Your Radiologic Technology Program: 6 Ways to Enhance Your Success

Deciding to enter a radiologic technology program puts you on the road toward a satisfying career in health care. According to a 2019 career report by U.S. News, radiologic technologists (rad techs) are in the top 25 health care support roles. Earning the A.A.S. degree in radiologic technology will demand your best effort. Here are 6 recommendations to be successful in your journey.

Review These 6 Ways to Enhance Your Success

1. Pay Attention to After-application Details

You’re entering the world of healthcare, and there are many steps to complete along the way. Read your application packet carefully and follow all instructions and timelines precisely. A missed deadline can cause problems or delay you from starting your degree program.

Typical elements necessary for enrollment in a radiologic technology program often include a background check, a physical exam, health record submission, and CPR certification, to name a few.

2. Before the Great Career Comes a Lot of Hard Work

A common reminder among radiologic technology program graduates is not to underestimate the amount of time needed for studying and practicing in the lab.

Ari, a rad tech graduate who runs a website for aspiring rad techs, says to consider a rad tech program more like smaller-scale med school. Your goal is to pass the ARRT Board Exam, become certified, and obtain state licensure.

To do that, here’s a short list of what you’ll need to master:

• Proficient in knowledge of human anatomy and the soft tissue structures of the abdomen, chest, spine, neck, and joints of the upper and lower limbs.
• How X-rays are produced and how they interact with the body and different substances
• Factors that affect calculations for equipment used and how to adjust them
• Taking and evaluating a patient’s vital signs
• Radiation protection for the patient and team members
• How to position the patient for exams (including those who are physically limited)
• Law and ethics related to healthcare
• Evaluating images and making recommendations.

3. Remember to Focus on Patient Interaction Abilities

As a radiologic technologist, you’ll often find yourself one of the first healthcare professionals patients encounter. Patient care interaction skills are important because patient satisfaction reports can have a major influence on the compensation received by health care facilities. These patient satisfaction reports may also be used by your future employer to determine your compensation and as part of your job review.

Not only will many patients have never undergone high-tech medical imaging before, but they will also range from the very young to senior adults and come from various cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. The soft skills development classes provided within your radiologic technology program will elevate your abilities in these crucial areas:

• Critical thinking
• How to explain imaging procedures to patients
• Using therapeutic listening to build trust
• Empathetic communication and showing compassion
• Effective problem-solving.

4. Competency is the Key to Graduating On-time

Your radiologic technology program will be competency-based to follow the requirements of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT).

You must devote the necessary time and energy in classes and labs to acquire the knowledge base that will advance you to clinical experience. Many programs require students to demonstrate competency before entering the clinical environment.

5. Eat Well, Exercise Regularly

Even when you’re smart and dedicated to your education, remember to eat healthy food and get and stay as fit as you can. Skip these elements, and your academic performance can suffer. Check out this list of 10-minute workouts. For a list of foods good for the brain, go here.

6. Student Services: Help is Available

While being in a radiologic technology program is quite an achievement, your time-management and organizational skills will be put to the test. You can overcome this challenge by tapping into your school’s student services and on-campus resources.

Make sure you know how to put services like these to work for you:

• Setting up/joining study groups
• Student organizations
• Discounts on computer/software purchases
• Tutoring and test-taking strategies assistance
• On-site health center and wellness programs
• Library resources
• Confidential personal counseling.

For Healthcare Degrees, Choose Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC)

Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) offers an accelerated, Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S. degree) in Radiologic Technology – precisely the type of degree you’d expect from a university that specializes in health care degree programs. CUKC is a private, nonprofit, chiropractic and health sciences university in the award-winning Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kan.

The CUKC radiologic technology program can be completed in as little as two years. CUKC program graduates meet the ARRT educational requirements for certification in Radiography.

As a CUKC rad tech student, you will find:

• Focused, eight-week, evening courses designed for deep understanding
• Experienced radiologic technologists as instructors and program coordinators
• Hands-on training in the University’s on-campus radiologic equipment rooms and demonstration suites
• Classroom knowledge combined with in-the-field experiences in Kansas City and the surrounding region

Request more information today and learn more about the role of radiologic technologists by downloading this new, free ebook: Your Complete Guide to a Career as a Radiologic Technologist.