The Health Care Science Project: Radiographer

By: Khady DiackAndrea Enriquez

Career Overview

Use x-rays to show organs

Done for diagnostic problems

Prepare patients for x-rays

Explain the examination

Prepare patients for procedure

Career opportunities

High demand so excellent opportunities Work in a variety of settings, including

hospitals and clinics More than 180,000 radiographers

nationwide Excellent career mobility

Earning Potential

Starting salary is between $30,000 to $35,000

Starting salary is $40,000 at large hospitals

Those in specialty areas can earn up to $55,000

Nature of the Work

Diagnostic Radiography – to look through tissue to examine bones, cavities and foreign objects

Sonography – uses high frequency ultrasound and is increasingly used due to its economy, safety, and versatility in obstetrics

Fluoroscopy – live motion X-ray (constant radiation) usually used to image the digestive system

CT (computed tomography) – which provides cross-sectional views (slices) of the body

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) – builds a 2-D or 3-D map of different tissue types within the body

Nuclear medicine – this uses radioactive tracers which can be administered to examine how the body and organs function, for example the kidneys or heart

Radiotherapy (Radiation Therapy)- uses radiation to shrink, and sometimes eradicate, cancerous cells/growths in and on the body.

Mammography - uses x-ray to image the breast tissues.

Education in the U.S.

Take classes that expand communication skills

Possess critical thinking skills

Must be in a two or four year program

In addition, they should be patient and compassionate

Advancement

Staff technologists may become specialists

Technologists may advance to become a radiologist assistant

Experienced technologists also may be promoted to supervisor, chief radiologic technologist, and, ultimately, department administrator or director

Technologists may progress by becoming directors in radio technology programs

Related Occupations

cardiovascular technologists and technicians,

clinical laboratory technologists and technicians,

diagnostic medical sonographers,

nuclear medicine technologists,

radiation therapists,

Skills You Must Possess

Professional competence Honesty with patients Patient confidentiality Maintenance of appropriate relations with patients Sensitivity to patients of diverse backgrounds Improvement of quality of care Improvement of access to care Just distribution of finite resources Scientific knowledge Maintenance of trust by managing conflicts of

interest Maintenance of appropriate relations with other

physicians and healthcare professionals

Radiologic Technologist on the Medical Imaging Team

Accurately position patients

ensuring that a quality diagnostic image is produced

Work closely with radiologists

often specialize in a particular diagnostic imaging area

Eric O.Montague: Famous Radiographer

5+ years experience Listed in Texas as a

radiography trainer Worked overseas Worked in PetroChem,

Powerplants, Pipelines and Refinery shutdown Turnaround enviroments

Holds a Texas Red Card for Gamma

Cites

Clinic, Mayo (2003). Radiography Career Overview. Retrieved February 27, 2009, from Mayo School of Health Sciences Web site: http://www.mayo.edu/mshs/rad-career.html

Wikepedia, the free encyclopedia (2009). Radiologic Technologist. Retrieved February 27, 2009, from Wikepedia Web site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiologic_technologist

United States Department of Labor, Brueau of Labor Statistics (2007). Radiologic Technologists and Technicians. Retrieved February 27, 2009, from Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos105.htm