X-ray Technician Training - How To Get The Right Courses And Certificates

By Allen Hiles

If you are thinking of becoming an x-ray technician, you will first need to know what it takes to become one in terms of training, education and certification. Becoming an x-ray technician requires a lot more than just studying how to operate an x-ray machine. It involves lessons and courses in how to safely keep yourself and your patients from the dangerous radiation that comes from these machines and how to operate other diagnostic imaging equipment that are used in hospitals and clinics. You will also learn how to direct patients to do what is necessary for them to get the kind of diagnostic results they need while keeping them safe and at ease at the same time.

When you are trying to find the right kind of x-ray technician education you need to help land yourself a job as an x-ray technician at a hospital or clinic near you, you will first need to check out what coursework they have for you and what prerequisites need to be completed before you can enrol. Some of the basic coursework that should come with a certificate course for x-ray technicians include radiographic positioning, diagnostic imaging research, medical terminology, human physiology and anatomy, fluoroscopy imaging and physics. You will also find that some of these training courses will have modules on the function and structure of the body as well as introductory courses covering radiologic technology.

Before you can enroll yourself in one of the many x-ray technician education portals available to you, you may be required to have completed courses in algebra and in chemistry. There are a number of different educational programs available for this kind of a job and these include associate programs, bachelor's degree programs and even accelerated one year certification programs. For the accelerated programs, you may be required to present proof of a degree in any field of medicine to be able to qualify for such a program.

While an associate degree in this field is enough for most people to land jobs with, those that look to get ahead in this industry strive to get themselves a Bachelor's degree in Radiologic Technology. You can also choose to take up additional courses that can educate you in the use of other imaging techniques like MRI and CT scans. The addition of training with these other methods and machines can help increase your potential in the field of radiologic technology.

If you are wondering about your job prospects after finishing any of these x-ray technician education courses for your chosen field, you will find that people in this line of work are in great demand and will be in great demand until 2014. This is said to be due to the advancements in diagnostic imaging and this means that more qualified individuals will be needed for these posts once these advancements are implemented in the many hospitals, diagnostic centers and clinics all over the US. You will also be glad to note that trained and certified x-ray technicians can expect to make around $32,000 to $55,000 annually.

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