help!!

I am in a rad tech program. I really don't think that this is the profesion that I want to go into since I found out that you don't just position your patient and take the pic. I think I want to go into dental assisting. I know that the pay is low, but I want to go for dental hygeine after that can anyone tell me if dental assisting is as gross as being a rad tech?????

suzyq in Spokane, Washington said: I am in a rad tech program. I really don't think that this is the profesion that I want to go into since I found out that you don't just position your patient and take the pic. I think I want to go into dental assisting. I know that the pay is low, but I want to go for dental hygeine after that can anyone tell me if dental assisting is as gross as being a rad tech?????

I am a rad tech and have a friend who is a dental hygienist. I like my job very much but am going on to ultrasound school as that is the whole reason I go into this. You have so many options available to you when you get through school: CT, MRI, mammography, ultrasound, angio, cath lab, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, just to name a few. Dental hygienists actually make considerably more $ than I do and work less days and better hours. However, they have their fingers in a person's mouth (which is something I find worse than what I am doing) and have to deal with bad breath, abscesses, sores, gum diseases, etc. I did actually check into this and the program was a year longer than x-ray school but I am doing another year for ultrasound school. My advice would be to ask some hygienists exactly what their job is and maybe visit a school. Most of the schools have you "practice" on dental clinic patients who are getting work done for free. Good luck to you in your decisions and with your schooling.

I am a first year student in Rad Technology and I am just a reverse from Suzyq ... LOL
The reason why I applied for this program is because I needed an upper hand to apply for Nuk Med or Radiation Therapist. I thought that Rad Techs would only position and irridiate patients and just that thought bored me to dead. Now that I am in the clinic environment and found out that there are more than just that for Rad Tech to do so I love this job a lot
:o)
I can't wait to do a BE or a GI follow through next semester or next year ....

Ahhh, I didn't realize you hadn't gotten into that stuff - gotta say I wasn't so fond of the BE but the GI follow through was fine and I really enjoyed arthrograms and spinal taps and all that other stuff you assist the radiologist with. To be honest, I really, really enjoy the patients. Obviously, you have had a change of heart and it is so wonderful. You will be a fabulous tech, I just know it! Enjoy!

Thanks Renee8, I really appriciate your comments. I am the type of person who could never stand still. I've got to find something to do ... so I have gone nuts at the hospital and the department director always laughed at me: "You have barely started and haven't comp a chest or a KUB yet and you want to do everything huh, even a BE??"
So you don't like BE huh, lord, I am dying to do something like that, even a cystoscopy would look attractive to me too LOL. Truely Renee8, this is more than just a profession to me. It changed me. Funny thing I used to beat the fecal materials out of the kids in my school, and now I am in this profession. It really got me soften when I see the elders with broken pelvis and stuffs. My first time in clinic, this grandma was there for a frog leg and the techs were so roughed on her. For some reason I automatically grasp her hand. Crap, I ain't this kind of person you know, but I did it without thinking. Oh yeah, and taking x-ray of the babies, man, fascinated. these metatarsals looked just like little dominos .... I could sit here and blah blah for hours and hours about what i get to see at the hospital.
Anyways, gotta do my physics, wishing you all a great weekend, even if you have to be on call ... LOL
Oh yeah, the MRI machine is completely off the chain. I've got to get me one of those giant magnets one of these days when I hit lotto kkkkkkkk

Hey guys, im awaiting entry for the fall class for Rad Tech. I just finished my clinical observation and i was fascinated with everything i saw! I was able to see a GI swallow, some basic xrays in the ER as well. Ive done fairly well on all my pre requisites and feel ready for this..but everyone says all these things about the program being soo hard..its a lil scary. Any advice??

prospective1
This is truly a tough program, but truly, everything that is worth while is tough and challenging. I graduated in July and have been working every weekend since and I have to tell you that it is THE most rewarding job I have ever done. What newbie said about it changed them is absolutely true. I was a medical transcriptionis for 20 years and sat in front of a computer. Now, I have even had a write up at my RT job stating how good I am with patients from the emergency room nurses! This is by far the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I got into this specifically to go on to ultrasound school (which I also love) but plan to keep an active role going in x-ray. I love both. As hard as x-ray school was, ultrasound school is far harder. I have to struggle to keep low B's. In x-ray school I graduated with high honors by putting my nose to the grindstone, so to speak. I was 42 years old when I started x-ray school and worked 40 hours a week while going to school full time. If you want it badly enough, you will find a way. There are ALWAYS people to help you, teachers, counsellors and classmates - take advantage of them all! Good luck to you and please keep me posted. Sounds like newbie is doing fantastic and I just know you will as well. Good luck!

