Technologist Career Guide and Counseling

Question: How Long DOes it take to become a Medical Laboratory Technologist? I am thinking to become a Medical Laboratory Technologist? How long would it take to become a technologist or technician? Is it hard or not so hard to become one?

Answer: Hi there, Earning al bachelor's degree in Medical Technology or Clinical Laboratory Science takes about four years (the traditional setting - ) continous study without interruption) to become a medical technologist. This means two years of taking foundation subjects (1st and 2nd year college) later on take the Medical Technology professional subjects in your junior year. If you succeed then you move on to your senior year as a Medical Technology intern. You must complete the rotation on different section of the clinical laboratory in order to finish your senior year and earn the B.S. Medical Technology (Clinical Laboratory Science). You are also encourage to take a state licensure examinations if you living on the following states (see. www.medtechnet.com) or a certification exam in place of state licensure from accredited organizations like American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel (NCA) or American Medical Technologist (AMT). Earning an Associate Degree in Medical Technology can lead you to become a Medical Laboratory Technician (just two year in traditional setting) or if you complete the next two more year can lead to a bachelor's degree in Medical Technology. You are also required to train in a clinical institution if you wish to be a medical laboratory technician in the clinical laboratory. The much tougher and harder subjects during my junior year in Medical Technology was hematology. But once you finish the course and later practice this in later years, you come to think of it that it was so easy when doing this in practice but harder in theoretical concept. I attest to the hardship I endured but it was a memorable experiences in college. By the way, Distance learning for Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology or Clinical Laboratory Science is about 6 years if you are working part-time or it may vary on the time schedule set by the college or university you choose.

Question: What is the salary of a food technologist? and what is the job like? What is the salary of a food technologist? and what is the job like? what is the salary of a food technologist? and what is the job like?

Answer: The salary of a Food Technologist typically ranges from $41,125 to $60,098. For you to compare, here is a link showing the median salary of a Food Technologist in different U.S. states: http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Food_Technologist/Salary/by_State&src=yahooA And this link shows the median salary of a Food Technologist by industry: http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Food_Technologist/Salary/by_Industry&src=yahooA Of course, salaries always vary depending on experience, location, employment setting, and other factors. To find more accurate salary data for your specific Food Technologist position, you can take PayScale's free salary survey. http://www.payscale.com/?src=yahooA Also, I've included a link below showing a job description for a Food Technologist. Hope that helps, Assistant to Dr. Salary

Question: What classes should i take to become a Radiologic technologist? I am about to graduate high school. I need information on becoming a radiologic technologist so i can start college this fall. Please give me as much information as possible!

Answer: You need to find a RT program near you, that you might apply to, so you can see what their prerequisite courses are....they will vary, depending on the program. I spent 1.5 years at my local community college, prior to getting into a RT program. Find a program, print out their requirements, and take that to a counselor at your local community college. There are many schools in many states where you can get trained to be a radiologic technologist (the proper term for a x-ray tech). You can attend a hospital based program (and earn a certificate), a 2 year college program (AS degree), and even a 4 year college program (BS degree). The hospital based programs are the least expensive, and honestly, I think the education received there is superior. Once you graduate and take your registry exam, no future employer is going to care what type of educational program you went through. All they care about is your license. You can find an accredited RT program at this site. Just search "radiography" and your state...links are provided which will give you additional information on each program (cost, duration of program, prerequisites, contact person): http://www.jrcert.org/cert/Search.jsp

Question: What's the difference between a technician and a technologist in the medical field? What is the difference between a technician and technologist in the medical field regarding salary, duties, schooling, and career advancement?

Answer: This is a mere non-educted guess, but technician is a trained and credited person in a particular field that is certified to perform all tasks, diagnostic testing, procedures, etc...Whereas a Technologist is a Technician that has chosen to specialize in a particular medical Specialty e.g., Radiology, cardiology, Ophthalmology-Specializing in Retinal Photography, etc...

Question: What are some of the requirements to become a Radiology Technologist? How long will it take? I would like to become a Radiology Technologist. Do I need to go to school for a Associates Degree or can I just get Certified (what's the quickest way to become one)? What are some good schools in Chicago? How much will it cost? Can you give me a quick description of what a Radiology Technologist does in a day? What aspects do you like or dislike about the job? How much is the starting salary?

