What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming A Radiology Technologist

What I wish I knew before attending radiology technology school is the central theme as we dive into the world of radiologic technology. With over 30 years of combined experience, we discuss the importance of career path mapping early in your medical imaging journey. Highlighting the vast opportunities available today compared to two decades ago, we emphasize how advancements in technology have transformed the field. From various certifications to unconventional career paths, we share insights that could guide aspiring technologists in making informed decisions. Join us for a playful yet informative exploration of the radiology profession, sprinkled with real-life anecdotes and practical advice to help you navigate your career successfully.

The conversation unfolds with a deep dive into the experiences and insights of two radiologic technologists who have spent decades in the field, revealing the intricacies of their profession. The hosts aim to demystify radiology for listeners, exploring its critical role in healthcare and the advanced technologies that are reshaping patient diagnosis and treatment. They share personal anecdotes that illustrate the challenges and triumphs faced throughout their careers, emphasizing how essential it is for aspiring radiologic technologists to seek out information and mentorship that was often lacking in their own education.

Throughout the episode, the hosts reflect on their career paths, discussing the pivotal moments that influenced their decisions. They illustrate how a lack of awareness about the various specialties within radiology can lead to missed opportunities, urging listeners to take a proactive approach to their education and career planning. This episode serves not only as a guide but also as a source of inspiration for those embarking on similar journeys, encouraging them to embrace the complexities and rewards of the radiology field.

Moreover, the hosts address the evolving landscape of radiology, showcasing how advancements in technology have broadened the scope of practice and created numerous avenues for professional growth. They discuss the importance of continuous learning and staying current with industry developments, presenting an optimistic view of the future of radiology and the ample opportunities it holds for newcomers. This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom, delivering a heartfelt narrative that resonates with both current professionals in the field and those contemplating a career in radiology.

Takeaways:

• Radiology technology offers diverse career paths, but early career mapping is essential for success.
• Understanding the various roles within radiology can help you make informed career decisions.
• Networking with your instructors and seeking guidance can significantly impact your career trajectory.
• Working PRN in radiology offers flexibility and can lead to higher income opportunities.
• Medical imaging is a vital profession, yet many are unaware of its expansive career options.
• Do not let others' fears limit your potential; chart your own unique career journey.

radiology technology, medical imaging, radiologic technologist, career in radiology, radiology school tips, medical imaging careers, radiology certifications, radiologic technology advice, healthcare careers, radiology job opportunities, radiology techniques, radiologic technology education, radiology profession, medical imaging innovations, career path mapping in radiology, radiologic technology insights, radiology job market, benefits of radiology, radiology career guidance, radiology podcast

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Episode Transcript

(00:28):
Welcome to A Couple of RadTech's podcast, where we bring you
an inside look at the world ofradiology from the unique perspective
of a married couple ofradiologic technologists.
Together, we have over 30years of experience in the field
and are here to demystify thescience of medical imaging.
Radiology is the unsung heroof the medical field, providing doctors
with crucial images andinformation that help diagnose and

(00:51):
treat illnesses.
Join us as we explore thelatest techniques, technologies,
and innovations in radiology,and discover the vital role we play
in the healthcare industry.
So come along for the ride aswe share our passion for radiology
as a married couple.
What I wish I knew before Iwent to radiology technology school
22 years ago.
So, because I think this is agreat conversation, many people ask

(01:13):
me, what would you do differently?
Would you do anything differently?
22 years in the field, I amvery blessed to have a profession
to where I can actually workmultiple types of jobs within my
career.
You may say, how can you do that?
Well, I went to school forradiologic technology first, but

(01:34):
none of my counselors inschool knew anything about radiology.
Neither did I.
I actually had a family memberand friend.
One was a radiologytechnologist, but I didn't know what
he did.
The other was a respiratory therapist.
I really didn't know if shedid, but I knew I loved her schedule
and I loved his schedule, too.

(01:54):
So I wind up going to school.
My mom wanted me to go toschool for nursing because that's
all we're taught is you be adoctor, be a nurse, y'all.
I'm here to tell you I've beendoing radiology for 22 years.
My husband almost 20 years.
I have several friends in thefield that have been in longer than
me and some that have been in less.
I didn't have the guidancethat you all have today, especially

(02:16):
with social media.
When I first got on socialmedia talking about radiology, everything
was more educational.
But really a day in a lifelike seeing what we do, seeing people
that we can relate to,actually working in this field of
radiology didn't really exist.
We have corporations nowlooking to advance our profession

(02:36):
because they see how vitalradiologic technology is.
Medical imaging is like thethird largest medical profession
in the nation, y'all.
I don't know if people reallyeven know that.
And I didn't know that when Ifirst got into it.
I had no clue.
I started in respiratory.
Let me go back.
I actually was doing hair allthrough school.

