Hello there, before I moved to United States, I work as radiologic technician in my country. I have more than 15 years experience in the radiology field. I was trained in Hospital and Clinic, I have certificate. now I would like to attend courses to become a licensed R.T in United States. I'd like to have advice from you, what should I do?
Hi Sydney! I’m starting my x ray program this fall and I’m so nervous!! I hope to become a mammography tech in the future🩷thank you for this video, there’s not much x ray content on RU-vid.
This is the exact route I’m hoping to take ! I have one more prerequisite to complete, the CPR certification and the ATI teas before applying to my program. I do work full time right now but I hope to be able to lean on my partner once I get in. Do you plan to work ? && Good luck !
@@shantelwatkins7292 yayyy you got this!!! I don’t plan on working while in the program, I’m currently living with my family :) I will probably do DoorDash to have a little spending $ on me!
@@shantelwatkins7292 yayyy you got this!!! Luckily I still live with my family so I don’t have to work while attending the program but I’m planning to Doordash to have spending money :)
@@shantelwatkins7292yayyy you got this!!! Luckily I still live with my family so I don’t plan on working while in the program, just DoorDash to have spending $
I am thinking about going back after just graduating with my bachelors or 2 years in a different career. This has always been my dream job and I’m excited to start this adventure at almost 30!
Im looking at a medtech school that has direct entry into a LMRT certificate program as their prerequisite to a bridge program for the RT AAS. Pretty much everything but the clinic hours is online, so Im not too sure about that. However, its one of two schools my state's medical board recommends.
I haven’t heard of going that route before but I am glad that there are hybrid programs available for those who are disciplined enough to have all of their radiology courses online. I’m definitely not one who would benefit from this style of learning but I’m sure that has been a great option for some. Another thing to keep in mind is how long it would take you to complete both the initial certificate then the bridge program.. from a quick glance I found this route in one circumstance to take over 28 months whereas my associates degree was complete in roughly 21 months. Just something to keep in mind when weighing pros and cons for either side. Good luck on your journey!
Hi! I have a one year old and am a SAHM so when you said you had a one year old at the time I got hope. I am looking to start work again, I don’t know what I want to do but you make it seem doable! Did you have to find childcare frequently while going to school?
If you have support from family to help cover the second shift clinicals (my school had a 1pm to 9pm second shift schedule) then the childcare you need would be similar to just having a regular day shift job. The biggest struggle I had was trying to find time to study after bedtime since toddlers need your constant attention! Haha. I sat up front in class and paid close attention to lectures in order to try to retain enough information so that I didn’t need to study as much 😅 It is totally doable though! Good luck!
I got sick halfway through the program with pneumonia many years ago. Glory to God and good friends who taught me how to trade stocks otherwise I'd never be able to retire!
With the rad tech program you can work while taking all of the prerequisites. If you do this then there will be semesters where your lecture days are pretty short and if your work has a flexible schedule you can go in after lectures and on weekends. Still not easy but it’s possible!
@@SydneyPipp I'm thinking about pursuing this program and pretty much have all of the perquisites but 3 because I have a bachelor's. I'm more worried about once the program starts and what the school load will be like then especially with clinicals because I would need a part time job.
I’m so glad I found this video. Is there any way I can contact you via email ? I’m getting out of the service this winter and going to use my GI bill for the Pre-Rad program I was just accepted into and was looking for further guidance !
How much does an avg. x-ray tech make? I live in the Seattle area and make a good salary for a tech company but am considering going to a 2 year rad-tech program that costs ~$50k total. Do you think it's worth it? My reasons for considering rad-tech is that it seems more fulfilling and engaging (i currently sit in front of a computer 40 hours/week lol).
I made a video recently discussing how much an X-ray tech makes in Ohio that you can check out. Other techs from different areas shared their wages in the comments. The pay will probably not meet what you currently make in an IT position but if you feel as though you would improve the quality of your mental health then that could be enough to make the decision to go into radiology. I would suggest job shadowing a rad tech in your area before committing to a program that way you are aware of what to expect post graduation.
@@SydneyPipp Got it thanks syndey! do you have any recommendations for how to schedule an informational interview or job shadow (and is this something you did when you started?)
It was a requirement for my school to complete 8 hours of job shadowing before starting the course. You should be able to call a hospital or outpatient facility that has medical imaging to request a day to job shadow. On hospital websites you can get the number for the operator and ask for a medical imaging supervisor (specifically X-ray) and they can send you directly to the department. There might be a form you have to sign for them to ensure you will abide by their patient privacy standards. Other than that you shouldn’t be faced with many barriers on shadowing. Good luck!
