A few questions about the Radiology program

I don't know much about radiology programs, but from what I understand, a lot of radiology work is being outsourced to India now. I'm not sure if it will be a field with a lot of job security.

 

You cannot outsource to India the taking of the pictures.

I am not a radiology tech, but I do work with hospitals. I think you will get accustomed to being around blood and other bodily functions over time.

 

I'm rotating through the Ben Taub OR's right now, and I can honestly tell you that it CAN get bad in there. However, understand that Ben Taub is the absolute worst it will get (any other ER would be much more to your liking).

Another thing is that from my understanding of the dynamic of the OR (at least at Ben Taub), the Rad techs are not called in unless needed. Otherwise there would be way too many people in the room and mistakes would happen. Also, the Rad Techs are only called in when the patient is stable and can be left alone in the room with the tech.

Perhaps the community college has a way where you can work with a tech for a day and see what actually happens?

Either way, good luck man!

 

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I know all radiology techs aren't MRI techs...but still.

 

I think he is referring to actual Radiologists. Radiologists get XRAY pictures from the PCP, then they email those pics to Radiologists in India.

 

i consider myself an amatuer radiologist. I just enjoy analyzing the photos.

This one is amazing...

Spoiler

 

An xray tech will always be able to find work, so if you're looking for job security you'll be good with the field. The pay...this was when I was still in the field 5 years ago was anywhere starting new at 19 to PRN 33/hr. although I'm sure agency will pay more.

Yeah it can get bloody. Depending where you work...if you work at some clinic that does chest xrays and 'easy' stuff all day there usually isn't much blood, but the workload is higher. ER and routines can get pretty hectic(and bloodier), especially if there is a bus accident or some crap like that...you'll get a bunch of backboards with full spine, hips, and some extremity work that'll take 30-40 mins per person.

Myself, I thought I had a pretty strong stomach until I saw something at the Ben Taub shock rooms...it hit me pretty hard, but after that moment I was good...you do get desensitized, and once you do you'll be cool.

The OR can get pretty bloody, but it's all covered up usually with sterile drapes except for a small exposed body part that they cut into, which kind of 'dehumanizes' the gore. It's usually all Ortho stuff with C-arms and sometimes portable machines, but the C-arms take really high quality hardcopies now adays, so those clunky portables aren't used as much.

As far as the program goes...it's the math(radiation physics) that people usually have trouble with...but it's algebra...inverse square law and some proportional conversions...that's all. The radiographic procedures classes are all memorization, but it's easier because you're usually doing it hands on so you are constantly using it. Oh...and besides the math...you won't believe it, but a lot of folks couldn't get through the program because they simply couldn't make it everyday to class...attendance is pretty important in these and nursing programs. They treat these programs like real jobs usually so even if you're a min or so late they'll mark you late and after 4-5 you get disciplined and kicked out after a few more. I've seen people get permanently booted from the program a few weeks before graduation because of absences/being late...idiots.

 

Radiology? Or Rad Tech? If its Rad tech I would choose another field. The job market isn't really good in that field. I would choose nursing, resp therapist or physical therapist assistant since there are a lot of job openings for those fields.

 

Probably rad tech, since you have to go to medical school to be a radiologist. I looked into being a rad tech and I found out that a lot of the job markets are oversaturated with techs. There aren't enough jobs for the 30 or so rad techs that graduate from these programs every year, especially if you live in a large city wheres there are multiple programs for rad techs. From what I remember getting a job depends on what you specialize in, the most in demand specialty are MRI's, but only experienced tech's get trained on how to do those.

 

How long is the schooling?

 

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It's two years. My sister did it, but ultimately decided there would be little value on sitting pat on that degree. So, she did the radiation therapy program from UT-MD Anderson and got her bachelor's degree. Now she has a secure job at MD Anderson and is making some bank....

 

I'm a rad tech. The job market right now isn't the greatest, as many of the baby boomers that have jobs are sitting on them unable to retired due to the economy.

As far as the school goes, I didn't think it was too hard. I was tops in my class. Schooling is a lot of science (Anatomy, Physiology, Physics, etc.), a little math (as someone else said, mostly Algebra...that you don't need a calculator for hardly), and some memorization. I went to a hospital-based program, which I think is probably slightly more superior (although I am bias).

At my program, we had at least 2 or 3 full days of clinicals a week. We always had techs there to help us should we need it, and therefore, I didn't ever feel terribly overwhelmed by anything.

When it comes to blood and stuff, I'm weird, and find that stuff interesting, so it never bothered me. As SRF said, most of the "blood" stuff you see, is either covered up or has been cleaned up, to the point to where its not that bad. Every now and then, you get compound fractures (where the bone is out of the skin), and those are usually pretty covered up, but like to bleed a bit.

The worst things that you see, in my opinion, though, as domestic abuses. I saw a lady one time, whose husband had broken her ribs, blackened her eye, and she was extremely upset. That's enough to make you want to go find the guy and beat him to a pulp. It's even worse when it's abuse that is injuring or killing children....which you unfortunately run across from time to time.

My starting salary was a few bucks below what SRF specified, and I've only been in the field for two years. That's mostly because I work in a smallish town in the rust belt. I would say the average salary here is between 35 and 45 k. Realize it's going to be a lot higher in a bigger city like Houston.

Overall, I like my job a lot. I love dealing with people, and the types of people I get to meet and talk to and converse with on a daily basis makes it worth it. I do wish I made more money though, and at the place I'm at right now, don't see a ton of room for promotion, so I'm currently looking for a job in a somewhat larger city. I'm hoping to get some things lined up so that I can go back to school in the fall, online.

Which brings me to my last point. One good thing about the career is that you can always go back to school for another year or two and pick up more certifications. Another year or two can get you a certification in: MRI, Ultrasound, Rad. Therapy, Mammo., CT (most places still train on the job for CT), etc.

The other thing to keep in mind is continuing education. Some states make you have them, I believe, and some don't. I have to have 24 hours of CEs every two years. New grads will have to have 24 hours, plus re-take a registry every 10 years - something I fear will shy a lot of people away from the field. (I don't know if this is true for all of the country, though)


Sorry for the long rant. Hope that answers all of your questions, though. Any more, post them here, or email me through the board.