Radiographer Career: The 4 “E’s” Essential to Success

Communications Staff

UPDATED APRIL 28, 2020

Ready to enter the professional world of medical radiography? Career sites like Owlguru.com affirm the importance of the medical imaging field in today’s healthcare landscape. In 2020, U.S. News and World Report said those choosing a radiographer career find themselves in the top tier of health care support positions. To get into this two-year college degree program, just remember the four “E’s” – Education, Eligibility, Effort, and Evaluation.

Education:
Becoming a Radiologic Technologist (Radiographer)

When you decide on a radiographer career, remember to go for the highest grades you can in the “general education” requirements.

General education courses are often called prerequisites and include classes like English composition, algebra, chemistry, and anatomy. These 24 or so college hours form the foundation for your medical radiography coursework. It’s also worthwhile to see if the university granting the radiologic technology degree will provide guaranteed admission to the degree program if the prerequisites are completed there. That’s a bonus!

After you’re accepted into the rad tech degree program, you’ll be in basic and advanced classwork and labs covering what imaging professionals need to know:

• Helping patients feel comfortable with imaging equipment and procedures
• Operating X-ray, CT, and other equipment
• Positioning patients with precision and care
• Using problem-solving skills to achieve picture clarity
• Meeting physicians’ specific “scan” requests
• Ensuring patient safety.

In the right radiographer career program, you could have your Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in as little as two years. An applied science degree signals to employers you have the skills and knowledge they need.

Eligibility:
Getting Started

At some point, nearly everyone considering a rad tech program might wonder if he or she has what it takes to succeed. While it sounds scientific, experienced radiologic technologists will tell you the profession is as much about interacting with people as it is working with equipment. Rad techs like having this unique combination of skills.

If you find yourself agreeing with most of the following statements, a medical radiography career as a radiologic technologist will most likely be a good match for you:

1. You have high standards for customer service and care.
2. You’re intrigued by healthcare, and issues relating to the human body – injuries, diseases, and disorders.
3. You have a knack for technology or are motivated to learn about equipment, procedures, and techniques.
4. You prefer work that includes practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
5. You easily relate to people and prefer to put the needs of others above your own.
6. You like having every day be a little bit different.

Effort:
What You’ll Do in a Radiographer Career

Because the imaging field is expanding rapidly, employers need certified and registered radiologic technologists in hospitals, medical clinics, group physician practices, mobile imaging facilities, and surgery centers.

After entering the workforce as a radiologic technologist, there are opportunities to specialize in areas such as CT (computed tomography), nuclear medicine, mammography, and cardiac-interventional radiography.

As you can see, becoming a radiologic technologist is a great take-off point for a health care career. Plus, according to Salary.com data, experienced rad techs earn an average of $55,000-$59,000 per year. Starting salaries for new rad tech professionals average $45,000, with salaries going up in high-demand states like California, Washington, Oregon, and Texas.

Evaluation:
National Certification as a Professional

Every class and lab in your rad tech degree program is preparing you to pass the national exam required for certification by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Being ARRT certified announces your qualification for rad tech jobs anywhere in the U.S. and gets you eligible for state licensure.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates employment growth for this profession at 9% between 2018 and 2028.

Discover the CUKC Radiologic Technologist Program

Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a nonprofit, private, healthcare-focused university located in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kan. CUKC offers an accelerated, two-year Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Radiologic Technology degree.

Features of the CUKC radiologic technology degree program include:

• Focused, eight-week evening courses designed for deep understanding
• Registered and licensed radiologic technologists as instructors and program coordinators
• Guaranteed admission into the program when prerequisite coursework is completed at CUKC and all other requirements are met
• Hands-on training in the University’s on-campus radiologic equipment rooms and demonstration suites
• Clinical experiences in a healthcare provider network throughout the Kansas City region.

At CUKC, you don’t need to wait until fall to begin courses. CUKC accepts students in the spring and fall so you can start the degree program when the time is right for you.

To learn more about a radiographer career, download the new, free eBook, Your Complete Guide to a Career as a Radiologic Technologist.