How To Pursue A Career In Medical Imaging Technology?

Today, medical science is at a point where it is stronger than ever. These days, the diagnosis of any disease is simpler than it was before. This is not because doctors today are more competent as compared to their successors. The fact is that today, doctors are better equipped to diagnose, tackle and treat diseases. All this has been possible due to the introduction of technology in medicine.

Medical imaging technologists are people who play a crucial role in the use of technology for improving human longevity. These people bridge the gap between the two unrelated sciences of medicine and technology and provide us with a middle ground.

Although this science of medical imaging has been in existence for quite some time now, it has gained its said popularity only in the recent years. This article talks about all that you need to know about pursuing a career in the world of medical imaging technology and talks about the career scope and monetary remuneration that is available there. Read on to know all about the same.

· Who Is A Medical Imaging Technologist?

They are an essential part of the allied health services. The main job role of these people includes working with clinical radiologists and doctors so as to diagnose a condition. Once that is done, the inputs provided by these people play an essential role in the treatment of the same.

They use computed tomography, X-rays, MRI scans and other medical imaging tools in order to extract maximum patient information. Once that is done, appropriate medication is given to the patients. The effect of the treatment on the patient and the appropriate monitoring thereon is carried out by a medical imaging technologist. In some parts of the country, these people are known as radiographers.

· Educational Qualifications

One of the most popular ways of establishing yourself as a medical imaging technologist would be by going for a two or three-year bachelor's course in this. There are a number of institutions across the country that offer this course. You need to have completed your class 12 boards with above 55% marks from the science background.

For other professionals who are already working in the field of healthcare, there are a number of diploma courses that they can choose to take if they are interested in making a switch to medical imaging technology.

These courses will deal with the basic concepts of anatomy, physiology, physics and pathology. An introduction to radiologic science and medical terminology are also covered as a part of these courses.

· Skill Set

The data that medical technologists deal with is highly sensitive in nature and a small mistake on their path can alter the entire treatment line. Thus, it is important for a person here to be very detail-oriented and organised. You must have the ability to calm others down and be able to concentrate even in the most challenging situations.

It is your eye-hand coordination skills and your ability to organise things and get them in order that will take you places in this career. Your patience and interpersonal skills are what will help you stand out in a crowd and help you make a mark for yourself.

· Different Career Types

Once you have the required skill set and educational qualifications, there are a number of job roles you can choose from. You may choose to be a technician, a technologist, an assistant or a technical nurse. The career options of being a sonographer, a radiation therapist and an ultrasound technician are gaining popularity.

All of these require the basic qualification of a medical imaging expert. These days, nuclear medicine technologist and radiographers are the careers that exist here. Most of these courses require you to complete an internship in your field of study before you become eligible to work in a hospital or any registered medical institution.

· Starting Your Career

There are two approaches that you can take in order to start a career in medical imaging. If you are someone who is associated with the world of healthcare, things are easy for you. You can simply opt for a degree in medical imaging and then switch to the appropriate job role in your organisation.

However, if you are a fresher in this field and want to take up a job after completing your degree, you must try to approach hospitals and pathological research centres. You may also choose to work under some senior technicians there and after getting the required experience, start off working on your own.

Doing so will ensure that you have more than book knowledge and that will enable you to shine much brighter in your career in the world of medical imaging technology.

· Working Conditions

Like most other career options that are available in the world of medicine, here also you will have challenging working conditions. You cannot really expect to have fixed working hours. These type of job roles often demand that you stay on your feet for a major part of the shift.

It is only after you have had a couple of promotions and you have moved to a supervisory position that you will be able to work from a desk. Irrespective of the medical centre that you operate from, most of these places will require you to work on weekends as well.

· Salary

The organisation that you work for will determine how much you make as a medical imaging expert. For a fresher, the value can be anything between INR 7000 and INR 10,000. If you choose to work for a private firm, the value can be much higher.

With experience, radiologists and other imaging specialists in government hospitals end up earning as much as INR 30,000. In some cases, the value can go as high as INR 50,000. It is also interesting to note that this is a field which is free from things like recession and over the years your salary will only rise.