THank you Renee! It really is encouraging to see the motivation in someone who went through it all. The preparation definetly paid off for you since you find it so rewarding to work with patients. I hopee the same goes for me from start to finish. I really find it interesting and Im going to give it my all. Good luck in ultrasound and im sure with your determination you'll make it through =]

hello guys I need the recomende one school for end my study in Atlanta or Georgia
thank

So, sorry, Jose, I live in Maine. I don't know anything about schools in Georgia. I went to a community college which had a contract with a hospital in the area to get the clinical that was needed for the program. I wish you all the best and good luck!

hey Renee8, I have again rotated to another slow facility where they do mostly Upper GI and bareum swallow. There was a patient comming into my room two weeks ago for a BE and she was a female. I couldn't even get to see it. Sucks.
My god, talking about Sonography, I don't see how you can do that Renee8. I begged the sono people to let me get into their lab and I even volunteer to be their patient just so I can get to see how they work their machines. I swear to god, two hours there I didn't even know what in the world they are looking at. I used to think that I know anatomy, but after seeing what you sono people looking at, I felt like a complete idiot. It's so easy to get straight A's in Rad Tech and most of the sono students had been rad techs for years, so I asked them if everybody had all A's. They looked at me stupid and laugh. They told me that all ten of them are struggling to earn low B's. Their tests are like 5-6 chapters a piece and I was complaining about out two chapters test in extremeties last semester. Anyways, I'll let you know when I get to poke somebody's behind and full fill my dream LOL

Prospective1, the program is not hard. Do not let people fool you. If you can survive A and P, you can survive anything. Physics is not hard. I've seen people complained about physics but those are the ones who never asked for help. Positioning class is fun and it's lab is awesome. You'll get to shoot X-ray on the phantoms. I shot a several hundreds X-rays on the phantom in the past 4 months already, and I think it's my fault the the processor's roller is messed up now LOL. You'll love it

By the way Prospective1, I can promise you that you'll love clinic. I'll tell you what I do there. I tried to find the exam that is close to leaving time so I can stay longer. They found out after a couple weeks and they send me home right away when the clock hit 2:00 P.M. ... so I had to try a different route, I tried to come 30-45 minutes early before 8:00 A.M and they also find out and make me come in only 5 minutes before time. This tells you how much fun you or any body will have in clinic. You don't have to be a technologist, yet still being appreciated by the patients. Some techs are long graduated and forgot their rules of ethics. If you can be sensitive to people's needs, you will get compliments and you will feel really good about your role of helping somebody. I absolutely love this job

suzyq in Spokane, Washington said: I am in a rad tech program. I really don't think that this is the profesion that I want to go into since I found out that you don't just position your patient and take the pic. I think I want to go into dental assisting. I know that the pay is low, but I want to go for dental hygeine after that can anyone tell me if dental assisting is as gross as being a rad tech?????

Hi, I have been a dental hygienist for 16 years and unemployed since 12/08. Prior to that I lost 2 positions in 08 due to the economy. Keep in mind that when production slows, the hygienist is the first cut. There is a demand for assisting. If you go for expanded functions the pay increases about $5 an hour. I don't think asst is gross but you do see blood, nasty mouths that smell horrendous and people that are nasty too. I love hygiene and am able to focus on treatment and keep a jar of Vicks Vapo Rub in my purse to rub under my nose for those smells I cannot deal with. Good Luck

Renee8, I am sorry I didn't mean to be rude when I told Prsopective1 not to be fool by people telling about how hard this program is. What I mean was do not let people "scare" him/her of how hard it is. I appologize for my rudeness. I just got too excited and typed without thinking ... and couldn't go back to edit my message. Sorry

hello everyone i am thinking about x-ray tech at gwinnett tech, is there anyone who is currently enroll in the program i have some question.
fiona

I am a first year student, Fiana. Is there something that you want to discuss about?
Man, I just told people that this is not hard and I score two B in lecture test and one B in lab pratical today. I'm gonna commit suicide now

Actually, one B in lecture, one B in Critique, and one B in pratical
Dawn it, i am going to ground myself for 3 days for this

Newbie,

I took no offense from your comments at all, I was actually quite encouraged by the comments you made about techs who went to ultrasound school. Thank you so much for that. It has been a long, long haul but only 6 classes left.