Answer: Along with academics, to be a successful radiologic technologist student a person should be able to demonstrate compassion and patience. They should be flexible, and possess critical thinking skills so they can adapt normal procedures to patients needs and abilities. Their personality need not be extroverted and they should be able to communicate (verbal, written and non-verbally) in a clear and concise manner. An understanding of medical terminology and hospital procedures is also helpful prior to entering a program, but not required as the radiography curriculum will include this material.[3] A radiologic technologist in the U.S. is educated in a two-four year accredited (by the Joint Review Committee on educational programs in Radiologic Technology) program. There are accredited military program (such as the US ARMY MOS 68P), 2-year certificate programs, 2-year associate degree programs and there are 4 year bachelors programs in Radiologic Technology. There are a few Masters Degree programs offered in the USA in Education and Administration. After completion of any of these programs, the graduate technologist would sit for their board exam. The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists certification (or board) exam is the gold standard in the USA. However, some states allows for the practice called "limited license" radiography, in which case individuals are permitted to attend classes for several weeks with a focus on a specific body part, sometimes followed by the ARRTexam, but this may be optional as long as the state they practice in has issued them a "limited license" to practice. Radiographers certified by the ARRT are expected to re-certify every two years. To be recertified, radiographers must complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years. Failure to complete this continuing education can result in a radiologic technologist needing to re-take their ARRT board exam in order to be credentialed again. This is a great school for what you want: School of Radiologic Technology Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center 836 W. Wellington Avenue Chicago, IL 60657 773-296-8950 The average starting rad tech salary (less than 2 years of experience), nationally, is $36,918, according to ASRT. Chief and senior technicians earn mean salaries of $42,768 and $48,331, respectively, reports ASRT, while program directors earn $64,290 on average. Also: The median expected salary for a typical Chief Radiologic Technologist in the United States is $69,788. This basic market pricing report was prepared using our Certified Compensation Professionals' analysis of survey data collected from thousands of HR departments at employers of all sizes, industries and geographies

Question: Can a surgical technologist work in emergency surgery? I was just wondering if surgical technologist can work in emergency surgery or if they just do scheduled surgery. And how long after you graduate can you go to assisting school?

Answer: As a Surgical tech you typically work in all types of surgeries. However, most of them work in outpatient surgeries, bringing patients to the OR, prepping them for surgery, putting on the surgeons gloves and sterile gown etc.. Also, you must be able to stand the site of blood and guts. Something to keep in mind is that most surgeons are a%^holes. I do not think there is a time frame that you must work before being able to learn how to assist. If you have strong grades and the money and time to invest I would recommend becoming a Physicans Assistant instead. You have almost the same schooling as a doctor, but no residency and you can prescribe drugs except narcotics. You can also scrub into any surgery and you make very good money as a PA.

Question: How hard is it to become a radiologic technologist for some1 with low IQ? I have low IQ but was wondering if it is hard to become a radiologic technologist 2 year associate degree

Answer: Hard to say. You do need to learn a lot about the structure of the body and memorize positions for the various xrays (say you get an order for a "Waters View"--you would have to know what that was & how to take it); they also assist with contract studies, barium enemas, dye studies etc. They have to know the settings to take the xrays & what to do if they need more or less penetration; etc. Do you think you can do that? You might want to 1. look at the classes required for the AA degree, 2. shadow & talk to a few RTs. Good luck.

Question: What kind of job does a nuclear medicine technologist does? Does the radiation affect the technologist? How much is their salary in the Southeast of US? How much in Puerto Rico?

Answer: A nuclear med tech is a tech that injects nuclear isotopes and then scans them with xray machinery. Salaries vary from city, but the average is probably about $50,000 to start in a hospital.

Question: What is the average starting salary for a Radiological Technologist in the Bay Area of California? I live in the North Bay Area of California and I'm looking in to earning a two-year vocational certificate in Radiological Technology (x-ray tech). How much would starting salary be for a Radiological Technologist with that amount of training/qualifications be in the California Bay Area? I'm about an hour north of San Francisco, but would be interested in moving to San Fran if a good opportunity arises.

Answer: I'm not sure about San Francisco specifically, but it looks like California is a good place to be for Radiology Technologist salaries - the median salary for a Radiology Technologist in California is $28.64/hour, which is higher than salaries in the other states shown here: http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Radiology_Technologist/Hourly_Rate/by_State&src=yahooA This is a median figure, not the starting salary for a Radiology Technologist. And of course, salaries will be affected by employment setting, location, experience, etc. To find more accurate salary data for your specific Radiology Technologist position, you can take a free salary survey at PayScale.com. http://www.payscale.com/?src=yahooA Hope that helps, Assistant to Dr. Salary

Question: How do you go from being a Medical/clinica labortory technition to a medical laboratory technologist? If im certified as a techinition how can i become a technologist?

