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What You Need to Know About Radiologic Technician
Example of Radiologic Technician Job Maintain and use equipment and supplies necessary to demonstrate portions of the human body on x-ray film or fluoroscopic screen for diagnostic purposes.
List of Radiologic Technician Job Duties
- Prepare contrast material, radiopharmaceuticals, or anesthetic or antispasmodic drugs under the direction of a radiologist.
- Collect and maintain records of patients examined, examinations performed, patient medical histories, views taken, or technical factors used.
- Process exposed radiographs using film processors or computer generated methods.
- Perform procedures, such as linear tomography, mammography, sonograms, joint and cyst aspirations, routine contrast studies, routine fluoroscopy, or examinations of the head, trunk, or extremities under supervision of physician.
- Operate mobile x-ray equipment in operating room, emergency room, or at patient’s bedside.
- Determine patients’ x-ray needs by reading requests or instructions from physicians.
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Radiologic Technician Skills
Radiologic Technicians state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Types of Radiologic Technician Jobs
- Radiation Technician
- Cat Scanner Operator
- Radiology Assistant
- Interventional Technician
- Imaging Technician
Radiologic Technician Job Outlook
There were about 127,800 jobs for Radiologic Technician in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 19.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 25,100 new jobs for Radiologic Technician by 2026. The BLS estimates 11,000 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Radiologic Technician are Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Illinois, Rhode Island, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Radiologic Technician
The typical yearly salary for Radiologic Technicians is somewhere between $28,130 and $72,720.
Radiologic Technicians who work in New Mexico, Alaska, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Radiologic Technicians in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,230 |
| Alaska | $62,580 |
| Arizona | $48,840 |
| Arkansas | $42,300 |
| California | $50,150 |
| Colorado | $46,270 |
| Connecticut | $55,450 |
| Delaware | $48,900 |
| District of Columbia | $54,210 |
| Florida | $42,730 |
| Georgia | $46,960 |
| Hawaii | $54,660 |
| Idaho | $48,750 |
| Illinois | $47,590 |
| Indiana | $49,300 |
| Iowa | $42,590 |
| Kansas | $49,180 |
| Kentucky | $51,780 |
| Louisiana | $38,370 |
| Maine | $51,500 |
| Maryland | $44,590 |
| Massachusetts | $55,950 |
| Michigan | $45,640 |
| Minnesota | $55,940 |
| Mississippi | $36,900 |
| Missouri | $46,580 |
| Montana | $42,630 |
| Nebraska | $45,370 |
| Nevada | $45,980 |
| New Hampshire | $50,390 |
| New Jersey | $53,570 |
| New Mexico | $60,690 |
| New York | $55,700 |
| North Carolina | $39,230 |
| North Dakota | $46,370 |
| Ohio | $42,780 |
| Oklahoma | $43,960 |
| Oregon | $54,520 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,070 |
| Rhode Island | $55,490 |
| South Carolina | $42,820 |
| South Dakota | $54,290 |
| Tennessee | $64,010 |
| Texas | $43,990 |
| Utah | $41,150 |
| Vermont | $50,140 |
| Virginia | $48,050 |
| Washington | $59,950 |
| West Virginia | $43,490 |
| Wisconsin | $44,080 |
| Wyoming | $51,120 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Radiologic Technicians
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Radiologic Technicians:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- MEDITECH software
- Electronic medical record EMR software
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Practice management software PMS
- Information systems integration software
- Structured data entry software
- Diagnostic image review software
- Internet or intranet image distribution software
- Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine DICOM software/modality management software
- Film processor tracking and management software
- Information management subsystem software
- Virtual reality computed tomography CT imaging software
Becoming a Radiologic Technician
Individuals working as a Radiologic Technician have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Radiologic Technician?
Who Employs Radiologic Technicians?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Radiologic Technician might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Radiologic Technician in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Ryan Conroy via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.