Radiologists are medical professionals who are trained in using X-rays, MRIs, and other medical images to diagnose illnesses and injuries. This career requires a great deal of training, but is quite lucrative. This article will go into detail about the radiologist job description, including average salary, necessary qualifications, advancement opportunities, and typical work hours.
Job Overview: What Does a Radiologist Do?
A radiologist is a physician who specializes in using medical images to diagnose injuries and diseases. Radiologists can work in hospitals, clinics, outpatient centers, or private practices. They use X-rays, MRIs, and other types of medical imaging techniques to help treat patients. Some radiologists specialize in a specific type of medicine, such as pediatrics.
Radiologists must complete at least four years of medical school and four years of residency. Daily duties include interpreting image results, communicating that information to other physicians, and helping coordinate treatment. They make a median salary of about $490,399 a year.
Radiology shifts are long and irregular. Radiologists often have to work nights and weekends. However, the specific schedule depends on the setting. Compared to some other types of doctors, radiologists do not have much contact with patients.
Radiologist Job Duties
- Oversee the equipment and technologists who take X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and other medical images from patients.
- Use medical images as diagnostic tools to determine patient conditions.
- Recommend follow-up steps as necessary, including treatment suggestions or additional imaging techniques.
- Consult with fellow physicians about patient results to determine a treatment plan.
- Administer radiation techniques to treat patients (for example, in the field of oncology).
- Record patients’ medical histories and information.
Radiologist Job Essential Skills
Interpersonal skills. Radiologists must communicate with physicians and occasionally patients. This job requires collaboration and clear communication skills.
Analytical skills. Radiologists are responsible for interpreting test result and aligning this information with other background information from patients in order to determine a full understanding of their condition.
Detail orientation. This job involves subtle interpretations of data, so a great deal of attention to detail is vital.
Organizational skills. Physicians deal with patient records and lab results in an often fast-paced and stressful environment. An inherent ability to organize and prioritize is necessary.
Problem-solving skills. By nature, radiologists are required to be leaders and problem-solvers. They must make quick, efficient decisions that are in the best interest of the patient, and communicate these solutions to other physicians.
Physical stamina. Because radiologists often work long shifts, they must be able to handle standing and working for long periods of time.
Becoming a Radiologist
Becoming a radiologist isn’t easy. This is one of the more competitive medical fields, so students must have high grades, great references, and some exposure or experience in the field in order to be accepted into a radiology residency. Completing the required training takes a long time, but it’s worth it for those who are dedicated enough to succeed.
Qualifications & Training
Becoming a licensed radiologist can take as many as 10 years after college. The first step is to complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year university while completing necessary pre-medical coursework. Then, prospective students must compete to enroll in medical school. This step is often highly competitive.
Medical school is four years long and includes various clinical rotations, as well as classroom courses. After completing medical school, future radiologists must also complete a four-year residency at a hospital. During this stage, students spend a year completing a clinical internship and then move on to focusing on radiology. They learn under the guidance of a licensed attending physician.
After completing the residency, many graduates choose to complete a one- or two-year fellowship, so that they can specialize in a specific area of radiology, such as pediatric radiology or interventional radiology.
Once all required training is completed, one final step is necessary: passing the state licensing exam. Radiologists are then able to apply for full-time entry-level jobs as licensed physicians.
Radiologists must complete a four-year residency in radiology to be eligible for licensing. In addition, many people choose to complete a fellowship after residency in order to specialize in a particular field of radiology.
Residents and fellows are both paid for their time, and this is considered the only necessary work experience for entry-level radiologists. Those who graduate from these programs are eligible to work as full-time physicians.
Radiologists report that, although the career is satisfying and fulfilling, it’s also quite hectic and stressful, with little flexibility. The radiologist job description often entails around 50 hours of work a week.
Radiologists are often required to work nights, weekends, and holidays, and the shifts are long and irregular. This is especially true for those who work in hospitals or in academic settings. Radiologists who work in outpatient centers are more likely to have regular schedules, since they only work during specific business hours.
Job Outlook & Advancement Opportunities
Radiologists are considered specialist doctors. Radiologists make a median salary of $490,399. The job outlook for physicians is positive, with a projected growth rate of 14% between 2014 and 2024. Radiology was named one of the best jobs in America in a 2012 CNN report.
Thus, radiologists are well-compensated for the great deal of time and effort that this career takes. Because radiologists are paid so well, they’re able to choose less strenuous and unpredictable schedules as they advance in their careers.
Advancement opportunities for radiologists usually come in the form of staying up-to-date on cutting-edge procedures that can command a higher salary. Radiologists can also become leaders in the field, with some even going into academia to take on a teaching role. Others can move into a more research-oriented role or design programs for public health.
Radiology can be a stressful job, but one that comes with the great reward of helping patients find solutions to their health issues. If you don’t want too much patient interaction and are looking for a well-compensated, highly-respected medical career, radiology is a great field to specialize in.
If radiology is the career for you, start planning early. This is an ideal career for those who are driven, ambitious, and hard-working, as seen in the radiologist job description presented above. After about a decade of preparation, trainees in this field are well-positioned to excel in a competitive, fast-paced career.