career move

jupitermadcat · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 5

Hello everyone

I will be 46 in November and i am interested in the Radiology field would i be considered too old for this? what would be the best training for me i am in the Fort Lauderdale fl area. also i heard its hard for men to get jobs in the ultrasound field is this true? any help and information would be appreciated .

Thanks

Cory · Joined: 01 Oct 2008 Posts: 3

1. Are you in the Medical field already?

2. Do a search on the web for scholls with X-ray tech/ radiology programs in your area (community colleges or trade schools/medical schools)

3.You can earn a Limited License or a full license and an Associates degree. (each lvl up will allow you to do more in the field and each lvl up is more schooling and harder to get into a program for. Many schools for a full license and associate degree have a 1-4 year wait... this is after you have finished you pre req./gen. ed classes.)

4. Private schools run anywhere from $24,000 to $55,000 for a full license and about $24,000 to $36,000 for a limited license( in the San Diego area). Community college would be much less but would take way more time. Im sure you could get into Radiology through Med school aswell but if you already have a masters you should look into Nuclear medicine and get paid more.

*****Important: This info comes from what I have found looking into Radiology as a career and please note that I am NOT in the medical field so it may not all be totally correct********

Cory · Joined: 01 Oct 2008 Posts: 3

Also you should look into Job availability in your area for when you get out of school. Many people are saying the job market for Radiology is flooded and its hard to find a job. This is something I am still looking into.

hjhogle · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:53 am Post subject:

Rather than looking for programs by searching the internet, do your searching here: http://arrt.org/index.html?content=http://www.arrt.org/nd/listOfSchools.ndm/listSchools&iframe=yes

The ARRT (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists) is one of the agencies charged with certifying imaging professionals. (Nuclear Medicine technology is through the NMTCB, Sonography through the ARDMS). If you're interested in Radiography, there is no point in attending a program that is not receognized by them as 'accredited'. Why? If you attend a non-accredited program, you will not be eligible to take the national certification exam. If you do not become certified, your chances of finding a position in a facility which accepts federal dollars (aka Medicare/Medicaid) are non-existent.

You will also not find many (if any) Radiographers here who would encourage you to enter a program for 'limited license' (in Florida they're called BMO - basic machine operator. There are other names in other states). I have posted my opinion in this forum many times - let's just say that a machine operator is not a professional, and I enourage anyone who is looking into the profession to remember that.

As with many other fields, imaging is cyclical. There are not enough of us, so schools expand their programs .. new schools pop up to fill the need. No surprise, suddenly there's a glut of new graduates looking for work and not enough positions to go around. Schools close, others cut back on their enrollment. Suddenly ... more jobs than RT's.

Many boomer's are starting to think about retiring. Who do you suppose is going to fill their shoes?

hjh, RT

jupitermadcat · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 5

No i am not in the field

hjhogle · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 2:09 pm Post subject:

Even though you are not already in healthcare, you are NOT too old at 46. It MAY require more sacrifices of you than someone right out of high school .. at 46, you have a quarter century of obligations outside of your job.

Your sex is also no deterrent. On of the best, most priofessional, talented ultrasonographers I ever knew was male. Every woman in our department who got pregnant while I worked there specifically requested that he perform the ultrasound.

So do your homework. Investigate accredited programs near you. Decide what kinds of sacrifices you're willing to make to complete this.

Good luck
hjh, RT

jupitermadcat · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 5

i am new to the field
what is the job market like in the south Florida area?

i really would like to enter this field

would it be worth the time and effort for me to train

i would appreciate all of your help

Thank you.

usertech · Joined: 11 Jan 2009 Posts: 6

You are NEVER too old. There is always room in the imaging community for us mature adults. Heck, I just told a radiologist that I had thought about going to med school but I was too old and he said "you would be surprised how many old geezers are walking around here" Although it entered my mind, the thought of paying back student loads when I was 80 was not very exiting. I think that I will stick to what I am doing now. But my advice is go for it!!! and never give up dreams

jupitermadcat · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 5