With the baby boomer population about to reach retirement, jobs in the medical profession are expected to be in high demand through the year 2016. The career of a radiology technician can be a stable and rewarding job, with an above average starting wage, for those who may be thinking of a career in the medical profession.
Radiology Technician Defined
A radiology technologist, or technician as they are often referred to, is a member of the medical profession who is skilled and trained in conducting radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging or X-rays on patients. As a radiology technician, you will work under the authority of either a licensed radiologist or a doctor who specializes in diagnosis and treatments specifically by analyzing the X-ray results. Radiology technicians work hands-on with the patients, carefully guiding them into the proper positions required for the radiology procedures.
Specialization
Degrees in radiology technology can open the door for radiology technicians to specialize in many different medical areas, including sonography, bone densitometry, mammography, nuclear medicine, cardiovascular-interventional radiography and general radiography. In addition, some radiology technicians also choose to specialize in the field of radiation therapy, where they are skillfully trained to administer high doses of radiation to patients diagnosed with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses.
Education
Radiology technician programs can be found in a variety of community colleges, where you will earn a two-year associate's degree upon completion. Some hospitals and medical centers also offer in-house training programs, which usually last one to two years. Some radiology technicians choose to continue their education in a four-year university and earn a bachelor's degree. Whatever the education level, all graduates are required to sit for and successfully pass a national certification test before being allowed to work. In most states, practicing radiology technicians are also required to periodically take continuing education classes in order to keep their certification current.
Salaries
Radiology technicians can earn a good living wage, particularly given the fact that the program can be completed in just a few years. The average starting salary for a first-year radiology technician is about $18 an hour, or $37,440 a year for full-time work. For those radiology technicians choosing to specialize in the field of radiation therapy, the starting pay is around $25 an hour, or $52,000 a year. Additional experience and overtime pay can increase those earning to about $30 an hour.
Benefits
Jobs in the radiology technician field, like most in the medical profession, can offer very flexible hours and scheduling for those with families or other responsibilities. The rate of pay, especially for those who have gained some job experience, can also allow many radiology technicians to work on a part-time basis and still make a good living.
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