Don't get discouraged with grades OR a slow clinical site. Truly, no one knows your grade when they hire you, it is only you who worries about your grade and honestly, there is absolutely nothing at all wrong with a B. It is still an "honorable" grade! :)

Please keep me posted, I remember what it was like. I have a friend graduating from x-ray school in June and I will finally be done ultrasound school in August. If I lived closer, I would attend your graduation a year from now. I really, really hope all works out and you get a job in x-ray as soon as you graduate. It sounds like you truly love it and there are so many that just go through the motions, ya know? Please stick with it - you are doing fabulously! Good luck!

Renée

PS to Newbie's comments about coming in early and staying late - if you have any desire at all to work at your clinical site afterwards, this will be noticed by the "powers that be."

In reply to suzyq in Spokane, Washington, I did check into a dental hygienist program, it was 3 years versus 2 (3 as I went on to ultrasound) and the $ is actually better here in Maine (about $250 a day), but there was only two schools who teach it here and they are very expensive and the job market is not great right now for them. Personally, I would not be able to stomach people who don't brush their teeth very often, abscess, gingivitis, etc. but that is just me. Either way or any way you decide, good luck to you. Maybe a pharmacist? No grossness there but really good $....

Fiona,
I graduated 8 months ago from an radiology technologist program in Maine and absolutely love it. I don't know anything at all about Gwinnett Tech, so sorry. If you have any questions about radiology in general, I think I may be able to help.
Renée

I have been considering RAD Tech as a new career, I am 47 years old retired from the local city fire department. Its been a while over ten years since I went to school. So my background in math, biology, chemistry and the like subjects is fairly low. My question to anyone of you is should I consider taking some of these classes before commiting myself to this intense RAD Tech training. Would appreciate any feedback, thanks.

rich, i wouldnt worry about taking those core classes before entering the program. you dont need biology and chemistry in the rad tech program for what i remember. i had a few people in my class who was in their late 40's and early 50's and they did great, they infact was more commited in class since they had more to lose and had families and all. read the previous forums, i dont know how the market is in new mexico but jobs are fairly hard to come by for rad tech's now. you should probally consider nursing.

Hey Renee8, thanks for the encouragement. I hate to see any B in any test. This is what I love so I like to perform 100% of my ability. I guess I still laid back too much. I still have A's for all of the classes this semester so far. About the slow facility that I am rotating through, I still get to learn a lot of good stuffs. You know what, I really don't stay put. If there are patients transport needed for any department, I am the first one to run and get the patients for them. Last semester I had an old tech who hated me no matter what I do to the point that I got sick of her and ignore her when she tried to lecture our whole group over something. Well, beside her, all the other techs love me to death. This semester there are techs from radiation therapy, Nuk Med, ECG,RN, ER constantly stop by to see if I am busy so we can chit chat. I get to see bone density scan, PET, MRI, CT, Radiation therapy. I love them all. I asked too many questions that I start to get mixed up with my lecture materials. I got kind of hooked with the patients though, especially the elders. I frequently stopped by the patients whom I have worked on during the previous clinical days and it's fun though. You know how those elders who were admitted from the nursing home are. They hardly ever had any visitor but always have their doors opened. Man, they were so happy to see me when I happened to just returned a patient on the same floor and stick my head in the room just to say hi. My facility is kind of slow so the take don't mind me taking my time saying hi to a few patients you know.
Oh yeah, I gotta tell you this, I don't think this is violating HIPPA. A classmate of mine was being harassed by a patient and this guy was old and weakenned. I don't see how he could intimate in that condition LOL Anyways, my instructor made me walk with her to take him back and I think he got scared and didn't say anything because I do look like a thug when I act serious LOL
Take care Renee8, and thanks