I have a 10 month old and considering going back to school for this. What did you do for childcare? Trying to figure that out as daycare is crazy expensive where I am and we don’t live near family?
I was lucky enough to have my sister help watch my son as I went through the program. The hours for school are typically normal “day shift” hours that daycares can cover and some childcare facilities may have discounted tuition that you can take advantage of while you’re in school. I do not have first hand experience with this though.
I couldn’t help but notice that you’re using your GI Bill! How was the process for you? I’m looking forward to get out of the military and use my GI Bill for x-ray school
It was so easy! It paid for both my associates and bachelors and I still have some remaining to work on my masters! The financial aid office will work with you and all you should have to provide them with is your GI bill letter of eligibility (might be called something else). Just make sure to apply for FAFSA too so that you can support yourself/family while you’re in school!
@SydneyPipp What did you get your bachelor's in? Also, how did you manage to have the GI Bill pay for both associates and bachelor's? I just started college and I'm doing prerequisites right now, and I'm just worried I won't have enough time left from the GI Bill to pay for a bachelor's.
My bachelors degree is a bachelor of science with an emphasis in education. I took my time completing all of the required courses (sometimes only taking 2 courses per semester) and I still have 12 months of benefits remaining for my GI bill. I plan to use it again for a masters program in the near future 😅 Even if you are taking your time with prerequisites you SHOULD have enough to complete a bachelors degree as well.
hi i am in california near to Fresno county , i want to start everything from scratch and i want to know how can i find pre req for radio tach program and which school is get into public or private ?
First, I would recommend searching schools with radiologic technology programs near you. Choose one you’d like to attend and look at their program curriculum which should include required prerequisites. When you have a list of prerequisites then you can decide if you would like to start taking those courses at the same college as the program you would like to attend or if you want to take them at a different college to then transfer when you’re ready to enter the rad tech program. Typically it’s easier to take all courses with the same college but it might be more cost effective to take courses elsewhere. I hope this helped!
Would I still need to do the pre requisite classes if I have a bachelor’s degree in a non related course. Would I be able to go straight to the core classes? 😅
There are specific prerequisites you are required to take that you may have credit for with your bachelors. Some of these courses may be English 1 & 2, anatomy and physiology, college algebra, physics. If you didn’t take these classes prior to earn your bachelors then you will still need to take them either before your core classes or alongside them depending on your program. Your first step would be choosing the school you’re wanting to attend and comparing their corse catalog to your transcript to see what will transfer. The college can help you with this process as well.
My husband was frustrated with that also as he went through the program. Ultimately that is the difference between earning a degree from a college versus gaining a certificate through a trade school.
Requirements may vary between schools but if the one you’re interested in shows that venipuncture is part of their curriculum then I would trust that. My school included a short class on venipuncture and we had to get checked off on starting an IV. This is not a common task for X-ray techs but if you go into advanced imaging such as MRI or CT then you will most likely be required to start IV access for contrast exams. I hope this helped!
Im in my second semester of getting my general associates. I just learned about x-ray tech. Will my general associates degree be any help? Because now i realize I have to go to xray school for 2 years. Am i waisting time by continuing my genral associates? I'm 22 just to put that out there
If you want to commit to the Rad tech program and feel as though you can manage a full time course load with clinicals then I would look into changing your program entirely as soon as possible. Some of your credits should transfer over to your associates degree in radiologic technology if you were taking basic courses like math/english/physics. If you continue to take general courses (completing prerequisites for the rad tech program) with the expectation to change programs at a later date then it will lighten the load once you’re in the program. Then you’d be able to focus more on the core courses that will be important to comprehend when it comes to taking the ARRT registry. I hope this helped, good luck making your decision!
Physics and calculus ALMOST made drop out of undergrad😅I vowed to never take either of those courses again but I really want to go to radiology school.
You can take prerequisites online but the program that you choose to go into has the ability to approve or decline transfer credits so make sure that any online courses you take will transfer to the school you’d like to attend.
Physics is a more challenging class for many. I’d suggest taking whatever general physics prerequisite that is required for your program before starting your main classes.
Hello there, before I moved to United States, I work as radiologic technician in my country. I have more than 15 years experience in the radiology field. I was trained in Hospital and Clinic, I have certificate. now I would like to attend courses to become a licensed R.T in United States. I'd like to have advice from you, what should I do?
