Radiology and Imaging Specialist Careers
Radiology and imaging services are an essential part of healthcare and essential to diagnosing and treating a variety of conditions. However, it takes a large team of healthcare professionals to schedule, take, read, and diagnose these images. One member of this team is the radiology and imaging specialist. These individuals work closely with nurses and radiologists to help patients with the entire imaging process.
Careers in this field continue to grow as imaging services become more specialized and patients continue to need radiology services. Here’s what else to know about a position as a radiology and imaging specialist.
Radiology and Imaging Specialist Job Description
An imaging specialist’s primary task is to operate the diagnostic equipment needed to produce medical imaging or radiographs. After collecting the images, these radiographs are inspected by a physician to find injuries, growths, or other internal conditions that may be causing symptoms or illness.
While the radiology specialist will not read images or diagnose conditions, they need to understand how to operate the equipment properly to get the right images of the right area of the body. These experts may use machines such as x-ray, CT, or MRI machines. Since radiation can be harmful to the body, these medical professionals must know how to position patients appropriately, so they are only getting radiation where medically necessary and so the technician does not accidentally expose themselves to radiation either.
Radiology and imaging specialists will also help patients with special instructions before their procedure. This may mean helping them drink certain liquids beforehand or injecting the patient with solutions that will help organs show up on their scans. The type of imaging the specialist works with will heavily determine what their day-to-day experience on the job is like. However, no matter what field the
Radiology and Imaging Specialist Salaries
The average salary for a radiology imaging specialist is approximately $69,537 per year. The average salary can vary greatly depending on experience and additional certifications. Experience is also important for radiology and imaging specialists as individuals with more experience can take on team leadership roles in the hospital. The job outlook for this career is good as hospitals continue to grow and more patients require imaging as part of their overall health care.
For Instance:
Almost every hospital and imaging center needs radiology and imaging specialists to fill out their team. Here are a few of the many healthcare facilities that are looking for specialists in this field:
- Kaiser Permanenteis looking for a breast imaging specialist at their North Kensington location to perform mammography and other related breast imaging procedures.
- The Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, VA is looking for an Imaging Team Specialist to provide support to the Imaging Team Leader at their facility.
- City of Hope in California is often looking to hire technicians, managers, and other professionals for radiology and imaging jobs.
Training and Requirements
To become a radiology and imaging specialist, interested individuals will first need a high school diploma or GED and then apply to get at least an Associate’s degree or certification in a program that is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. There are numerous training programs available through hospitals, the military, and universities, as well as online programs that can help students get the education that they need.
Certificates and Associate’s degree programs will take approximately two years and cover courses in radiobiology, anatomy, medical law, and anatomy. Students may also choose to complete a four-year Bachelor’s degree. Most states require a license to work as a radiology specialist, which means having to sit for and pass an exam. It is important to check with the state’s health board first about exam requirements. After becoming certified, radiology specialists will need to focus on continuing education and earn 24 credits every two years.
After the program is complete, students can become a specialist in their desired field and choose to get additional certifications such as an MRI specialist certification or decide to focus on mammography procedures. Specialists will need to be registered through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists—a credential that may come with higher pay.