Learning More About Radiology Careers

Does a career helping diagnose and treat patients appeal to you? Would you like to use both your technical and people skills? If you answered "yes" to either question then you should consider one of the many careers the radiology field has to offer.

One really neat thing about radiology is the variety of educational backgrounds the people who work in the field posses. Everyone from a person with an associate degree working as a radiology technician to a radiologist with a medical degree and years of additional advanced training are valued members of the medical community. You can pick the career path that's best for you by looking at some of the duties of individuals in a variety of positions.

Anyone who prefers day to day contact with patients and a hands-on approach to their work might consider becoming a radiology technician. A one year certificate or a two year associate degree should be sufficient to find work as a radiology tech. It's also a good option for people already working in the health care field who want to do something different.

If a combination of direct patient care and management responsibilities appeals to you, then getting a bachelor degree in radiology might be your best bet. The additional training will enable you to perform the additional duties of a supervisor and successfully lead a team of radiology techs. The knowledge gained from the extra coursework helps improve your chances for promotions too.

People who've dreamed of becoming a doctor or aren't afraid of attending medical school might enjoy working as a radiologist. A radiologist is a normal medical doctor with advanced training in the field of radiology. You'll have the most responsibility, upward mobility, and highest income.

Regardless of which path you choose, radiology is an exciting, high demand field that will keep you challenged throughout your career.