How to Become a Radiology Technician

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: January 25th, 2010

Steps to becoming a radiology tech

Job shadowing professionals already in this career to ensure it is a good fit for you.
Research degree programs to determine the quality of program, number of hours to complete, and tuition costs.
Make sure you meet all the prerequisite requirements so you’re able to get into a radiology technician degree program. These requirements typically include courses in: medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and CPR, but these can vary from program to program. It is better to take these courses prior to entering a program because it helps lighten the course load you’ll have during the program.
Complete an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in radiologic technology.
Take necessary board exams and any state-specific certifications.
Start your job search. Attend career fairs, check with local hospitals and imaging centers for available openings.

What are some current “hot topics” in this field?

One of the newer trends in the field of radiology is moving to “all digital” x-rays. Previously x-ray films had to be printed in a dark room. Today, with the advancement of digital technology, images can be viewed on the computer almost immediately. A major advantage of digital x-rays How to Become an Radiology Technologist

is it allows them to be manipulated to view the anatomy better if the original image did not turn out perfectly. This reduces patient radiation exposure due to reduced repeat images taken, and also the overall radiation dose is less for most exams because the new equipment can optimize the exposure by using the least dose possible to produce the best image.

Learn more about radiology technician schools.

What skills do Radiology Techs need to be successful?

Being efficient and using good time management skills is crucial in this career because you need to be able to get as many exams done as possible from a financial standpoint, while still doing a quality job. Being efficient by handling a large volume of exams and doing quality work is crucial. You also need to work well in a team setting since some of the tougher exams may involve more than one tech. For instance, if there is an elderly or very sick patient, or even someone who is obese, a few techs will need to work together to properly position that person so the x-rays are effective.

It is also important for radiologic technologists to have the ability to work well with a variety of personality types. Each patient who walks through the door will have a different situation and different personality so it is important to communicate effectively with them. It is also essential to communicate effectively with the radiologist, the doctor who reads and interprets the results of the x-rays, as well as with supervisors.

How many patients does a Radiology Tech typically see in a day?

Most x-rays are done on a “first come, first serve” basis. The number of x-rays that can be performed in a given period of time depends on the cooperation of the patient, and what body part is being x-rayed. However, as a general rule, typically four or more x-rays can be conducted in the span of an hour. Invasive procedures and MRIs can span an hour or longer.