How to Become an X-Ray Technician
Becoming an x-ray technician is not difficult for those who are determined. Just like other professions, there are courses to take and examinations to pass. All these courses take different durations to complete, depending on the certificate level required. There are certificates, associate degrees as well as bachelors (four-year degrees).
It is possible for a person already in the healthcare industry to become an x-ray technician. There are conversion courses that take approximately a year. In most states, an x-ray technician must obtain a license before he is allowed to operate. This license is applied for only after the successful completion of an appropriate course.
Just like in other healthcare sectors, there are different levels of specialization. For this, further training is required. For example, CT scanning and some imaging techniques for diagnosis will require further training. There are many schools where these curses can be taken, and prospective x-ray technicians should check them out first before making up their minds.
What Exactly Does An X-Ray Technician Do?
The basic duty of an x-ray technician is to take x-ray films of patients. Doctors, while diagnosing illnesses of patients, use these films. As such, the work of an x-ray technician is integral to health care provision. These technicians work in various settings. They are to be found in doctors’ offices, diagnostic laboratories and all kinds of hospital settings.
Specialist technicians also work in various settings like mammography, fluoroscopic imaging, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and other similar settings. The specific duties they do are many and varied. The entire process of producing readable x-ray films is their job. From loading the machine to fixing the films, all these processes are taken care of by x-ray technicians.
Do You Have What it Takes to Become an X-Ray Tech?
The job of an x-ray technician also involves maintenance of the x-ray equipments. Since they are the ones equipped with the knowledge of x-rays, they are the same people who can tell whether the machines are working properly or are in need of tweaking or repair. Additionally, the necessary settings done fall under their docket.
In a typical hospital, there are many patients whose x-rays need to be taken. In most cases, careful arrangements need to be done so that the x-ray center is properly utilized. This job also falls under the docket of an x-ray technician. They also keep records of histories of patients of the x-ray center.
Expected Education and Abilities/Skills Needed By an X-Ray Technician
To commence training to be an x-ray technician, a high school diploma is required. In this high school diploma, math and science classes should be included. The actual duration of formal education of an x-ray technician varies. There are one-year courses as well as four-year degree courses. According to statistics, the associate degree is the most popular with x-ray technicians. This one takes two years to complete.
Along the course of the study, an x-ray technician should expect to learn pathology, medical ethics, radiation and its protection amongst other things. Apart from studies related to x-ray, technicians should also expect to study human anatomy. This part of the study will equip them with the skills to carry out imaging for diagnosis.
There are many schools and colleges where these kinds of training can be done. Some hospitals, vocational institutes and universities offer this course. After this formal training, certification is advisable. Although viewed by some people as an added advantage, some companies and healthcare centers will not hire an uncertified ax-ray technician.
Apart from formal education, there are some skills required of x-ray technicians. Attention to detail is one of the required skills. Only a fine-tuned and correctly set x-ray machine will give accurate results. If there are some details set right, the final diagnosis of the patient will not be correct. In addition, an x-ray technician should also be comfortable in handling complicated machines and in working with others.
Available Training Programs for the X-Ray Tech Bound!
An aspiring x-ray technician has many places to receive his training. Many colleges and universities offer these programs. The options are varied too, and a prospective technician can choose anything from certificates to bachelor degrees.
If you want something short, you should go for the certificate that can be completed within one year. The usual college diploma is also available. There are other programs from which to choose. There are degree programs; associate as well as bachelor, which takes two years and four years respectively.
Within these specific programs, there are elective options available. This, however, varies from school to school. At the same time, some institutions offer online based programs, others offer campus based ones while others provide both forms of learning. Both of these two forms of leaning have their advantages and disadvantages. In most cases, individual preferences and aspirations determines which form a person chooses.
Pay & Benefits an X-Ray Technician Can Expect
The modern work place is varied and complicated. The issue of salary and benefits is one of the most contentious ones. An x-ray technician’s salary varies a great deal from place to place. If you are paling to be an x-ray technician, do doubt you are interested in the expected salary. A little digging will suffice for this information but they should only be used as a general guide. The actual salary can only be determined from the company you are interested in.
There are many determinants of salary scale. Location is certainly one of them. The level of training also matters. For example, it is not expected tat an x-ray technician with a certificate will earn the same salary as an x-ray technician with a four-year bachelor degree.
At the same time, the level of experience also matters. Being in the field is one of the best ways to improve your skills if you are an x-ray technician. Many things can only be learned once the x-ray technician is on the job. Employers reward this extra knowledge by offering better payments for experienced employees.
In the US, an x-ray technician should expect to get an average of $50,000 annually. Those who have been working long enough and have the necessary experience normally take home more than fifty thousand dollars annually. Those who are in the research, for example in research hospitals and educational institutions normally pocket more than this amount. All these are of course, determined by the factors described above.
What the Future Holds For an X-Ray Technician
The future prospects for x-ray techs are bright. If you are planning to get into this profession, you can do so with the full knowledge that there is a job waiting for you. In fact, some industry analysts claim that a 15% growth is expected in the next four years or so.
If this is true, and there is no reason to expect otherwise, the prospects are much better than other industries. This growth has been brought about by, among other factors, the increase of outpatient care across all health care facilities. The other reason has to do with the overall resistance of the health care industry to recession. When other industries are hit by economic hard times, the health care industry is not usually hard hit as others.
Currently, there are major reforms taking place in the health industry. These are expected to provide some job opportunities for the entire industry and x-ray technicians will benefit in the process. Nevertheless, every aspiring technologist should fully understand the industry before commencing training. Only an x-ray technician that loves his job will prosper in the industry.
Check out this Video about becoming an X-Ray Technician!
