In order to register with the HCPC, you first need to successfully complete an approved programme in diagnostic radiography. PayScale (2020) is a salary aggregator where radiologic technologists and other professionals report their own salary. Radiologic technologists—also known as rad techs— provide an important service in the healthcare industry. Yes, there are many good institutions in India where you can train to become a radiology technician. To get the necessary education, obtain a bachelor's or associate degree in radiology before taking the mandatory exams to get certified. Aspiring radiologists must pass a medical licensing exam to become a licensed physician. There are no national radiologic technologist licensing requirements as of 2020. X % of people told us that this article helped them. The risk is minimal, but measures should be in place to reduce radiation exposure to pregnant mothers or embryos. To maximize potential employability and establish expertise, most radiologic technologists choose to pursue certification with the ARRT. You should have excellent communication skills if you decide to become a radiology technician. The benefits packages may include: a pension plan, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation, holidays and sick days and insurance coverage. [1] No, there are no online Rad Tech schools. Specializations include radiography, nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy, MRI, and sonography. Consult their state-by-state licensing authority list for more information. Most people in the position opt for the associate’s degree route. It’s an in-demand skill set that will open the door to increased pay and long-term career growth. Log in Sign up; Greenville Technical College. Learn more about when certifications must be renewed and how they must be maintained by consulting the ARRT’s continuing education requirements. For example, someone interested in becoming an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technician would need to pass a series of imaging exams and sit for a certification specifically titled for MRI techs. As of early 2020, all applicants for ARRT certification in Radiography, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Radiation Therapy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or Sonography must have graduated from a school that is accredited by a body recognized by the ARRT. The following steps represent the most direct path to becoming a radiologic technologist: Step 1: Graduate from high school (four years): High school (or equivalency) is mandatory for any radiologic technologist. The images that a radiologic technologist captures typically require the use of an x-ray machine or other imaging equipment. However, employment opportunities are more promising for four-year degree holders. This article has been viewed 279,171 times. A full list of those accrediting agencies is available from ARRT. These include, but not limited to, bone densitometry, breast sonography, computed tomography (CT), mammography, or vascular sonography. In most health care facilities, the radiologist orders the test or examination, while the radiology technician preps the … As with many medical-related career fields, there are several requirements that applicants must meet before being admitted to a radiology technician degree program. Then, the student will need to attend medical school, followed by a medical residency in order to apply the skills the student has learned. Here they are broken down into percentiles. Formal education is the first step on your path to a career as a radiologic technologist. These will be useful for future educational opportunities. After a time of working in this capacity, radiologic technologists may want to pursue specialty certification with the ARRT in areas such as mammography, bone densitometry, or cardiac-interventional radiography. Though the job can be a bit mentally and physically draining, at the end of the day, you should feel proud that you're helping patients diagnose their problems and to get on the road to recovery. With skills that are learned in either a two-year or four-year program, they work closely with radiologists to take images of patients and determine the suitability of those images for diagnostic purposes. I want to work as a radiologist technician at a hospital. To become a radiologic technologist, most individuals take up a four-year bachelor’s degree. You will need to pursue a higher education to become a radiologic technologist, so you will have to start here if you do not have this degree already. The average radiologic technologist makes $54,340 per year and the career is growing at a rate of 28% of 2010-2012. Motor skills. They should … The biggest costs for becoming a radiologist is the price of undergrad and med school. Complete a medical radiation technology (MRT) program from an accredited education provider. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. You'll also need to be physically fit in order to lift and move patients. They also work closely with patients to ensure that they are comfortable and informed throughout their procedures, treatments, or check-ups. Step 3: Apply for certification and registration with ARRT (timeline varies): As mentioned, there are no national licensing requirements for radiologic technologists, though many states do have their own licensing process. Usually one starts off as a general Radiology Technician and then specializes. Overall, there are good possibilities for radiologic technologists and those willing to put in the work to learn the necessary industry skills to do the job well. This article has been viewed 279,171 times. Contact your state's health board for more information on what you need to do to become a radiology technician in your state. In general, it’ll … Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Yes, you may also need to take some specific radiology tech classes as well. Each career path is unique, with rad-tech hopefuls coming from many different medical backgrounds. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Healthcare/Radiologic-technologists.htm#tab-1, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Healthcare/Radiologic-technologists.htm#tab-4, http://www.innerbody.com/careers-in-health/becoming-radiology-technician.html, http://www.asrt.org/main/careers/careers-in-radiologic-technology/who-are-radiologic-technologists, http://www.asrt.org/main/careers/job-search-resources, Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. The job itself involves way too much hands on patient interaction to be an online course. It's usually 60 credits, but check with the school you are attending. Associate’s degrees typically take two years to attain. How to Become a Radiologist Aspiring radiologists must complete eight years of academic training and seven years of clinical practice, for a total of 15 years. To maintain their certification, radiologic technologists must complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years. Becoming an Xray technician is not easy; it requires a postsecondary education in radiography or a related field, as well as passing a certification exam, administered in the United States by either the technician's state of residence or by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. How many credits do I need to get an associate degree? According to O*NET (2020), which sources its data from the US Department of Labor, 63 percent of radiologic technologists have an associate’s degree while 24 percent hold a bachelor’s degree. The student must be able to make decisions, interpret, collect and integrate information. Become a Tutor Scholarships Learn More > Are you an educator? References. Learn more... Radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging examinations, such as x-rays, in order to help physicians diagnose the problems that are ailing their patients. For entry-level positions, a certification in radiography is the most applicable. Interestingly, only 6 percent of technologists have a graduate degree. By using our site, you agree to our. However, the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) offers both certification and registration that is required by some states. Acquire and calculate accurate mathematical measurements. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018-19 Occupational Outlook Handbook. You have to follow the exact instructions you need to get the correct images that will help to diagnose and treat your patients. The process of becoming a radiologic technician can vary from state to state. Earning a bachelor’s degree as opposed to an associate’s degree does not make an applicant more qualified for certification, but may be useful in furthering one’s education or in finding and matching with job opportunities. Read on for a step-by-step guide on how to become a radiologic technologist. The average annual salaries for those cities are as follows: Although the trend for this profession is an expected growth of about 9 percent from 2018 to 2028, competition for radiologic technologist jobs will likely still be stiff, particularly in areas with a low concentration of jobs. Radiologist assistant (RA) : “Radiologist assistant” is a specialty in radiologic technology that requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Diagnostic radiologists may also specialise in an area such as: Cardiovascular Radiologist Complete education requirements—most opt for an associate's degree if you have no previous medical experience; Pass national ARRT certification; Qualify for state licensing, where applicable. A radiologist technician is also known as a radiography technician, an X-ray technician, a radiologic technician and a radiographer. Compared to other professions that require just two years of school, radiologic technologists can make a good living, earning a median hourly wage of $28.62 in the US, which equates to an annual salary of $59,520 (Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2018). The salary ranges for radiologic technologists in the US, according to the BLS, offer new possibilities for a higher quality of living. These organizations will also help you network and meet other people in your field who could help you find future work. U.S. government agency that collects and reports labor-related information, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/92\/Become-a-Radiology-Technician-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Become-a-Radiology-Technician-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/92\/Become-a-Radiology-Technician-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid1129377-v4-728px-Become-a-Radiology-Technician-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"