Rich, I don't know what your school will require you to take before you enter the program. You need to check with the Rad Tech department at the school that you want to apply for. To my knowlege, there are certain classes such as Anatomy and Physiology (1 and 2), English Composition 1, Computer Application, Speech, Pathophysiology, Medical Terminology, Colledge Algebra, General Psychology 1, Patient Care those you will have to take before they can consider you a candidate to compete for a spot in the program. No need to retake other courses. Just follow the program's prerequisites and you'll be ok. Make sure you score lot's of A's and no C or D, then you'll be ok
What you need to aim for is a high GPA and that's what they will look at most likely. Math for Rad tech is simple algebra with cross multiply and some metric convertions. You won't bump into General Biology. The only biology you need is Anatomy and Physiology but you will get a review every chater over whichever part that we will shoot X-ray onto. As far as that, I don't think anything in the program could be as intense as fighting to put out a burning house, isn't it ?? LOL
The program is not intense. It is intense when you try to get in, but once you are in, it's only intense for those who are lazy (kids like I am) and cramp everything in the night before tests. This last minute thing does not work for Rad Tech students. You can put out 4 hours a day on the average and you should still able to go fishing on the two days weekend, yet still making A's
By the way, the higher-in-age students tend to be the best in our program so you need to watch out. Young students like me will kill themself competing with more mature folks you ***GRIN***
Good luck sir

PS: I almost forgot something. When you apply for a Rad Tech program, make sure that program is being accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
Here is the website to check for it
www.jrcert.org/cert/Search.jsp

Thank you NewBie and xray 4 life, your information has been very helpful. You have both been a wealth of information to me. I will look into the programs that are offered here and verify accreditation with the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. I appreciate both of you taking the time to share this information with me. Thanks

Rich, I almost forgot to state one more thing. Since you had been out of school for a while, if you had a low GPA with a lot of college credit hours in the past, you should consider this proceedure called "Academic Fresh Start" and they will drop all the grades you had ten years ago, then take all the prerequisites again. If you had a good GPA already then you can just disregard this message
Good luck

Renee8, you are doing the same thing I want to do. I am starting a Radiologic Technologist program in May and I want to use that as a stepping stone to ultrasound. I'm just curious, why do you want to go onto to ultrasound instead of just being a Rad Tech?

amyindallas in Euless, Texas

In my area, the rad tech positions have been saturated. To be honest, I worked in a hospital for 20 years as a medical transcriptionist and then a radiologic transcriptionist and had first-hand exposure to all modalities in x-ray. At that time, ultrasound was very much needed but the market is becoming saturated in my area for that as well. I am very fortunate that the site I am doing my clinical at is hoping to hire me full time when I am done my clinicals in August. Believe me, it has been a very, very long road and ultrasound is far more difficult than x-ray school. Of course I have worked a full time job while going to school (x-ray and ultrasound school) and have absolutely no days off a week and drive about 1 hour 1 way every day. I am tired all the time and have had some low points in the last 8 months but am on the home stretch now. I feel so fortunate to have a supportive husband, family and clinical site. I really love x-ray but truly love ultrasound. Honestly, I absolutely love the patients and feel very fortunate to have come to that realization while working at a computer. This job is one of the most rewarding I have ever done and the physicians/radiologists rely on you like no other field I have ever been exposed to. It is a very, very responsible job, challenging and rewarding. I hope this helps.

Newbie,

All the information the former people have given is correct. The radiology school I went to was accredited. The ultrasound school I am going to is not (not required to take your boards). I started x-ray school at 42 and ultrasound school at 44. I will be 45 in May and - as above - it has been challenging. But along the way I have grown very close to fellow students and instructors and have made lifelong friendships. My average age in my x-ray school was 25 years old. I came to love one of the younger 18 year old students like a daughter. She just celebrated her 21st birthday. I have no children and my husband and I treat her like a daughter. In many ways beyond a new career, school was exciting and rewarding. I had 12 fellow students in my class and keep in touch with all but a few. They called me the "mom" of the class as I tried to watch out for them all. I have also made friends with some of my ultrasound classmates and we come from 4 different states. I love ultrasound but always want to have a part of x-ray as well. Both are rewarding, challenging and exciting in very different ways. I wish you the very best luck.
Renée8

