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When I am completely finished with school, I hope to be a Radiologist. A radiologist uses medical imaging technologies to diagnose and sometimes treat diseases. Originally it was the aspect of medical science dealing with the medical use of X-rays emitted by X-ray machines or other such radiation devices for the purpose of obtaining visual information as part of medical imaging.
Due to the extensive training radiologists traditionally receive in medical image interpretation, radiologists now also direct other imaging technologies (such as ultrasound, computed tomography (CT or Cat-Scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ) to diagnose or treat diseases. Diagnostic radiologists must complete four years of medical school plus five years of post-graduate training. The first year of residency is a preliminary year in medicine, surgery or both, after which a four-year diagnostic radiology residency follows.
During residency, both oral and written national examinations must be passed for board certification in diagnostic radiology. There are two separate written examinations required for certification by the American Board of Radiology, one covering the physics of medical imaging which is usually taken at the beginning of the second or third year, and a second covering clinical diagnostic imaging knowledge which is usually taken at the beginning of the third or fourth year.
Both written exams must be passed before being eligible to take the oral examination, which is typically taken at the end of the fourth year. After completion of residency, radiologists may choose to either practice or enter into a fellowship program in a radiologic subspecialty (such as abdominal CT, MRI, musculoskeletal imaging, interventional radiology, neuroradiology, pediatric radiology, etc. ). Fellowship training programs typically last between one-to-two years. Radiology is currently considered a highly competitive field.
Radiologists generally enjoy good compensation as well as a good balance between time required at work and time spent away from work. The field is rapidly expanding due to advances in computer technology which is closely linked to modern imaging. Nearly all physicians examine patients, obtain medical histories, diagnose illnesses, or prescribe and administer treatment for people suffering from injury or disease. According to American Medical Association statistics, however, 1. 2% of physicians specialize in radiology.
Generally, the radiologist is different from other physicians because he or she diagnoses diseases by obtaining and interpreting medical images. Some images are obtained by using x-rays or radioactive substances, others by means of sound waves or the body’s natural magnetism. A radiologist correlates medical image findings with other examinations and tests, recommends further examinations or treatments, and confers with referring physicians. Radiologists also treat some diseases by means of radiation or minimally invasive, image-guided surgery.