Hi Becka-forget about the lottery!!Do it anyway. It's a very interesting job-Even if I do.t work in a prison-like x-ray dave-Wow, can't wait to hear about that!!
makaylee-check into hospitals in your area-one of them may have a program available that they may not advertise or. I found my program because my cousin went there, but I have never seen an ad for it!!It was all done by word-of-mouth!!
As far as my job, I really enjoyed general radiography(bones,stomachs,etc.), but after 8 years, it was time for me to branch out. Blood?-depends on which road you take. As an x-ray tech,one of my daily rotations was the operating room, where there was plenty of blood-the same for trauma cases-car accidents,falls,other bizarre stuff,too!!In MRI,where I am currently employed it is extremely rare for me too see any blood,except for the fact that we inject contrast,so we have to give needles.But we do not scan accident patients until they are cleaned up and stable enough to hold still for the exam!!
Miss Kelly-My program was two years straight,no summers off,five days a week,rotating through classes and actual hospital training.We must have 24 credits for every two year period for continuing education,but thats in CT,I'm not sure about everywhere else.
Starting salary (when I started in 1991) was $12.50, but it has since gone up considerably since I started, I think now along the $16-$18 range. With the job market dwindling somewhat (we have multiple full time openings at my facility),there are sign-on bonuses,incentives,etc.
But, I love my job,especially in MRI, but I did enjoy x-ray,too!!
I look forward to coming to work,and seeing different patients and different exams every day!!
Any more questions,please ask!!
x-ray dave will be back on later also with his information and expertise,too!!
Thanks everyone-
Kristi