(02:58):
Went to school for cosmetologyAnd I had multiple jobs after that
ended and I wound up goingback to school for respiratory therapy
because I always stayed incollege taking courses for me.
I'm always an avid learner andI always kept classes going.
So I decided, well, I'm goingto go ahead and take this course

(03:18):
and, you know, do thatrespiratory therapy.
I knew somebody that did itand they made really good money and
they, they took good care oftheir families and they were happy.
They had all their bills paid,they were doing good.
So I'm like, yeah, that's whatI'm going to do.
I shadowed and lasted a weekand I went back to the college counselor
and said, I don't thinkrespiratory is for me.

(03:42):
So, yeah.
And she agreed it wasn't.
So she said, let me put youover in radiologic technology.
I'm like, what's that?
She was like, don't worry,you'll love it.
It's taking X rays of people's body.
I'm like, okay, yeah, thatsounds pretty good.
I've heard of that before.
Now, mind you, I had hadradiology exams before as a kid.

(04:04):
So I had all of these exams,but, you know, I never knew.
I thought they were nurses.
I know I can't be the only onethat thought that.
I know I can't.
So that's where.
If you knew what you knew now,would you not join radiology first?
I would.
And what I would tell any ofyou now is really do your career

(04:26):
path mapping early when itcomes to medical imaging.
I'll tell you why I say that,because I did not map my career out.
If I would have known what Iknow now, I would have chosen different
pathways.
As of right.
As of right now, I havediagnostic radiology as a certification.
I have CT and I have mri.
I've taken a mammal course,done clinical applications.

(04:46):
I've been in education andI've done research as well.
I've happened into a lot ofthose things.
They were not planned.
I didn't even know they existed.
And I've had opportunities todo many other things and technology
has changed a lot.
So the opportunities that areavailable now to technologists in
the radiology field were notavailable when I was coming out.
MRI was not even used like itis today.

(05:09):
So that's why I never reallythought about going into mri because
it really wasn't as advancedas it is now.
There wasn't a real need inthat profession like there is now.
Connecticut was the up and coming.
It was doing great nuclear medicine.
PET was coming in and that'sone of the things that wasn't really
existing.
They were talking aboutradiologist assistant.
Then.

(05:29):
It wasn't a thing when Ifinished school, but there were other
opportunities.
I had no clue you can go toschool to be an ultrasound tech.
After going for radiology, allI knew when I went to radiology school
was I was going to take X rays.
Once I got into the program,literally my first year, I started
talking to technologists whowere my clinical instructors in training,
people who trained me and my instructors.

(05:51):
I had two instructors that Ispecifically looked at that were
instrumental in me realizing,sean, you need to navigate your course
as a radiologic technologistnow, or you will not ever be able
to really hit the trajectoryor really to grow in your career
if you don't do it.
Now.
Those two instructors hadseveral certifications behind their

(06:14):
name, not just the degrees.
They had the certifications.
One did qa, which was reallybig then qa.
She was big into mammo andsome other things.
So I asked her, I asked her, Iwas like, tell me about your certifications.
And she gladly told me,sometimes you won't find out things
unless you show an interest inthat person and you ask, genuinely

(06:37):
ask, and you show initiative.
I was very about my schoolingwhen I was in school for radiology.
And when it came to my otherinstructor, he had almost every certification
and one of them was radiation therapy.
And I was really fascinated byradiation therapy.
And he would always answer myquestions and talk to me about that

(07:00):
and tell me how good of aprofession it was and how you the
things you can do withradiation therapy.
Like he educated me on fromthere, you can go into medical dosimetry.
I was like, what is medical dosimetry?
A lot of people don't knowabout that profession.
They are a part of medicalimaging, y'all.
And it is a very high level position.

(07:20):
And, you know, I.
I just didn't know a lot of things.
I didn't know that there wassomething called a clinical applications
technologist.
There was a sales positions wecould get.
I always knew.
I know a couple athletes andthey didn't make it far in the NFL
or they retired from after afew years in the NFL.
You know what they do?
Medical sales.
Now, that's the people I knewthat were in medical sales.

(07:40):
Well, we can do it too.
We didn't even work for theFBI, y'all.
Like, there are jobs out therefor medical professionals to even
work as an FBI agent.
Who knew?
And that is why I'm tellingyou, I'm coming on this platform
to really explain to you allthe options that you have in medical
imaging.
So if you have not subscribedyet, please do so right here.

