UPDATED APRIL 28, 2020
You’re on track for a radiographer career as a radiologic technologist, a professional occupation that combines interesting work with excellent compensation and a solid, long-term career outlook. Congratulations on that choice! Just remember what while you’re in radiologic technologist school, it’s essential you maximize your education time and opportunities. Here’s how to do just that.
1. Get Fit
A radiographer career (radiologic technologist) is definitely not for the sitting-around kind of person, so being as fit as you can be is essential. Regardless of the work setting, medical radiographers are continuously on the move, assisting patients of all sizes and body types to get into the correct imaging position, as well as maneuvering and adjusting various imaging equipment.
2. Be Ready to…Go
Very often patients will be in pain or discomfort, and textbook conditions may not be available. It’s up to those in radiographer careers to evaluate each situation quickly, assess a patient’s condition and abilities, and get the desired results in a timely fashion.
3. Life/In-class Balance
As you prepare to become a medical radiographer, realize the time demands you’ll face and the adjustments you may need to make in your personal or family schedule.
Talk to the program coordinator and get a good sense of in-class and lab time expectations. If you have concerns, ask the coordinator what advice and solutions others in a situation similar to yours were able to use. Chances are, you’re not the first to face such challenges!
4. Get a Group
Students who are embarking on a medical radiographer career say they find the pace of learning and the volume of information in a rad tech program quite a challenge.
One way to make the pace and volume easier to handle is to join a study group. You may be used to going at it alone, but the group approach will let you see how others interpret in-class and in-lab information. Plus, you’ll be sharpening the communication skills you’ll need as a radiologic technologist through your interactions with other members of the group.
5. Q&A is the Way
Another good choice to stay on pace in your radiographer career is to ask questions or seek clarifications while in class. If you’re not sure about something being presented, others probably have the same question. Go ahead and ask – your classmates will probably thank you for it later.
6. Go Pro
Student membership in imaging’s professional organization, the American Society for Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), gives you access to resources like study tools, publications, leadership and advocacy, financial assistance, exam prep, and career preparation.
7. Share Your Dream
Let your family, friends, and neighbors know about your goal of a radiographer career. That way, they can be “with you” in your journey to become a radiologic technologist.
When you need someone to quiz you on anatomy, for instance, friends make a great study partner. When people know you’re balancing going to work with going to school, they’ll be more sympathetic to helping you with childcare or a sharing a meal on the day before an exam.
Of course, these 7 tips are only a few of the ways to maximize your school time. A smart first option is to review your program’s student handbook and get to know your instructor’s expectations. Bonus! Find another good resource for success in rad tech – one of the top healthcare support careers in the U.S., according to Salary.com and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Become a Medical Radiographer at CUKC in 2 Years
CUKC is a nonprofit, healthcare-focused, private university located in Overland Park, Kansas. At Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC), we know being a radiologic technologist contributes significantly to the strength of today’s healthcare support teams.
Our distinctive, two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Radiologic Technology degree was designed according to employer needs, which includes patient care courses throughout the curriculum. CUKC has on-campus imaging equipment rooms and demonstration suites, and instructors have real-world experience doing the work you’ll learn to do.
CUKC accepts students in the spring and fall…you can start when the time is right for you.
Learn more about radiographer careers by downloading the free ebook, Your Complete Guide to a Career as a Radiologic Technologist.
