A Career In Radiography

The career I have a great interest in and have chosen to pursue is in radiography—specifically, a radiography technician, better known by most as an X-Ray tech. For the longest time, I had felt completely lost as to what kind of career I would want to go after once I had graduated high school. I weighed many options, and took a wide variety of career-oriented classes at Marshall County High School. Even so, by the beginning of my junior year, I was beginning to feel hopeless—so far, no careers I had researched had appealed to me as something I would want to do for the rest of my life. That is until I took my first class over at the Technical Center; where all of the Health Careers classes were conducted. This was Health Careers I. In this class, …show more content…
One goal I have already made for myself is within the near-future: only sixteen weeks away. By this time, I plan to have already started working on completing my FAFSA, and will be applying for other scholarships as well, while looking for local job shadowing opportunities. Furthermore, I believe that before the end of six years, I will have already earned my degree from WKCTC, and will have passed the ARRT exam to earn my certification, and will be actively seeking employment, or beginning my employment at a hospital or clinic, while moving in to my own place—the real beginning of my adulthood. Finally, I believe that by the end of fifteen years, I will be married, and already have my first of two children, while actively working as a Radiography Technician full-time—taking X-Rays and CT-Scans in order to financially support my growing family. These goals, of course, are always subject to change, as new opportunities cross my path, allowing for even more success than what I have predicted for myself. Thinking about these goals makes me even more anxious and optimistic about the road that lies ahead, both for myself and my …show more content…
Will I be able to live the lifestyle I’m planning for myself while working as a radiography tech? To answer these questions, I had to do some extensive research regarding my career of choice. The first place I went in search for answers was the online Occupational Outlook Handbook provided on the official Bureau of Labor Statistics website. First and foremost, I had to find out if this job sounded like something I would really enjoy doing every day for many years to come. To determine whether or not this job is for me, I decided to take a look at the Handbook’s description of the daily responsibilities I would have as a radiography tech. As a tech, I would have to carefully read orders from physicians to determine which part of the patient’s body to take an image of. Then, I would need to introduce myself to and talk with the patient, asking questions about their medical history. Then, after recording their responses, I would clearly and accurately explain to them about the procedure to be performed, and why it is necessary. I must also be willing to answer any questions they may have regarding the test, take precautions measures to protect them during the procedure (such as shielding them from harmful radiation with vests). I would also have to help physically maneuver the patient and testing equipment to ensure the test will be performed efficiently, and be able to properly perform the test and use the