I advise any international students and radiographers to contact the ARRT for specific advice. I am not familiar with the process that you would need to go through but you should be able to use this website to contact someone trained to guide you appropriately: www.arrt.org/pages/earn-arrt-credentials/how-to-apply/international-inquiries
Hello , I am currently taking my last two prerequisites and I can apply for the program in February , I am super nervous I have a one year old and I know it’s going to be difficult but I really want to do this for my son and myself as well. Do you have any tips for the mommy’s that want to succeed and do you think it’s possible ?
It’s absolutely possible! My son was a year old when I started school and then I went back for my bachelors after my daughter was born. My biggest tip is to really focus when you’re in lecture and make the most out of your time that you’re physically in class. That way once you’re home you can give your son all of your attention. Then if you need to study you can try to squeeze that in after bedtime. Don’t wait until it’s quiz time to ask for help understanding a topic- if you don’t get it in class then immediately ask your instructor to explain it in a way you can comprehend it. That way you aren’t trying to teach yourself at midnight right before an exam 😅 You’ve got this!
I just turned 28 and didn't go to college. So, i need to take some classes before going into an xray course, right? How long will it take for me to take all these classes along with this course? Is there a possibility that i can do everything online, or do i have to quit my job so i can attend in person?
You could potentially go straight into the program without prerequisites being completed depending on the college you choose. However, with it being your first college experience it would be good for you to knock out some prerequisites while you’re working. Once you’re in the program it is possible to work but you’re only going to be available in the evenings or weekends most likely. Clinicals are all day in person 2-3 days a week through most of the program. The other core courses are also in person. You might be able to get some prerequisites done online though.
If you have an associates degree in something other than radiologic technology then then there is a possibility that you would have credits to transfer into the rad tech program. If you do not have any college credits to transfer then you would need to complete pre requisites such as your English and math either before or alongside taking your X-ray classes.
Thank you for your video!! I have a question how do you see this field in the future? What I mean is do you see a lot of job opportunity do you see a lot of growth in the future I heard they’re gonna pass a bill that nurses are gonna do x-rays. In NC that would be crazy
I don’t see nurses overtaking the field of x-ray, they can’t even order exams correctly 🤣. It would be ridiculous to expect them to perform X-rays on top of their list of existing duties. There are so many opportunities in the field and different routes of advancement to take depending on what you want out of your career. I think the field of radiology will remain in demand long term and medical advances will require our skills for years to come.
@@SydneyPipp Thank you so much for replying back. I’m actually going through your videos because I’ll be starting the program in 2026 I think you said you have kids? Did you do the program when you had your kids how was it or do you have a video? I have one right now and another on the way
I don’t have one specifically about going through the program with kids. I had a one year old when I started the program and we became pregnant with my second near the very end of the program. It’s challenging but as long as you are able to focus in class and your child is generally healthy so that you’re not missing classes or clinicals then you will be just fine. You may have to lean on your support system to help take care of the kids while you study for big tests or have second shift clinicals. Good luck!
@@SydneyPipp Yes! You are so right about a support system I know I still have a year till I get but I been talking about it with others and seeing what is gonna work for us.
There are programs out there that can lead directly to a career in MRI without going through X-ray first. If you’re looking into this then ensure that the program you choose is accredited through the ARRT or the ARMRIT so you’re able to sit for your registry. Also check into local facilities that you’d like to potentially work to ensure that you can get a job easily with just MRI and no RT credentials.
Hi Sidney. I came from Turkey. I’m currently in Utah. I worked as a radiology technician for 16 years in Turkey. How can I get equivalence for my own department here?
I always refer international inquiries to the ARRT website to inquire about next steps for your particular situation. Good luck! www.arrt.org/pages/earn-arrt-credentials/how-to-apply/international-inquiries
My school requires us to pay a fee to “save your seat” once accepted into the program. I believe it was around $800. I cannot attest to fees for other schools.
@@SydneyPipp Thank you I'm really happy to know that the fees are at least affordable. As a foreign rad tech and a permanent resident in the USA who's really into his job I've always wanted to continue my journey here in the united states in this amazing field that I admire
I was active duty so I can’t speak from experience as a reservist. I know that their education benefits are really good for the reserves though. I’d suggest talking to a recruiter if you’re interested- they’d love to talk to you about it!
I send all international inquiries to the ARRT website: www.arrt.org/pages/earn-arrt-credentials/how-to-apply/international-inquiries This way you are able to contact someone that can give you information based on your specific situation.
College algebra is the highest math you have to take. Physics includes a mathematical component but as long as you can do linear algebra you shouldn’t worry about it too much.
@@ruthcelaya5142 you have math problems within the program. Specifically for radiation physics and in the radiographic technique courses. However as long as you’re okay with linear algebra it’s not very difficult.
