How to Become a MRI Doctor or Specialist
Radiologists are doctors that specialize in reading MRIs and x-rays to determine diseases and disorders in patients. But before becoming a radiologist, you must earn your bachelor's degree in a pre-med academic discipline, complete medical school and serve a 5-year residency as a radiologist. You also need to be certified by your state's medical board. Here's a guide to becoming a doctor that specializes in reading MRIs.
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Instructions
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Take courses to prepare you to become a radiologist. If you're interested in becoming a radiologist, you need to earn your bachelor's degree focusing in pre-medicine studies. During this time, you need to take at least 1 year of inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and calculus. You may also need to take 1 to 2 years of physics courses.
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Take the Medical College Admissions Test, which is a requirement of all accredited medical schools in the United States. Medical schools use this score to evaluate a candidate's application. You can register to take the MCAT online (see Resources below).
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Choose which medical schools to which you'll submit applications. The American Association of Medical Colleges offers a directory (see Resources below). Medical school will take 4 years to complete attending full-time, during which time you'll complete an internship.
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Complete a 5-year residency in radiology. Once you've completed medical school, you'll need to complete a residency in radiology; during this time you'll learn how to diagnose kidney stones, broken bones and a variety of cancers.
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Take your medical board exam. After completing your 5-year residency, you can apply to take your medical board exam. To achieve this, contact your state's medical board to set-up a testing date and time.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure to earn an excellent GPA while attending your undergraduate university. Having a GPA of 3.50 or higher will make your application more attractive to potential medical schools.
Understand the salary range for radiologists. According to salary.com, these professionals can expect to earn $262,721 to $499,437 annually. Make sure to negotiate the best compensation offer based on the salary range.
