If you are like me, and you have always been interested in the human anatomy, in helping others, in team working, and most importantly having the need to always evolve your capacities by learning new things on a daily basis, this article is for you. You will learn about what it is like to become a radiology technologist, where radiology technologist are employed, how much they get paid, what training they need, how to become a radiology technologist, some of the risks in that field, when radiology technologists retire and the difference they make in people's lives. I want to show the readers of this article why being a radiology technologist can be a fulfilling job, I will go in depth about being a sonography technologist because this is the field that I will specialize in.
Being a radiology technologist is very challenging but is rewarding once lives are changed.
Medical imaging technicians such as radiology technologists are there to provide patient care in hospitals and clinics. These technologists work with doctors who are the ones that prescribes an imaging of the body after a pathology is suspected in a patient. There are many branches in the imaging of the human body such as, X-rays, Mammography, Tomography, MRI, Sonography, and many more. After many imaging examinations, physicians are able to look at them to make a diagnosis.
On a typical day a radiology technologist specialized in sonography will take a look on the computer to see the work list of that day. They will organize which patient they are going to examine, for example, cardiac exams, abdominal exams, genyco-obstetrics exams, etc. They will prepare their examination room by disinfecting every surface and every tool that will be used for example, the probe. When everything is ready for the patient, they will call them through the intercom. Once the patient gets to the room, the technologist needs to make sure it is the right patient by taking a double identification, full name and date of birth. The technologist will explain to the patient how to install themselves on the stretcher and what they need to expect throughout the full exam, so they do not get worried. After they follow the protocol for example, a cardiac exam, they will make sure every image taken is optimal and the criteria are met to allow the physician to make the right diagnosis. When everything is clear the technologist will make a report on a piece of sheet called "road map" but the technologist can't make a diagnosis because they are not certified like a doctor, they can only write observations. They will let the patient know that they can leave and that their doctor will call them to inform them on what are the next steps.
Sonography technologists can work in many places, but they mainly work in hospitals and private clinics. Although it is less common, they can work in the medical laboratories, outpatient centers, they can perform in the operating rooms, emergency rooms, procedural suites, etc.
The way to become a sonography technologist, has now changed. Before, you needed to apply in Diagnostic Imaging, and then specialize in sonography at the hospital once you've graduated the course. The problem with that, was that students had too much to learn and had not enough knowledge on sonography after three years of studying other subjects. For that matter, for the past five years they created the course of ultrasound technologies at the college. In order to get into it, you need to have your high school diploma with enriched mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Once you're in it takes three years of studies and a year of internship. After everything is done, the last step is to take the final exam with l'OTIMROEPMQ to be certified as an autonomous ultrasound technologist.
In general the annual salary is around 61k on the first year but now it depends, because hospitals are in a very big need of sonography technologists do to the labor shortage, so it can be much more. it depends where they work too.
Being an autonomous sonography technologist you have to keep up with every new techniques, so after every 2-3 years training in mandatory to keep your tittle of technologist. Training is always available.
No studies have explicitly shown ultrasound-related dangers in humans, caused by the ultrasounds transmitted by the probe, but if the technologist does not work in an ergonomic way it can cause back, shoulder, and joins pain. In the sonography filed, it is known for the technologists to develop many times tendinitis in their careers.
You never know, but I have the feeling that it can happen in the near future, but I am not saying it will be as effective. So much technology and machinery are used in this field, workers may be replaced by robots, but robots will never fully replace a human being, as patients need more than just the examination, they need physical and emotional connections with staff. Some patients feel very anxious when imaging. Only humans can calm them down and guide them.
In the past few years, sonography technologists will most likely retire between ages of 60 and 70 years old.
In conclusion, becoming a sonography technologist can be very challenging, and it is certainly not an easy job. It comes with a lot, the knowledge of the human anatomy, the knowledge of how to work a lot of equipment but most importantly the fact that this is a job that will touch the lives of thousands of people in our career. For us, we're only going to see them maybe twice at most, but for the patient this is an experience that will mark them for the rest of their lives, it could be because it was their first time seeing their baby or because they were diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. It is a job that requires patience and empathy. I am currently finishing my third year of studies, next semester I will do an internship for a whole year, I am excited to start my dream career.
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Rationale: to inform or educate
Authority: research journal
Date: still relevant
Accuracy: probably true
Relevance: relevant for this document
Sources: cites sources