Hey Renee8, that's the same case as some of my friends who are in Sono program. Their school is not being accredited yet, but they said that by the time they graduate, they can work for a year under low pay and then their salary will shoot up as much as a sonographer should make. I hope that's not the case for you. I truly wish that the facility that is hoping to hire you after graduation will pay you as much as they pay other techs from different accredited schools. Well, I am not that young to be honnest with you Renee. I am 11 years younger than you so I am like the 5th or 6th oldest guy in my class. The problem is I act like I am the youngest one in class, and in clinic I act like I am everybody's father since I would get mad at my fellow classmate if they don't put a thyroid shield on during a fluoro study. One of them started to call me "daddy" since I am 14 years older than her LOL. There might be one or two students that hate me over grades and stuffs so I shut my mouth whenever somebody ask me about what I made in the tests and that solved the problem. I guess I do well in Rad Tech because I truly love the profession and to open the book and study is more like reading an interesting subject, especially physics. Many of students in this rad tech thing are trying to read because they want a degree. I off course want a degree but I read because I like this stuff. Physics was fun and people are complaining left and right, but none of those complainers ever ask for help.
Anyways, Renee8, I did grounded myself for the whole week and brought all my grades back to A's. Just scored a 94 in Positioning this morning, so I will be gone fishing the whole day today Yikeeeee
Wishing you the best wishes Renee8 and thanks for the replies
PS: Oh year, gotta tell you this. I saw a situs inversus the other day. It is crazy for real

Newbie,

I have yet to see a sinus inversus! I am so very happy for you. Physics was not my favorite subject. I did ask for help and believe me, I used their advice. I ended with an A in the program in everything but it was not without a lot of work and I worked full time during both x-ray and ultrasound school. And yes, my facility will pay me the same as a new tech from an accredited program.

Renee

That is GREATTTTT Renee8. I am so happy for you. I would .. well ... excuse me ... start cursing if I go through something as hard as Sonography and get pay five dollars lower than the average just because it's my school that is not accredited, not I myself not accredited. Physics was fun for me Renee8. Positioning was fun but to memorize angles and tiny details is just simply ways harder for me. I played with electric a lot plus that I used to work as a non-degree technician so this schematic things and generators were nothing new to me.
And last but not least: I DID POKED SOMEBODY'S BEHIND on Tuesday morning at exactly 8 a.m and finally full filled my dream LOL. To make it even better, he was incontinent. He was in great pain. He was over sized and his stomach was 4 times bigger than usual. I was gently poking his illiac crest for a KUB scout and he was littly shouting. To be honnest with you, seriously, I was disgusted at first since I've just had breakfast five minutes ago, but then I got adjusted to the situation and went on to tip him. I put a lot of wet towel to cover that area and that helped. We cleaned and changed his gown for him at the end, and we had two more BE comming right after that and I worked my butt off. I think I pulled and torn something on my back trying to help rolling the patient and it still hurting to this point, but you know what, it's worth it. Like you said the "powers that be" were there and for the first time she asked me if I want a drink or something and also sent me to lunch earlier than regular schedule.
PS: Many of the techs from the sono program that I've known of are not working at all and still struggling. I don't see how you can do it but obviously you did it. You are awesome Renee8. Pat yourself on the back for me will ya ***GRIN***

If you don't like Rad. School get out.Why practice a proffession you already hate.Collect your losses and get out of the game.

Hi I am new here. I was searching for info on line regarding Rad Tech schooling. I am currently working on my pre-reqs for the program - my ultimate goal is sonography like many of you on here! :) I have mixed emotions about it all the time which is why I went searching for some interactive info. I want to do it so bad and I have observed which really got me hyped but then I have my doubts at times as to whether I can really do it or not! I admit I worry way more than I should. :( I am 28, married with 2 small children (ages 6 and 2) but my husband and my family are VERY supportive of my decision to go back to school. Currently I am working full time and going to school part time however this fall I will be going to school full time and working part time and then hoping that next year I will get into a program (I am applying to 3 different ones next spring) and then I will be only going to school full time (if we can afford it financiallY) I really don't want to work unless it is a must.

Anyways, I have enjoyed reading through this thread and it has helped me ALOT!

I am glad that you had found this forum. I think you should try to apply for both, sono and rad tech and if you can get into sono, why not skipping rad tech ?
I am sure sono is going to be hard, but for rad tech you can work full time and still make it through if you study a head of time all the times. After your first year you can also apply to work as a student tech and probably get about 20 hours every week.
Good luck

Well, the Sono program I am wanting to get into requires you to first have your Rad Tech degree as a pre-requisite. :( I may look into others but the problem is that there are not any programs where I live - they are all at least an hour away and with a family I can't drive further than that. I might look into one other school that I have looked into regarding Rad Tech but never their Sono program. I am hoping that once I get through Rad Tech then to maybe work part time doing that while going for Sono.

