Radiology Technician
Eden Daniels-Clark
5 tasks/job duties that are commonly performed in this career.
Position x-ray equipment and adjust controls to set exposure factors, such as time and distance.
Use beam-restrictive devices and patient-shielding techniques to minimize radiation exposure to patient and staff.
Position patient on examining table and set up and adjust equipment to obtain optimum view of specific body area as requested by physician.
Process exposed radiographs using film processors or computer generated methods.
Explain procedures to patients to reduce anxieties and obtain cooperation.
5 skills that would be needed for this career.
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.
Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Operation and Control — Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
5 items that describe different parts of the working conditions/work environment/work context.
Education needed for this career.
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
5 interests that would be helpful if you were going into this career.
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.
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.
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.
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.
5 values that fit with this career choice.
Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Wages
Median wages (2012)
$19.57 hourly, $40,700 annual
Employment (2012)
90,000 employees
Projected growth (2012-2022)
Much faster than average (22% or higher)
Projected job openings (2012-2022)
33,100