Answer: You MUST go back and get your BS in a related science and then take the test for an MT. You used to be able to just take the tests, but they changed the rules in 2005. -MT(ASCP) for 15 years, Manage a Chem lab in OhIo

Question: What kind of medical technologist does blood typing? I'm a high school student and i'm researching different occupations that i'd like to study for in college. I want to know what a medical technologist is called that may work in a private lab and do blood typing on people that come in and figure out if they have any diseases in their genes and stuff like that.

Answer: I think it is part of phlebotomy. A phlebotomists job deals with drawing blood.

Question: How to become a certified hyperbaric technologist? What do you need to become a How to become a certified hyperbaric technologist?

Answer: I dont know. But that thing saved my life.

Question: What classes do you need in order to become an ob ultrasound technologist? What classes do you need to become an OB Ultrasound Technologist? I want to become one, but I need to know if I can handle the classes.......

Answer: When thinking about entering an ultrasound program, you need not be concerned so much about certificate vs. degree. What is important is that you go to an ACCREDITED program, whether it is college or hospital based. An accredited program allows you to take your registry (licensing) exams upon graduation. Once you get licensed, you will never be asked about your schooling again. An employer does not care what route you take to get licensed, they just want you to have that license. Don't waste your time or money on a NON-accredited program. Upon completion and graduation from a NON-accredited program, you must work in the field of sonography for a full year prior to taking your licensing examinations. But, you will have a hard time finding an employer to hire you, unless you are licensed. I would suggest you observe an imaging department to get an idea of what ultrasonographers do daily. There is much more to it than scanning pregnant women. Most people have no idea how much is involved in this career! You can find a list of accredited schools in your area, by searching "diagnostic medical sonography" and your state at the following site. There are links provided for each program, which will give you additional information (including course duration): http://www.caahep.org/Find_An_Accredited_Program.aspx Many people, myself included, go to school to become a radiologic technologist, before continuing to ultrasound school. In fact, it can be difficult to get into u/s school without the RT license. There are many more choices for schools for x-ray in most states. You can find them here, by searching “radiography“ and your state: http://www.jrcert.org/cert/Search.jsp The pay for ultrasound technologists will vary, depending on experience and geographical location. The American Society of Radiologic Technologists just did a large salary survey. You can see how much a RT and/or ultrasound technologist averaged, per year, in your state here: https://www.asrt.org/media/pdf/research/wss2007/wss07annualcompensation.pdf

Question: Do surgical technologist that are on call use pagers? Also what are the kinds of surgery that surgical technologist can specialize in? And can I be an ER Surg Tech? How often are surgical technologist on call? Also how long is assisting school can I go to assisting school right after I graduate from getting my associates in Surgical Technology? Thanks for all your help!

Answer: You can use whatever you want. The system can adapt to your requirements. If they want you, they'll get you. Also, you can be specialized in many things like laparoscopic, urodynamic, regular procedures, etc, but my advice is: as much as you know about everything, the better. Good luck

Question: I am a Medical laboratory technologist,my wife is a nurse. We want to work in New Zealand. How can we apply? Please help us to find a job in New Zealand or Australia. I am a Filipino Medical laboratory technologist and my wife is a Nurse. We have one 6 years old son.

Answer: check http://www.jobs2me.net/jobnz.htm good luck

Question: what does a medical technologist do ? How much do they make when they come out of school ? **** How long do they have to go to school........Do you have experience as a Medical Technologist ? Do you like it ? Why did you choose this field ?

Answer: I'm going to be starting school for this in a few weeks. A Med tech works in a medical laboratory processing 'samples'. The samples could be blood, urine, feces, saliva...basically anything you can test from a human. You'll probably be working with machines mostly but may have to go draw blood from time to time. In the Northwest you can expect to make about $30/hour fresh out of school. You can get a job at a hospital or independant lab (ie. drug screening places like Quest Diagnostics). I already have a BS in Chem so i'll only be in school for a year. If you have bacic college pre reqs you can do a 2 year program. MT is a BA program, MLT is an Associates.