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Yesss! You’ve got this! Good luck!

X-ray tech (radiologic technology) programs are for students wanting to perform X-ray exams and it is a 2-4 year program. Radiologists are physicians that read the X-rays and tell the ordering doctor what is wrong with their patient. If you’re starting to look into programs then I’d suggest making a list of schools in your area and compare wait lists, length of programs and tuition rate to see what will best fit your needs. Good luck!

Radiographers (X-ray techs) are the ones who position the patient and take the X-ray. Radiologists are the doctors that read the X-ray to determine the pathology. X-ray techs don’t “read” their images and we aren’t allowed to tell patients if their bones are broken or if they have pneumonia etc.

@SydneyPipp Thanks for the clarification 🙂

I have heard of direct paths to MRI where you don’t have to go through X-ray school first. However, my knowledge in that route is limited as I didn’t do it myself nor do I personally know of anyone who chose to do that.

Just for clarification- you would need an associates degree in radiologic technology and to pass the ARRT to be employed as a radiographer in most states. In this case there are plenty of job opportunities here. However, if you plan to complete your bachelors degree in radiologic technology as an international student and haven’t passed your ARRT registry yet then you will not be able to perform X-rays.

@ Dear Sydney, thank you so much for your response. This helpful indeed.

@ dear Sydney, I would like to double check with you. You mean that Associate Degree in RT and passing the ARRT is sufficient for international students to look for jobs in the US as there are plenty of jobs in RT. Correct?

A normal backpack is okay. E-books are offered for many classes but your main radiology program should only have one to three textbooks.

​@@SydneyPippThank you!!

Try to get comfortable with the environment while you’re a student and you have your tech to lean on! It gets better.. eventually! Haha

Your program director submits verification of your education prior to taking the ARRT registry for the first time. If you fail once or twice this does not need to be reverified. However, if you fail three times and you plan to restart the program in order to gain three more attempts then I imagine it would be a similar process as the first time where there is documentation from your program stating that you are eligible to sit for the registry. However, I have not experienced this specific scenario of someone redoing the entire program nor have I heard of anyone personally that went this route after failing three times.

We all start somewhere! Good luck in your schooling!

Most students are considered full time in the radiology programs. You could potentially work in the evenings or weekends and while you’re on breaks throughout the year. However, it is very challenging so make the most out of your time in class if you need to work as well.

After almost 6 years in this field the pros still outweigh the cons! Let me know if you have any questions and good luck on your decision!

You would most likely have similar prerequisites in radiologic technology as you were required to take in nursing. I’d speak to an academic advisor at your college about specifics in your particular situation. Most radiology programs are 2 years as an associates degree and some schools you’re able to finish prerequisites along with your core x-ray classes. I hope this helped!

I am not aware of any rad tech program that is completely online. However, you may be able to find one out there somewhere. Also, you can do your prerequisites online if the college you’ll be attending approves them.

@ I am very interesting x ray

Wow! That’s the longest waitlist I’ve hear of so far!

This is in Ohio specifically. If you’re in a high cost of living area then it could be dramatically different.

@ makes sense I’m in California.

There is a six foot rule with X-ray that we should all follow. This is: if you aren’t the one getting the X-ray then you should be 6 feet away from the X-ray tube (the part with the light). You are considered to be unaffected by the scatter radiation at this distance. Even if you were the one getting an x-ray it should not negatively impact your future fertility. I wouldn’t be concerned about this scenario if I were you. 😌

Thank you the enlightenment! ❤​@@SydneyPipp

Were you given a lead vest throughout your daughter’s exam? A chest X-ray is very minimal radiation. We typically say that you get more radiation exposure when you take a single ride in an airplane. Since lung tissue is not dense we don’t need to use many X-rays to create a diagnostic image. I often have parents in the room next to their child (with a lead vest) so that is very normal in our field.

That’s absolutely a challenge that many face when changing careers. Some are able to move back in with family or bring in an extra roommate to help with the cost of rent for the two years of schooling. You would have weekends free which would allow for work. Ultimately, most people end up accruing debt over their time in school but it can be quickly repaid after graduation. Check into your local college’s financial aid opportunities to see if you can apply for any grants or scholarships that can help you along your journey. Good luck!

The amount of time you are standing depends on the day. Sometimes I can get through multiple Netflix episodes and others I hardly have time to sneak in a lunch. In general, if there is work to be done then we are standing. However we do get to sit down at our computers to complete exams after each patient interaction.

Have you tried looking into rad tech boot camp? cloverlearning.com/radtechbootcamp I’ve heard good things about their study materials but it does charge you to use their resources.

My school didn’t teach much of anything in regard to the c-arm and surgery cases. These are all things I learned through doing the job myself that I thought others would benefit from.

That does sound like the location I am familiar with. The Seventh Day Adventist college does not have a wait list but it is substantially more expensive. The community college is more affordable however it has a two year wait list and typically they will require you to take classes at the college to remain on the waitlist.

In the US we typically apply directly to the hospital for their posted positions online. However, travel techs that are interested in contract work would typically go through an agency.

