The amount of radiology trainees that are pursuing their credentials around the United States has gone up significantly in the last few years. That heightened interest is due to the fact that radiology is one of the most rewarding and easiest to get involved with jobs in the medical field.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in radiology, we think that you’ll love radiology work and the insight you’ll receive while receiving your radiology education.
Before you enroll in a local radiology program though, we advise going through the 7 bullets we’ve listed below which discuss a handful of key things that are worth knowing before committing yourself to this profession.
1. Medical Spending Is on the Rise
Every year, we’re seeing domestic medical spending go up. That increased spending occurs for a variety of reasons but is predominately driven by the ballooning population and medical technology costing more.
While increased medical spending might be worrisome to health consumers, as a healthcare professional, it’s good news.
As people pour more money into healthcare, radiologists are going to find more work opportunities and higher pay. They’ll also find new and exciting avenues that they can take with their career which could lead them deeper into the medical profession.
2. Healthcare Revolves Around Radiology
Radiology often doesn’t get the credit that it deserves for how integral it is to healthcare treatment.
As a radiologist, you’re going to be responsible for conducting MRI’s, CT scans and other insightful procedures that let doctors do their best work. Without your expertise, physicians would be in the dark as to how they should proceed with patient care.
That level of importance that radiology brings to the healthcare community is something that you’ll be able to take pride in as you move through your career.
3. Career Opportunities Are Vast
Just because you start your medical career in radiology doesn’t mean that it needs to end there.
Many radiologists go on to become anesthesiologists. Others go on to become full-blown physicians.
The thing to take away here is that understanding radiology can give you a great overview of the human body. That overview can then serve as a jumping off point into other more lucrative medical specialties.
4. Getting Credentialed is Relatively Simple
One of the most enticing aspects of becoming a radiologist is that schooling required is slim. While many doctors spend a decade working up to entering their profession, radiologists can start practicing in just two years!
There are plenty of schools out there that offer radiology CE credits that can help you towards graduating. Some schools operate predominately online while others are based out of local community colleges.
We recommend finding a program that’s both affordable and close by to give yourself the best chances of sticking through to the end of your schooling.
5. Radiology is Help Focused
Do you like helping people? If you do, radiology is probably a great career option.
A lot of people that are thinking about getting into radiology worry that their job will just consist of them walking in and out of rooms to turn off and on x-ray machines. That’s simply not the case.
Radiologists interact with patients, explain procedures to them and answer questions.
Your ability to communicate and willingness to help people can change somebody’s outlook on their condition.
6. Travel Opportunities
People all across America need medical attention. Many of those people live in rural communities that are hard to access from big cities like Los Angeles or Chicago.
To help service rural populations, healthcare providers have programs in place that pay radiologists and other medical professionals to travel the country and give people the medical attention that they need who otherwise would be left to suffer.
If you’ve always wanted to travel but didn’t think you’d have the opportunity to, radiology could be your big break.
Imagine being paid to traverse the country while simultaneously changing people’s lives? We don’t know about you but we think that sounds like a pretty good way to live!
7. Unconventional Work Hours
There’s no doubt that, given the demand radiologists have, you’ll be working a lot in this profession. The good news though is that your hours will likely be non-standard as a radiologist.
For example, many radiologists are asked to do 3 shifts that are 13-hours long rather than doing the standard 5 shifts at 8-hours a piece.
If your medical office offers that arrangement (and they likely will be given that most providers actually require 12/13-hour shifts), you’ll be able to enjoy 4-day weekends for the rest of your career.
That’s a lot of opportunities to get out and explore the incredible world around you!
Wrapping Up Things About a Career in Radiology You Should Know
A lot of people that want to get involved in the medical field end up giving up before they get started given how much schooling is required to get going. Most of those people aren’t aware though that radiology presents a fabulous opportunity to get your feet wet in medicine without needing to sit in a classroom for a decade.
Whether you choose to use radiology as a stepping stone into the medical field or choose to make a full-blown career out of it, we’re certain that you’ll love the time you spend working in this niche profession!
For more insight on all things health and lifestyle, check out more of our content on our website today!
