career advice from a radiologist, please?

[sephorax]

I'm going into my second semester of my freshman year at college (two hours away from home, living is a dorm), and i'm having alot of trouble deciding what i want to do next year.
i was going for my pre-reqs for Physical Therapy, but after i logged some observation hours, i think i've come to the conclusion that it just isn't for me. I prefer the hospital setting, so i am going to try to get some observation hours there before i change my mind completely.

But Radiology is something that has begun to interest me.
But what i really want to know is this: What is a typical day in the life of a radiologist (of any specialty)?? Or maybe a rad-tech?

There is a technical college in my hometown that offers a two year program to be a rad-tech.
Would it be qise to start as a rad tech while i'm unsure of my future career plans? and then if i do want to be a radiologist of some sort i could furthur my education. OR i could just start my radiology prereqs now...because i do prefer university like of community college life....

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[PublicHealth]

I'm going into my second semester of my freshman year at college (two hours away from home, living is a dorm), and i'm having alot of trouble deciding what i want to do next year.
i was going for my pre-reqs for Physical Therapy, but after i logged some observation hours, i think i've come to the conclusion that it just isn't for me. I prefer the hospital setting, so i am going to try to get some observation hours there before i change my mind completely.

But Radiology is something that has begun to interest me.
But what i really want to know is this: What is a typical day in the life of a radiologist (of any specialty)?? Or maybe a rad-tech?

There is a technical college in my hometown that offers a two year program to be a rad-tech.
Would it be qise to start as a rad tech while i'm unsure of my future career plans? and then if i do want to be a radiologist of some sort i could furthur my education. OR i could just start my radiology prereqs now...because i do prefer university like of community college life....

1. Go to www.google.com

2. Enter "radiologist."

3. Seek career counseling at your school.

 

[sephorax]

1. Go to www.google.com

2. Enter "radiologist."

3. Seek career counseling at your school.

had i found what i wanted to know from google or career counselors, i wouldn't be here asking.

 

[awdc]

Just for starters, becoming a rad tech and becoming a radiologist are two very different paths. One can be a rad tech by going to a two-year college program. To be a radiologist, one must usually get through four years of college, four years of medical school, and then five years of post-graduate (residency) training. Even if you do start out as a rad tech, you'd still have to fulfill the prerequisites for medical school, get into medical school, and do well enough to be competitive for a radiology residency position.

 

[Vince]

Since you haven't gotten any replies, I figured I'd speak up. I am an intern starting radiology residency in July. I never thought I would end up becoming a radiologist...it wasn't until my third year of medical school that I really started considering it...and I didn't know jack about the specialty before medical school.

You are extremely early in your education and if you want to be a radiologist you have a very very very long road, compared to two-years to be a rad tech.

The best thing you can do is to try to observe a rad tech or radiologist so you can see what they do....If I was in your shoes that's what I would have done.....it may take a while to find somewhere where you can shadow but it will be worth it.

Try to talk to some sort of pre-health professions advisor if you can as well.

 

[sepsis]

I think vince is right! Get some experience by watching a radiologist and by hanging out with a radiology tech. The radiology tech is the person who takes a patient, gets them ready to have xrays, cat scan or mri done and then takes the "picture".

The radiologist, who trained as a doctor and has an MD degree, is the person who looks at the "picture" (xray for example) that the tech took and makes a diagnosis, broken bone for example.

If you go to the radiology department of your local hospital, ask if you can observe these guys to see what you'd rather do.

sorry if this is too simplistic an explanation, but ask if you want more detailed answers.

 

[sephorax]

Hmmm... it seems to me you're probably better suited to be a rad tech .

why am i better suited to be a rad tech?

thanks to everyone for replies, it has been alot of help. so far my plan is to become a rad-tech, and usethat to work my way through college, and i intend to go to medical school.
being a rad-tech should help me get exposure to different fields...

i know it is a long way down the road, but that is in no way a bad thing. I'd rather have a longer plan than to get a job when i'm twenty and be stuck with that for the rest of my life.

 

[misparas]

so far my plan is to become a rad-tech, and usethat to work my way through college, and i intend to go to medical school.
being a rad-tech should help me get exposure to different fields...

If you feel that medical school is the thing for you, go right into it. Taking two year to become a rad tech would be a waste of time. Get your experience through shadowing and volunteering. Stay in your undergrad program and get ready for medical school. The little money that you would make will be insignificant in the long run, and your 2 years of tuition at the tech school will cut into that as well.

 

[bigfrank]

Hmmm... it seems to me you're probably better suited to be a rad tech .

Be careful cuts, many people (not myself) might say that about graduates from your medical school.