Radiology Technician Education, Jobs and Salary

Radiology technician is one of the fastest growing careers in the medical field because of many reasons. First of all, there are many fast programs available to get a person started. Like most careers in the medical field the demand for radiology technicians is very high, and it is only going to grow. Compared to the time it takes to get educated in the field the pay is very good.

What is a radiology technician?

As a radiology technician you will work with handling x-ray equipment, and taking x-rays. This equipment is used to take “pictures” (or radiographs) of the inside of a persons body. This process is accomplished by passing nonradioactive material through a patients body. This material can show where a bone fracture is in a patients body. X-rays can also be used to examine soft tissue which can provide valuable information for doctors to be able to easily diagnose patients. A radiology technician does not work exclusively with handling equipment, but will work with patients as well. in order to properly x-ray a person the radiology technician must know how to direct the person during the process. This direction can take the form of giving out verbal directions to the patient as to how they should position their body and by also physically moving their body into certain positions. Since radiation is used during this process certain devises are used to protect the patient as well as the technician from unwanted radiation exposure. these devises are typically lead shields and gloves that are either placed on the patients body in particular areas or worn by the technician. Special badges are used to measure the amount of radiation in the room that this procedure takes placed. These levels are recorded.

A radiology technician is trained in how to use special equipment to take x-rays of a person. one such instrument is used to measure the thickness of the part of  a persons body which is going to be radiographed. These dimensions are then used to calibrate the equipment to take accurate radiographs. another key component to take accurate radiographs is x-ray film. This film is placed under the part of the patients body to be x-ray’d. When the patient is exposed to the x-ray the various densities of the persons body is measured and then imprinted on the x-ray film. The radiology technician then develops this film which provides a detailed radiograph. In addition to working with doctors and other ones in the medical field a radiology technician keeps patient records and maintains the x-ray equipment. if a person is interested in being a radiology technician he/she must be prepared to have interaction with people.

Education Needed

There are various levels of education a person can choose to pursue in order to become a radiology technician. This schooling can be anywhere from a four year bachelors degree to a quick one year certification. Many courses can be taken online. Most technical schools usually have a program to get certified as a radiology technicians. Most community colleges also have programs in which to earn associates degrees in this particular field. These programs are a great way to start out in this career and can lead to other opportunities. Some of these classes are offered at hospitals but as mentioned there are many avenues a person can take to get started in this high demand and rewarding career.

Expected Salary

There are several factors to take into account when estimating starting technician salary for a radiology tech. The major factor involved is the amount of schooling a person has, as with most careers the more education you have the higher the starting salary will be, as well as the position and responsibilities you take on. Of course experiences is another key factor. A well trained person with at least two years experience can make between 35,000 to 40,000 a year as the average radiology tech salary. Factors such as which region you are at in the country and what hospital or clinic you are applying to will also determine starting pay. However, a person with a bachelors degree and experience can expect to make a considerable more amount of many. Salaries with this sort of credentials can often range well over 60,000 per year!