The 5 Best Reasons to Be a Radiographer

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We each choose careers for different reasons, but why would someone choose to become a radiographer? It seems like this career includes repetitive tasks and not much room for immediate clinical career advancement, but just as every job has some minor drawbacks, most radiographers say that the pros far outweigh the cons. Let’s take a look at five of the best reasons to become a radiographer.

Saving Lives

The most beloved aspect to working as a radiographer is helping save lives. In fact, according to the Society of Radiographers, six out of ten patients who receive radiotherapy get cured! Knowing that your job can help locate a patient’s cause of pain, disease or injury so that it can be diagnosed and treated is a job with purpose. Helping others, especially when it can mean saving a life, is a career worth waking up for in the morning.

Working as a Team

While some people prefer to work alone, others enjoy the interaction of a team. Radiographers work with other health care professionals, such as radiologists (medical doctors who diagnose and treat diseases or injuries using imaging techniques) and R.T. aides as well as a wide variety of patients with different medical concerns. They may work in offices, hospitals and other types of health care clinics where no two days are the same.

Growing Field in Health Care

As our population ages and medical conditions increase, the demand for radiographers only continues to grow. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that radiological technologist employment is projected to grow 21 percent from 2012 to 2022, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Also, while hospitals will stay the main employers of radiographers, new jobs will develop in physicians’ offices and outpatient imaging centers to meet the growing demand. The BLS also mentions that radiographers with multiple certifications will have the best job prospects.

Starting Your Career Sooner

Unlike other health care professionals who must earn a bachelor’s degree or doctoral degree, radiographers are required to earn an associate’s degree that can often be completed in two years. After this training, which is shorter and less expensive than most four-year degree programs, radiographers can start earning experience. This is also good news for career changers who don’t want to go back to school for long periods of time to train for a new career.

Operating Specialized Equipment

The BLS says that the main role of a radiographer is performing diagnostic imaging exams on patients and administering radiation therapy treatments, so radiographers must learn about and know how to work machines such as X-ray, mammography scanners and CT scanners. This can be a great career choice for someone interested in operating medical machinery properly to get the best results.

According to the Society of Radiographers, radiography is at the heart of modern medicine. Along with saving lives, working as a team and having a highly valued career, what better reasons could you have for wanting to become a radiographer?