What is Radiologic Technologist

Radiologic technologists (RT) are the medical professionals who help patients with medical imaging and surgery. They use a variety of medical technologies, including X-rays and exams, to visualize and measure the health of organs and tissues. RTs work in clinics, hospitals, and other medical facilities.

Read: Learn About Being a Anesthesiologist

What Does a Radiologic Technologist Do?

Radiologic technologist (RT) is a healthcare professional who uses radiation therapy to treat medical conditions. RTs work in a variety of hospitals and clinics across the United States. They use radiation therapy to treat various types of cancer, including: brain, breast, bone, pancreatic, ovarian, and rectal cancer. RTs are also used to treat other medical issues, such as injury and surgery.

Radiologic technologists are responsible for various aspects of radiation therapy, including surgery, radiation oncology, and nuclear medicine. They work in hospitals, clinics, and other medical settings to help patients during treatment. Radiologic technologists also play an important role in research and development of radiation therapy treatments.

A radiologic technologist is a health care professional with expertise in the proper use and deployment of diagnostic imaging scans, such as MRIs, X-rays and CTs. A radiologic technologist uses these technologies in producing accurate diagnostics and treatment plans for patients suffering from a variety of conditions. Some of the duties radiologic technologists typically have are:

• Providing technical radiological information to patients with questions and offering recommendations

• Assisting in the development of a patient appointment schedule

• Keeping an inventory of the clinic’s radiographic supplies and developing purchase orders to maintain a clinic’s supplies

• Analyzing, discerning and reporting results of radiographic tests and scans to a team of physicians

• Making use of radiographic scanning tools

Average salary

Radiologic technologists are generally paid an hourly wage as opposed to an annual salary. Their exact wage can vary widely depending on regional factors, any certifications they possess, their area of specialization and their chosen work environment. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, click on the salary link.

• Common salary in the U.S.: $25.92 per hour

• Some salaries range from $7.30 to $60.45 per hour.

Radiologic technologist requirements

Radiologic technologists in the U.S. are required to have some post-secondary education and certain certifications to be eligible to work in their field:

Education

Radiologic technologists require at least an associate degree to work their positions. The associate degree provides general education coursework that prepares a radiologic technologist for their ARRT certification program. It is common for radiologic technologists to specialize their skills and education further to advance their careers. Some radiologic technologists may earn higher post-secondary degrees to progress into greater positions within the radiological field, including going to medical school to become a radiologist.

Training

Radiologic technologists must complete a practical training period to become ARRT certified. This training period ensures that a radiologic technologist earns proper experience working with radiographic imaging technologies. Radiologic technologists are trained on how to position patients for imaging scans and how to safely conduct various imaging techniques.

Certifications

A radiologic technologist must earn a certification from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists to work in the U.S. Earning an ARRT certification requires two years of studying and conducting practical application practices before an examination.

Skills

An effective radiologic technologist will need strong interpersonal skills. Some of the most important skills for a radiologic technologist to master include:

Radiographic skill

Radiologic technologists must maintain a vast and comprehensive understanding of the radiographic field. A radiologic technologist must possess an in-depth understanding of current scanning and imaging technologies and how to use them.

Technical skills

Radiologic technologists work with highly technical machines and diagnostic scanners when conducting their work. A radiologic technologist must have a strong technical background so they can confidently and effectively conduct patient scans.

Interpersonal skills

Patients receiving radiographic scans are often in great pain or discomfort. Many imaging techniques also require a patient to maintain uncomfortable physical positions for long periods to produce quality imaging results. A radiologic technologist with strong interpersonal skills can help a patient feel at ease about their situation.

Mathematics and science skills

Radiologic technologists must be able to calculate the proper mixtures for various chemicals used in scanning and imaging techniques to ensure clear test results.

Radiologic technologist work environment

Radiologic technologists work in hospitals, radiology laboratories and clinics. Radiologic technologists generally work full-time shifts, but they may be on call on evenings or weekends to account for imaging being needed in possible emergencies. Radiologic technologists spend a lot of time on their feet moving between patients, preparing them for their tests and answering any questions they may have.

How to become a radiologic technologist

You can follow these general steps to become a radiologic technologist:

1. Earn an associate degree.

Radiologic technologists require at least an associate degree to hold their positions. This degree provides the general fundamental skills and knowledge radiologic technologists will need to earn their ARRT certification.

2. Become ARRT certified.

A radiologic technologist must become ARRT certified before they are legally eligible to work in their industry. ARRT certification trains a radiologic technologist on current techniques as well as the laws and procedures surrounding the treatment of patients on a federal and state level.

3. Become licensed in your state.

Many states require radiographic technologists to be licensed in their state. The requirements for earning these licenses are relatively light, and many states only require that a radiographic technologist have their ARRT certification to earn a state license.

4. Advance your career in radiology.

After you’ve spent some time as a radiologic technologist, you may wish to further your career in radiology. Many radiologic technologists continue their education to specialize in certain areas. They may even continue to medical school to become radiological physicians.

Radiologic technologist job description example

Picture Perfect Radiographic Imaging in Pittsburg is looking to hire a radiographic technologist. The radiographic technologist will work with patients to prepare them for X-rays, MRI scans and CT scans. You will answer patient questions regarding proper imaging procedures and assist the patient with positioning themselves properly for scans. As a radiologic technologist, you will be responsible for conducting some of the imaging procedures and relaying imaging information to our staff. You will work with in-house radiologists to analyze imaging results and discuss diagnostics with patients. An associate degree in radiology or three years of prior medical experience is required. ARRT certification is also required.