Jashuler,

I am currently in an ultrasound program with 5 classes left and 5 months of clinical left. I went to x-ray school first. The pre-req. for all the sono programs in Maine and the one I am going to in Mass is that you either have to be a rad tech, RN or have a bachelor's degree (some of the schools state that the bach's degree has to be in science). I work 16 hour days every Saturday & Sunday to get full time benefits at one hospital, train 10-hour days Mon-Thurs at another hospital and travel 3 hours one way to go to school in Mass. Though I do not have children, I am married with a busy lifestyle and pets whom I adore. This has been the most trying 7 months of my marriage, my sleep cycle and life in general. I see none of my friends at all and family almost as infrequently. I have no promise of a full time job when I am done but am hoping like crazy that my clinical site will have one. They are trying very hard to create a full time position for me but with the economy like it is, it will be a challenge, though the dept. is expanding so there is hope. X-ray school was exciting and challenging to a degree. Ultrasound is CRAZY challenging and you are responsible literally for finding pathologies. It can be very, very stressful. My travel buddy quit last week, yup, with only 5 classes to go! It is very tough. However, if it is for you, you will know it. I really love x-ray and helping people, makes ya feel good! My greatest hope is that I will feel confident with ultrasound and feel as good about that as it is my chosen profession and most days I am excited to be there. Today was a bad day. Depends on your techs in clinical and your school. My professor is awful, truly is a self-teaching program and is very frustrating. If there is more info. you would like, I would be happy to provide you with more of my experiences (and wealth of wisdom - LOL). Anyway, I wish you the very best, whatever you decide, I know you will do well.
Renée

Hi Renee8 again, how hard is it to get a 16 hours weekend shift, and is it true that they will pay a couple dollars higher for the techs who are working on this shift? I really want to get this shift after graduation but I was told by some techs that they require at least one year experience before you can work in the weekend. Is this 16 hours weekend shift something that everybody wants or is it not? I am desperate for that shift. 2 days for full pay with benefit and five days to advance to a different modality. Can't beat that right

I have been a Tech for over 30 years. I had the chance to cross train in Nuclear Medicine and gave up a supervisory position to do it. I found it was the best decision of my life. Although the radiation exposure may be slightly higher I found it much more challanging and fun. I am now licensed in both Diagnostic and Nuclear Medicine. Please don't give up on the Radiology profession. I know it can be frustrating at times but it can also be rewarding.

Hi Newbie (again),

I started applying in February to hospitals around who had openings even if they weren't the openings I wanted. I went on 3 different interviews and explained to them what I wanted for hours. Usually when they find out that ALL you want is weekends and that their techs won't have to work weekends (which most of them don't want to in my area) they are usually more than willing to talk to you about the hours you want and readjusting their current techs hours so they don't have to work weekends. Two of the 3 hospitals I applied for had full time openings. NONE of the hospitals cared about the amount of experience I had. One of them was planning to train me for up to 3 months to make sure I would be fine on my own and was willing to pay me 40 hours for 32 hours of work! An experienced tech applied after I did and got the job (has now left it though). The place I am now, I work 32 and get paid for 32 hours with benefits. It is a sweet deal truthfully. Weekends have some benefits (although could be considered as drawbacks) especially at a small hospital such as you only do trauma type cases, no fluoro, no angio, etc. Once in a while OR but rare (I do miss the OR). But, as you said, it frees up plenty of time to learn another modality. In Maine, at the places I applied, there were no "1-year experience" required for any of the jobs I applied for, they were thankful to get applicants for a weekend only position. There is evening shift differential and weekend shift differential. I my case it is an extra $1 an hour for the full 32 hours and from 3-11 it is an extra $2.50 an hour. If you work any time during 11-7 it is an extra $5 an hour.

I agree with Sheila44, learning another modality is a wonderful thing and only increases your chances of being hired. In Maine, the nuc. med. techs have to go to school and can't be cross trained. MRI seems to be heading in that same direction and possible CT within the next few years....

