetarily rewarding, free from boring routine, and open to upward mobility, then radiology is a perfect choice.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Programs in Radiologic Technology are generally two to three years, and provide you with an Associate's Degree upon completion. During the program, you will take classes in everything from Anatomy and Physiology, to Radiation Biology and Patient Care. Additionally, you will have "on the job" training through a series of clinical rotations which will expose you to every kind of procedure, exam, and modality offered in this field. Upon completion of the program, you will take a standardized "board" exam in order to get your license, and will then be qualified to work in any hospital, clinic, or doctor's office.

For those who are not interested in hospital work, and would prefer to simply do routine X-rays in clinics and doctor's offices, some states offer a "limited" radiography program. These programs generally take nine months to one year, and qualify the graduate to take basic X-rays. Graduates of these programs cannot work in hospitals and cannot perform any radiologic exams using contrast agents (medicines injected into the patient to provide better visualization of internal organs).

PERSONAL FULFILLMENT

Radiology, and indeed any career in healthcare, provides a fantastic opportunity for personal fulfillment through helping others. Illness is an unavoidable part of life, and helping others on their path to wellness can be very rewarding. As a radiographer, you will have the opportunity to work with many different kinds of people who all have one thing in common: illness or suspected illness. As a radiographer, not only will you have the opportunity to aid in the diagnosis - and therefore ultimate treatment - of patients, but you will have the opportunity to cultivate compassion, broaden your cultural horizons, and learn a great deal about health, well-being, and the human body. It would be difficult to be an excellent radiographer and not come away as an all-around better human being. 

MONETARY CONSIDERATIONS

Careers in radiology are some of the most financially rewarding in the healthcare industry. From the radiologists on down, people working in the radiology department are generally compensated very well. Most new graduates from radiography programs can expect to make around $20 an hour to start. If you are good at what you do, this can increase very rapidly. Most

hospitals need and want employees to work overtime and on-call, and this is another way in which radiographers can increase their income dramatically. Furthermore, hospitals generally provide good health insurance and other benefits, and provide for vacation and sick time as needed. 

NEVER A DULL MOMENT

For those people stuck in office jobs and other careers that are dull, routine, and boring, careers in radiology provide a perfect alternative. I spent nearly ten years working in cubicles, pulling my hair out in boredom and constantly feeling underappreciated, underpaid, and unrecognized by the corporate bureaucracy. Although hospitals are certainly corporations, and can be as guilty of corporate shenanigans as the next company, work as a radiographer is never dull, boring, or routine. You get the opportunity to work in emergency departments where nothing is ever predictable, you run fluoroscopy during various surgical procedures, you take part in diagnostic cardiac and pulmonary exams, and you may even get the opportunity (if it is something you are interested in) to take X-rays as part of autopsies. If you are looking for a career that will give you something new and exciting every day, radiology is at the top of the list. 

UPWARD MOBILITY

Radiology is one of the most wide-open fields in the healthcare industry. Registered radiographers have the opportunity for on-the-job training in fields such as MRI and CT. Additionally, with a little bit of extra schooling, radiographers can become licensed in ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy. All of these modalities offer great pay and high demand. I personally know of at least one MRI tech who makes over $90K per year. Additionally, for those wishing to stay in radiography, there are opportunities for advancement into leadership positions, including Team Leader, Chief Technician, and even head of the Radiology Department. 

THE TIME IS NOW

For young people looking for a good career, or for folks simply wanting to make better money and get out of a boring, unrewarding career, radiology is one of the best choices you could make. You have the opportunity to be personally fulfilled, make a great salary in a high demand job, have a career that is dynamic and never dull, and move upward as your qualifications and performance dictate. But the time to act is now. The choice that I treasure most in regards to entering the field of radiology was the choice to do it when I did, and not to wait any longer.