Being a Diagnostic Imaging technologist is very challenging since there is a variety of different situations that can occur. Each situation is different, some results are good and some are bad. What is tough is when a technologist has to announce bad news to a patient and their loved ones. Every day is a new challenge.
Being a Diagnostic Imaging technologist is a health professional who is responsible for taking x-rays of patients. Technologists are trained to use specialized imaging equipment to take pictures of desired areas of the anatomy of the body. The purpose of Diagnostic Imaging technologists is to help doctors diagnose patients.
A normal day as a Diagnostic Imaging technologist always begins with obtaining the patient's medical history. Once that is done, a report will be made with all the findings regarding the patient. Finally, the technologist will perform the needed diagnostic imaging procedures which could be an MRI, a CT scan, a PET, an ultrasound, or mammography. These steps will be repeated for each different patient.
A Diagnostic Imaging technologist could work in many different facilities that provide medical care. Technologists often work at medical centers, at the hospital or at medical clinics.
In Quebec, the Diagnostic Imaging program requires 3 years of studies. This includes a year of internship in different facilities that accepts interns. Once the program is completed, it will be essential to pass the exam made by the gouvernement in order to have a liscense and begin to work as a Diagnostic Imaging technologist.
The salary of a Diagnostic Imaging technologist vary. In Quebec, is varies from $57 000 - $87 000, which is a salary that starts from 23$ an hour and can go up to 42$ an hour.
There are many different posibilities of additional training after being a liscensed Diagnostic Imaging technologist such as chief technologist, departement administrator or director.
A Diagnostic Imaging technologist can be dangerous. A technologist mainly works with different machines that are exposed to the radiation used in X-rays. This could lead a small increase of developping cancer later in life. Of course, every circumstance is different and may vary with many different factors, especially the age of a person. Althought, the chance of developping cancer isn't rare since technologists are trained and fully equiped to stay protected and prevent any health situations that can occur.
It is nearly impossible for a Diagnostic Imaging technologist to be replaced by robots. The amount of porgraming it will take would be endless. There is so many different situations that can happen and only the human eye is able to detect them. Robots can be wrongly programmed and may even scare patients with their response.
Diagnostic Imaging technologists generally retires between 55 to 65 years old depending on when they started working. Everyone's situation may be different, so it remains very hard to identify firmly.
In conclusion, becoming a Diagnostic Imaging technologist can be hard and challemging but it is definetely worth to pursue. I highly recommend this program if you are someone that is interested in a medical field. In my opinion, all 3 years of studies is not much considering it is related to a medical field, it will definetely be rewarding. Not only you will be able to pursue a career in the medical field but you will also be able to challenge yourself everyday with different diagnostic procedures and patients.
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