Pros and Cons of the business...

celeste7777 · Joined: 26 Mar 2009 Posts: 5

I will be looking to apply to RT school next year and I was wondering if anybody would provide some info on the pros and cons of this career...

What do you love about your profession?
What have been the hardest challenges that you have had to face?
If you had to estimate a percentage for overall job satisfaction among your colleagues, what would it be?
Is there a "burnout rate" like there is in nursing?

Thanks so much for your help!

hjhogle · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 7:12 am Post subject:

1. Radiography is ever changing, there are no two days the same and there is incredible oppotunity to move into different areas.

2. Learning to be patient, learning to accept change as a natural part of life.

3. It isn't possible for me to estimate job satisfaction among colleagues ... by asking this question, what you'll get is a lot of "he said" anecdotal information - pitifully unreliable. You might check on the ARRT or ASRT website. They might have solid data to review. Anecdotal? I've been a radiographer for 30 years and I'm still in the business. If it were not satisfying to me, I'd have left long ago - and there are plenty of others like me.

4. Honey, I don't know how old you are, but there is burnout among truck drivers, ministers, 1st grade teachers, attorneys and yes ... radiographers. A specific "rate"? No such thing. There's no way to quantify.

Good luck,
hjh, RT

papa · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:07 am Post subject:

What do you love about your profession?

there's a couple things that i like the most about radiology.

first off, i love art. it is the "art" of medicine, and the "art" of radiology. i go to work everyday knowing that i'll be painting a picture that may be similar to others, but it's never the exact same.

secondly, and most importantly to me (not to bring religion into it), i look at it as myself doing gods work. i had orders when i first started in this field to do a portable 4 view shoulder on a quadraplegic patient in the orthopedic wing. the whole trip up to 6main i told myself, "geezz... how the heck am i going to do this?" guy was great. he could tell i was kinda new, told me to take my time, and god would do the rest. i felt every touch He laid on me - 4 view, including scapula Y, beautiful images. we're helping to heal people, helping to improve lives. that alone is reward enough for me.

What have been the hardest challenges that you have had to face?

that first exposure. everything else was difficult, but was able to get it shortly after doing it. but that first image... man... just realizing that i'm putting radiation into a person... took me about a week to press the button.

If you had to estimate a percentage for overall job satisfaction among your colleagues, what would it be?

mostly? very satisfyied. if you're going into this field looking for money, it's there, but you got to really work for it. most of the people i work with do this because they enjoy it, not because it pays well.

Is there a "burnout rate" like there is in nursing?

i'm going to agree with hjh on this, whole heartedly.. i don't know a field where there isn't some form of burnout.
_________________
Mr. Green

papa RT(R)(CT) Mr. Green

Delusional Radiology
never meddle in the affairs of a dragon, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup

celeste7777 · Joined: 26 Mar 2009 Posts: 5

Thank you both for the wonderful insight... It seems many of the people I talked to truly love what they do and I believe I would enjoy it also. I am a former nurse and was looking to try my hand on the more techinical side of things. I agree that it is truly an art, and it is fascinating to be able to see inside the human body.

If anyone has other thoughts I would love to hear them too! Have a great weekend everyone!

-Celeste