She’s 5 now and definitely still a vibe! 😂

You can email me at xrayquestions@yahoo.com if you have questions regarding the field of radiology!

You’re never too old for a new adventure! I’m so excited for you!

That’s amazing! If we go up to the operating room for any surgeries we are able to borrow surgery scrubs from the hospital but we aren’t allowed to wear them home or use them elsewhere. I could have specified that these costs are from the United States, my apologies.

I am from India how can i study 1 year x ray technician course

They help for practical with some earnings my stipend

For safety reasons you’ll always be moving patients with at least one coworker. One will push the patient while the other pulls when transferring the patient from the bed to the table on a backboard. If you have back issues already and discover that a hospital setting will not work well for you then you could potentially look into orthopedic offices or urgent care facilities where patient transfers are less common.

@SydneyPipp thanks. You mentioned a backboard. Are patients always transferred using backboards? If so, then I think I'd have no problem at all with it. Much less cumbersome than lifting a body on its own

Yes, you shouldn’t ever be in a position where you’d need to transfer a patient by lifting them yourself. This would be dangerous for you and the patient. In addition to backboards; there are devices such as Hoyer lifts, HoverMatts and Sara Steady’s to name a few that hospitals may have to assist with patient transfer as well.

@SydneyPipp ok great, thanks

The major benefit (in my opinion) of Rad Tech over nursing school is that you don’t have any pharmacology to study. Our classes contain a lot of anatomy and physics. Most critical thinking is done in clinicals and on the job. If you browse through my other videos I have one specifically discussing what X-ray school is like if you’re interested in finding out more. I wouldn’t say that it’s easier than nursing school but it is a lot different.

@SydneyPipp im planning to save up and go back since clinical for rad tech here in my community college is 5 days a week. Im hoping that this is for me. 🙏 thank you for. Your respond.

If you're able to knock out some of the prerequisites online during your days off then it could help get a jump start on starting your new career once you retire! The first step for you would to be to choose which college you would like to attend then speak with an academic advisor to see which credits will transfer. Then the two of you can discuss what is needed and how to accomplish your next set of goals. Good luck on your new adventure!

If a patient is old enough to listen to instructions (typically 2-3 years and older) then I’ll give them directions directly. Infants won’t understand directions but you can still talk to them so they feel comfortable around you. When I’m getting history for the patient I will ask older kids (7 years +) then look to the patient to verify that the information is correct. For younger kids I ask the parent for history. I hope this helped!

Once you earn your degree in radiologic technology you have the option to go back to school for additional modalities (such as CT and MRI) or you can learn through on-the-job training. Many hospitals require you to pass the registry for the additional modality within a specified timeframe regardless of which route you choose to take to learn advanced imaging.

@ thank you so so much!

In general I would say that x-ray techs are much more supportive of one another than nurses. However, drama is not avoided completely. There are positions where you are able to work independently such as outpatient facilities or on third shift if you're a night owl. In my personal experience, I can think of one hospital where I witnessed hostility between techs and it made for a very uncomfortable environment. This hospital is unfortunately known in the x-ray community for the attitudes of their staff and they have a hard time hiring because of it. Every other experience that I have had was overall very welcoming and pleasant. I hope this helped!

Per month

My income varies because I am PRN (as needed) at my pediatric hospital position. However, it is not uncommon for a full-time X-ray tech to bring home $3,500-$4,000 a month after taxes in my area. I have a whole video on my page that goes more in depth with salary if you’re interested in more details.

Thank you for your support! Classes as well as daily tasks in your career will rely heavily on bony anatomy, yes. You can always start studying that now. Good luck in your schooling!

Your hard work will be rewarded! Keep pressing on, you’re doing better than you think.

For you it may feel like you are taking a step backwards (moving back with family) in order to take two steps forward with this career. You can find a two year program and come out of school being able to pay off any student loans you’ve accrued in your first year of working. So by the time you’re 28-29 you would have a solid career with no debt. If you don’t have a family of your own yet then I’d highly suggest you jump on this opportunity now. Having a spouse and kids multiplies the stress but it’s still possible! Good luck with your decision!

Yes, we did have a class on beginning IVs. However, general X-ray techs don’t often need to start their own lines (almost never). As you go into advanced imaging such as CT and MRI it is more common that you’ll need to begin IVs on your patients.

@@SydneyPipp Im a little confused… but did u guys had to practice on ur peers or?

We did not practice on peers. We were taught how to place IVs and practiced on a mannequin arm. It wasn’t mandatory to place a real IV in class.

I send anyone with international questions to the ARRT website for details because everyone’s situation is unique. Check out www.arrt.org/pages/earn-arrt-credentials/how-to-apply/international-inquiries for details and contact information of specialist who can help you! Good luck!

I live in a well-populated area with a lot of medical facilities around so we have a lot of opportunities locally. However, before choosing to go into this field you may want to look at your local hospitals through their websites or indeed.com to see what kind of need your city has for radiographers. If you’re living in a rural area but you’re willing to relocate for a job then you will most likely find facilities that are hiring.