How to Become a Radiologist Assistant

Radiologist assistants are registered, trained, experienced radiographic technologists (allied health professionals who work with X-rays and other imaging technologies) who have gone through additional education and testing. They work for and under the supervision of radiologists. Radiologist assistants may perform exams and procedures under supervision, and they take leadership roles in patient management and evaluation. The supervising radiologist remains responsible for diagnoses, interpretations, and final reports. If you want a career in medical imaging that offers great opportunities, personal satisfaction, and great compensation, you may want to become a radiologist assistant.

Radiologist assistants improve productivity and workflow in practices where they are employed. They do this by relieving some of the workload of the radiologist, enabling the radiologist to perform more advanced procedures. Wait times are decreased, and patient satisfaction is improved.

This is an exciting career field with plenty of growth opportunities, due to advancing technology and an aging population requiring more diagnostic tests. According to Monster.com, salaries for radiologist assistants range between $80,000 and $100,000 per year. Salaries vary according to type of practice and location.

Instructions

1. To become a radiologist assistant, you should first become a working radiology professional, such as a radiographic technologist. Both training and positions are widely available for radiographic technologists (see other eHow articles on this career). Some technologists undergo certification in hospitals where they work--others enter two or four-year programs at colleges across the country. After you acquire some experience as a radiographic technologist, you can move up to radiologist assistant by gaining the right education and certification.

2. Enroll in a bachelor's degree program for radiologist assistants. There are ten such programs in the United States:

   * Weber State University, Ogden, UT
   * Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
   * Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
   * University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
   * University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark
   * University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock
   * Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT
   * Midwestern State University, Wichita Fall, Texas
   * Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California
   * Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

3. Pass the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists certification test for radiologist assistants.