(08:03):
And if you are looking toreally learn more in depth, I have
a podcast that comes out on aregular basis.
It is a top 5% radiology podcast.
It is entertaining,educational and all in between.
Go ahead and subscribe hereand make sure you download episodes.
Listen, as you're driving inyour car, make sure you leave me

(08:23):
a review if you could please.
That really helps out.
And yeah, I am an open bookabout my what I've done, what I haven't
done, and what I wish I had done.
Those are some of the things Iwish I knew.
Because before I feel like mycareer has done well, but with some
guidance and some knowledgebeforehand, I feel like I could have

(08:44):
made decisions that were basedoff of research and I didn't really
have that, but I think I didpretty well.
I feel like I've done really well.
I've inspired several peoplethat I know to go into the profession
and they are very happy thatthey are able to have a life that
is devoid of some of the basicstruggles that people have being

(09:06):
able to take care of their families.
I mean, people talked a lot oftimes about making six figures in
radiologic technology or theywant a job straight out of high school
or straight out of college tomake six figures.
That's not realistic.
I'll be honest with you.
Can it happen?
Yes, probably.
If you live in a high cost ofliving area, you're going to come
out of school making sixfigures, but it's going to cost you
those six figures just to renta room from somebody to live.

(09:28):
You know, it's just.
It can be like that now.
There is money to be made inthe profession, but again, it takes
skills that you're going tohave to acquire over time and it's
not impossible.
But don't just be focused juston the money in this profession because
money, you can make money.
Don't just be focused on themoney because you have to make the

(09:49):
money, but you also need thecertifications that go along with
that are going to take you along have a long term effect on your
career.
So you may not be looking tobe in a job for 20, 30 years like
your parents were.
I understand that.
I wasn't either.
I've never been on a job that long.
I think I was born in thewrong generation.

(10:11):
Personally, I do.
People have always felt likewhen I first started radiology I
worked A full time job.
I had a PRN job first and afull time job, right.
And mixing that.
And I didn't stay very long.
I stayed about a little over ayear and then I went to a management
job that was full time.
I stayed in that for a littlebit just to get my experience on

(10:31):
my resume and use that to honecertain skills.
That's where I got my researchskill from.
That's where I got certainother things I learned about the
research.
And from there I got severalresearch jobs after that.
So that one job opened up anopportunity down the road for me
and connections as well asnext moving on to another job that
was full time but it had areally good schedule.

(10:53):
It was close to home at the time.
My father was really sick andI needed to be close at home around.
So that was that.
But other than that, when Istarted out, I stayed PRM for a really
long time and fortunately havenot had to get a full time job because
of our professional radiologyis we can work prn, per diem, travel,

(11:13):
contract, all of those things.
And those are all options thatwe have working in radiology.
So I did those things.
And they were unconventionalat that time because people that
worked PRN usually were peoplethat were just fill in people.
They usually had another fulltime job somewhere else.
But for me, I had a calendar.
If I could show you guys mycalendar back in the early 2000s,

(11:34):
it was color coded.
I had like five differenthospitals that I was going to.
My calendar was packed,packed, packed with work and people
couldn't understand why wouldI do that.
It gave me flexibility, itgave me higher income and I was confident
in what I could do.
I didn't mind change, I didn'tmind going to a new place with new

(11:56):
people around me.
I was there to do a job and ajob was there to do something for
me which was pay me what Ithought I was worth.
And then I have flexibility towhere I was never in the politics
of the stuff in the officebecause I didn't work there permanently.
I wasn't full time, I wasn'tthere all the time.
I'd be there maybe for a dayor two a week or maybe one week solid
and not come back for another month.

(12:17):
That's a beautiful thing.
But people were like, oh mygoodness, you're not going to have
work.
Other texts were like, you'renot going to ever have any work.
You're going to be.
I never was without work ever,ever, ever Since I started PRN in
about 2004 2005, I was neverwhen I tell you, never out of work.
Never.
So do not let other people'sscarcity mind or fear minds, fearful

(12:42):
mindset come over to you.
Ignore them.
Don't even let people knowyour plans sometimes and when they
find out your plans, because alot of times on jobs people say,
oh, you don't work.
You have kids.
Why don't you work full time?
Because I don't.
Or wow, how do you, how do youwork when you just have prn?
That's not any guaranteed hours.

(13:04):
Well, the last time I checked,y'all, in healthcare, they do flex
full timers out as well.
So there's no guaranteed hoursfor anybody, to be honest.
So really look at yoursituation when I say chart out your
journey in this wonderfulfield of radiology.
Chart it out, y'all.
And be sure to give yoursister a follow.

(13:24):
Let's support each other.
Let's get radiology on the map.
And that's a wrap for thisepisode of a couple of Brad Tech's
Podcasts.
We hope you enjoyed ourdiscussion of the fascinating world
of radiology and learned learnsomething new about the role we play
in the healthcare industry.
If you have any questions ortopics that you love for us to cover,
feel free to reach out and let.
Us know what they are.
And you guys, please, if youenjoyed this podcast or any of the

(13:46):
other episodes, we want tohear what you thought.
Leave us a review.
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It helps.
And until next time, staytuned for more insightful and informative
episodes of a couple of RadTech's podcast.