Salaries For Radiology Tech

Eyeing careers in medicine, Auburn middle school students do the MASH

AUBURN — Medical professionals at Auburn Memorial Hospital got a chance to show off their career fields last week to a group of school children exploring what type of jobs the health industry can offer them after graduation.

Whether working as a surgeon or a radiology technician, students participating in the two-day Medical Academy of Science and Health Camp got a chance to see that the medical field offers career opportunities for high school and college graduates alike.

“This helps students to be proactive in focusing on science and math,” said Judy Santillo, director of volunteer services at AMH. “These children got to talk to respiratory therapists, occupational therapists — they got to see careers that they were not aware off. They saw you don’t have to be a doctor to be in the medical field.”

A key attraction for the 10 eight and ninth grade students participating in this year’s MASH Camp was the opportunity for hands-on learning.

In radiology, the students got to see a real-time sonogram image of the veins in their arm, and in pharmacy, the students got to go through the procedure of assembling a needleless syringe using a hood machine that required maneuvering thick rubber gloves built into the side of an airtight container.

Auburn student Samuel DelFavero, who was usually the first student in his group to volunteer for each activity, said he enjoyed learning about several of the career fields he never knew about.

“I think we learned a lot, it’s all fun,” he said. “There was no career field that I thought was really boring.”

Nearly 338 students will participate in 15 MASH Camps held throughout central New York this year.

Erin Atkins, of the Central New York Area Health Education Center, which organizes the camp, said a survey given to students who have participated in the camp and gone on to a job in the medical field found that 80 percent said the camp helped them pick a career.

“So this works,” Atkins said of the camp. “It’s really great to just hear (these students) in the hallway saying all of these praises and to see they are enjoying this. They are a quiet group so sometimes it’s hard to gauge them.”

At each stop, the children got to ask the doctors, technologist, therapist and other professionals questions about education requirements, career prospects, salary ranges and how technology has changed the industry.

In pharmacy, the students learned a pharmacist working at a drug store in New York state will start out making close to a $100,000 a year, but anyone willing to move to Alaska for a few years could double that.

Radiology Technician Salary in Virginia | Technician Salary

It is the job of a radiology technician to operate medical equipment and come up with clear and precise x-ray samples. Other scans that they are tasked to produce are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), mammograms, sonograms and computerized tomography (CT). They use the images to diagnose different illnesses and diseases. They can also detect broken bones, damaged tissues and tumors by analyzing the samples. Although radiology technicians can work without supervision, they do the analysis with doctors and physicians. In some areas, they are also referred to as x-ray technicians or radiographers. One personal trait that these technicians possess is that they are compassionate towards their patients. This is very important as they need to make the patients feel comfortable to undergo the x-ray procedures. When the subject is at ease, they will be able to produce more accurate images of what they need.

One of the most talked about factor in just about any career is the average pay. The radiology technician salary in VA is no exception. Similar to other states in the country, it is affected by a number of determinants. Location, industry, work experience, educational attainment and even the benefits make an impact on the yearly salary that they receive. According to the wage chart provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage of a radiology technician in this state is at $29,120. The lowest 10 percent earns around $20,800 a year while the highest 10 percent receives an average of $30,000. If one makes a national comparison, the figures stated are indeed lower than the declared national rate. However, there are various ways that a radiology technician can do to improve his or her annual salary. For one, he or she can pursue further knowledge and skill in the field of radiology. A radiation therapist in Virginia can earn an average yearly pay of $60,000. The lowest 10 percent of this job title has a pay check of $50,000 a year while the highest earns around $75,000. A technician who specializes in nuclear medicine has an average annual wage of $54,080. Those who have a certificate in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can receive an amount of $56,160.

Individuals who are trained to perform mammograms have an average annual pay of $60,000. The highest 10 percent earns as high as $68,640 while the lowest 10 percent has a pay check of $50,000 in a year. Radiology technicians who work their way up the ladder can earn even higher yearly wages. For example, an imaging manager has an average annual salary of $65,000. The highest 10 percent receives an annual pay check of $80,000 while the lowest 10 percent is paid relatively well with the amount of $50,000 each year. A radiology technician supervisor has an average yearly pay of $60,000. The highest 10 percent receives $72,800 while the lowest 10 percent earns $52,000 each year. This is the reason why radiology technicians are strongly encouraged to pursue further levels of education. Not only will it improve their salaries, but it can also guarantee a stable position in the medical world.

Career Opportunities in the Armed Forces

American Salaries and Wages Survey

Bulletin

Health manpower in hospitals, general, 1961-68

Mammographic Imaging, A Practical Guide