Newbie,
Sorry so long but also wanted to say that now is the time, if you are planning on cross training, to do just that as soon as you graduate and maybe take your boards as soon as you feel comfortable. Whatever you decide, I know you will succeed. I feel, strangely enough, as if I have made a friend in you! :)

Hi Renee8
I am so sorry for the late reply. I'd just scored another B in my test and grounded myself for 3 more days. Anyways, thanks for the input. I really hope that I will get the weekend job after graduation next year. Everything seem to be low right now, most of the programs around Texas are being put on hold (Rad Therapy, Nuk Med)I was thinking of Sono but really, don't laugh at me for saying this. I think of sono is a female thing LOL. I know there are males doing sono as well as doing nursing but I just got this feeling that I can't get over about certain things are for ladies but not for men.
I am going to apply for a student tech position tomorrow. The economic is so bad that nobody wants to hire a student tech around here. There is one hospital that has 1-2 spot for student techs that suppose to start hiring two weeks ago and they haven't call any of us yet. I am down on saving too so I might have to get a job at Mc Donald and be thankful if I can get it. Oh yeah, I'd just shot a perfect complete lumbar today for the first time doing any lumbar on a real patient. Everything was dead on center eventhough the patient has 3 bursted disks. The last facility and this one are slow but this one seem to start picking up the pace and I only have 3 clinical weeks left. It's ok though, I'll get to do them all this summer in this crowdier facility. By the way, just to let you know, the "power that be" bumped into me last Thursday and this is the second times she winks at me since last month and told me not to worry about getting a job next year because she really know how I perform in her department. It makes me feel great, and then ... I got a freaking 90 on my test over Floro and D-Floro, and feel like crap again. Maybe if I haven't gone fishing this whole weekend I could've made an A. Dawn it but oh well.
Well, I've got to go and study for the sinus and CT chapters. Thanks for the support and best wishes to you Renee8

Shiela44, thanks for the advice and support. Nuk Med is my first choice after next year's graduation, but most of the Nuk Med programs is being put on hold in Texas right now. I guess I have to find something else to learn before they start doing their reviews again.

I went to x-ray school at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta,Ga. They have an excellent program and they will prepare for the registry exam in x-ray very well. Right now the job market in the US is overflooded with x-ray techs so if I were u I would wait a couple more years before applying to the school. The supply and demand for techs needs time to balance out.

Taurus20, why would someone has to wait a couple years? There always be positions out there for the right ones. I am positively sure that there are hours that techs hate and we can at least get that. Why not getting an X-Ray degree right now and use it as an upper hand to move on to a new modality which most likely many of us students will do anyways?

Renee8 in Lewiston, Maine said: I am a rad tech and have a friend who is a dental hygienist. I like my job very much but am going on to ultrasound school as that is the whole reason I go into this. You have so many options available to you when you get through school: CT, MRI, mammography, ultrasound, angio, cath lab, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, just to name a few. Dental hygienists actually make considerably more $ than I do and work less days and better hours. However, they have their fingers in a person's mouth (which is something I find worse than what I am doing) and have to deal with bad breath, abscesses, sores, gum diseases, etc. I did actually check into this and the program was a year longer than x-ray school but I am doing another year for ultrasound school. My advice would be to ask some hygienists exactly what their job is and maybe visit a school. Most of the schools ha ve you "practice" on dental clinic patients who are getting work done for free. Good luck to you in your decisions and with your schooling.

I am currently in a masters degree program in Kinesiolgy and really want to get into the field of cardiac sonography. I need a part time program but it is impossible in my area...there is only one and is very competetive. Should i just go into Radiology first and get an associates degree? How would i transition into sonography from there? Thanks for any info.

Hello Vail100,

My fellow classmate is already an echo sonographer and cannot find a full time job here in Maine to save his soul. There is an echo program at University of Maine which is at the southern end of the state. I don't know if that is doable for you or not but I am pretty sure it is a full time program. I can ask my friend about it if you want. He went there. We are both driving (me from Norway, Maine and him from Portland, Maine) to Middlesex Community College in Bedford, Mass. You could call Tom Walsh who is the director of the general sonography program there and he could probably give you all the advice you need. Call Middlesex and ask to speak with him, he is most helpful. I noticed you were from Mass so thought this would be the most helpful to you. I'm sure there are programs in Mass for echo as well but I don't know about them. Only the program I am doing. I wish you the very best of luck.
Renée

Hi Renee,

Wow it's really that hard to find a job in Maine huh? What about Mass has he tried to get a job here? I'm looking for a program in Mass that is part time...they are all so competetive to get into. I'm thinking i might go the radiology route first. thanks

Vicki