What do you like to make??

[Denise223]

Thanks Nanci!

We really cannot afford it either, so I feel TERRIBLY GUILTY! My husband is self-employed, and I am thinking of going to school for rad tech or u/s.

After speaking with a couple of rad techs (when having CT scans during an illness), I am 98% leaning towards radiology over ultrasound.

Given that I need to take pre-requisites to get into the two year program, I figure it will take me four years. I don't have a problem with that because the time is going to pass anyway.

But, I have a very hard time studying -- focusing. I've taken a few night courses over the years - psych, communications.

I've worked all my life in the medical field -- office manager OB/GYN & Peds, and I'm very good at what I do. I'd take one pre-req per semester, initially, and see how I do.

Back to food & refrigeration........I'm going to ease up on my "throwing away" stuff, starting today!

Thanks Nanci!

Denise

[Nanci]

I'm a rad tech, did you know that?

[Denise223]

Nanci --

No, I didn't know..... How long have you been one? That's wonderful. What's your opinion/advice with regard to a 2 yr med sonography program or 2 year rad tech program?

Initially, I was interested in U/S, thinking that it might be more medical. But then, after talking to a couple of rad techs, they said their feeling was that the reverse was true. In rad technology, there's CT, MRI, MRA, bone scan, in OR C-arm films, etc., etc.....

I graduated HS in '78, so I've got to take lots of pre-requisites. Bio, Chem, Algebra........ I never was a great studier, so that's a big concern.

Perhaps I should just make an appointment with the 2 colleges out here that have those programs. I'd also need to look into financial aid. (if you have any advice at all on that -- I'd really appreciate hearing it).

Do you love what you are doing?? Do you work in a hospital or private medical facility? If it's not too personal to ask, is the pay pretty good?

Thank you for any & all advice, Nanci .

Let's drift back to food now......

Went to the Stockyard last night -- really has gone downhill since we were last there. (prices much higher than < 2 years ago). Had garden salad, broiled scallops & potato salad -- glass of chardonnay, too !

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino came in to enjoy a meal while we were there.

Hope everyone's enjoying the Tour!

Denise

[Nanci]

I graduated in 1987, so I've been doing it for almost 20 years. I like what I do. I randomly picked it. I worked the first ten years in a Minneapolis trauma/teaching hospital. I did CT about half time for five years. It's (CT) fun for a while, but then routine. Like everything. I did mobile radiography, driving a van to nursing homes, for a year. I liked that. I've been where I am, a large teaching hospital, for seven years. I specialize in fluoroscopy- barium studies mostly, now. I like that a lot.

I would do radiography- you can always add on ultrasound, interventional radiology, radiation therapy, MRI, CT, mammography,nuclear medicine- lots of specialties, but if you do just ultrasound, then you're limited to that only. (But it's a big field.)

I don't think the course work is too difficult- tons of anatomy, physiology, positioning, that's the main stuff, then physics, patient care, stuff about film and digital technology, etc. I wasn't a great studier in HS but I got all As in college except for geology :-( (I got a B) (It's all new terminology- it was really tough!!)

We're guessing starting pay, for a plain rad tech, in the south (so minus 30% from up north) is $16/hour. Pretty decent money for a two year degree. Then you can get a BA/BS and go into management in any health care field, not just radiology. But you can get promoted right up the ladder in radiology, in most places, without a bach degree. Then you can add on an RPA (Radiology Physician Assistant) degree for $$$$$.

[spokewench]

About 15 years ago (gee it seems like yesterday!), my husband went back to school in California and did the 2 year rad tech degree there. He is still working in the field and I can't say he loves it, but he is still in the field. It allowed us to move out of the rat race and move to Flagstaff Arizona. He makes decent money and can now work part time. (I'm a paralegal)

He had never gotten great grades in high school, but when he wanted to go back to school and apply himself he got all A's! What do you know? It's amazing what a little maturity can do!

If you want to do something like this, I say GO FOR IT. It is a really small bit of dedication to obtain a pretty much guaranteed job and good money! Rad techs are in demand now as you know.

[Geonz]

Also check out the assorted support at the school. I work at a community college (I'm 98% sure it's got a rad tech program) and they pay me full time to help students in the "pre-college skills" stuff because they've got to take a placement test, and more than 2/3 of the students (especially the ones who've been out of school for a bit) need at least one math brush-up course.
It's in the school's best interest to have successful graduates, and some schools have figured out that it's worht investing in their students. We've got a peer tutoring center and it's easy to form study groups with other students, and there are things like "chem 100" which is a brush-up course so you have the chem background for the bio courses. We've also got advisors and advocates to help people *find* the support (including financial) to get 'em through.
GO FOR IT

[Denise223]

Thank you all so much for your very, very helpful information!!

Spokewench, as you've stated,

It is a really small bit of dedication to obtain a pretty much guaranteed job and good money! Rad techs are in demand now as you know.

It is a career, AND....a very good one at that!

Sue, as you stated,

Also check out the assorted support at the school.

That is surely something that I will have to do.

We have two very good community colleges out here that have the rad tech program.

Originally posted by Nanci -- Then you can get a BA/BS and go into management in any health care field, not just radiology. But you can get promoted right up the ladder in radiology, in most places, without a bach degree. Then you can add on an RPA (Radiology Physician Assistant) degree for $$$$$.

That all sounds really great! I'll have A LOT of work to do before advancing, but there sure are a lot of options available.
I guess the best thing to do would be to contact both schools and make an appointment with one of the advisors.

Thank you all again for taking the time to give me information on this. It is appreciated very much!

Denise