Radiologic and MRI Technologists
Radiologic and MRI Technologists
Career Overview
Radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging exams such as X-rays and CT scans. MRI technologists use powerful magnetic fields and computerized imaging systems to create detailed images that help healthcare teams diagnose and monitor medical conditions.
Education
A 2- to 3-year postsecondary program in radiologic technology or medical imaging is a common pathway. MRI technologists may begin in radiologic technology and later specialize in MRI, often completing additional MRI training or a graduate certificate. Licensing, registration, or certification requirements vary by location.
Future Outlook
Employment in radiologic and MRI technology is projected to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations. Demand will continue as healthcare providers use advanced diagnostic imaging to detect, diagnose, and monitor medical conditions.
Work Environment
Radiologic and MRI technologists work in hospitals, medical imaging centres, clinics, outpatient facilities, and diagnostic laboratories. The job combines patient care with advanced imaging technology, and some positions include evenings, weekends, or overnight shifts.
Recommended High School Courses
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Math
- Computer Science
- Physics
- Anatomy
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- 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.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
- Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
- Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
- Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
- Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
- Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Time Sharing - The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Operate diagnostic imaging equipment.
- Create advanced digital images of patients using computer imaging systems.
- Administer medical substances for imaging or other procedures.
- Position patients for treatment or examination.
- Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals.
- Explain medical procedures or test results to patients or family members.
- Prepare patients physically for medical procedures.
- Check quality of diagnostic images.
- Repair medical facility equipment.
- Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
- Examine medical instruments or equipment to ensure proper operation.
- Maintain medical equipment or instruments.
- Train medical providers.
- Maintain inventory of medical supplies or equipment.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
- Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
- Schedule patient procedures or appointments.
- Process x-rays or other medical images.
Schools
Atlanta Technical College
Austin Community College...
Bakersfield College- Pano...
Bluefield State College-...
Carrington College- Spoka...
Central Arizona College
Cleveland University- Kan...
College Of Central Florid...
College Of Dupage
College Of Lake County
Concordia College- New Yo...
Dallas College West Dalla...
Delaware Technical And Co...
Eastern Florida State Col...
Eastern Florida State Col...
Eastern Florida State Col...
Eastern Florida State Col...
El Camino College
Everett Community College
Ferris State University
Franciscan Missionaries O...
Friends University
Herzing University- Orlan...
Lanier Technical College-...
Midwestern Career College...
Missouri Southern State U...
National Park College
Nebraska Methodist Colleg...
New York Chiropractic Col...
New York University
Palm Beach State College-...
Parker University
South Suburban College
Suny Downstate Medical Ce...
Suny Upstate Medical Univ...
University Of Minnesota-...
Brandon University
College Of The North A...
Dalhousie University
Fanshawe College- Lond...
Mcmaster University
Red River College- Not...
The Michener Institute...
University Of Alberta
Approx Salary Expectation
Low End:
$52,000.00 /yr
Avg/Med:
$78,000.00 /yr
High End:
$107,000.00 /yr
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.