Education and Career Advice from RadiologyEd.org
RadiologyEd.org is a great place to investigate your career path and education options in Radiologic Technology.
Find out which radiologic technology schools offer the best programs to meet your goals and requirements, and compare accredited degrees in your area with online colleges.
Prepare yourself for employment, develop your professional radiology skills, and acquire advanced knowledge of health care systems with the right career training.
RadiologyEd.org is here to help.
Find a School
Your search should starts here. Our complete up-to-date listings let you compare all schools offering radiology programs near you.
What is a JRCERT accredited radiologic technology program?
JRCERT is the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, and, as such, is the only agency with recognition from the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the United States Department of Education (USDE) when it comes to the accreditation of radiography, radiation therapy, magnetic resonance, and medical dosimetry educational programs, be they traditional campus-based programs or distance programs.
On each state-level page of RadiologyEd.org, you’ll find a list of the programs that have received JCERT accreditation for each of the above specialized study areas.
In order to achieve accreditation, JRCERT takes account of certain performance measures of each program, some measured annually, and some over a five year span. The performance measurements include the percentage program completion rate, the first attempt pass rate in the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification examination, for radiography, radiation therapy, or magnetic resonance, and the Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board (MDCB) examination for medical dosimetry programs.
What is a Radiologic Technologist?
Radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging procedures and administer radiation therapy to treat certain medical conditions. They may specialize in x-ray, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment to diagnose patients. They follow a physician’s instructions on what areas of a body they need to image.
To achieve a correct imaging, they need to know how to operate the equipment, how to correctly position the patient, and must fully understand the safety procedures associated with the use of the equipment, such as protecting those areas of the patient’s body that do not require imaging.
Who certifies? American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
What do Radiation Therapists do?
Radiation therapists are experts in applying radiation treatments to patients for diseases such as cancer. They work shoulder to shoulder with oncologists, radiation oncologists, oncology nurses and dosimetrists, and are responsible the operation of the radiation therapy equipment.
The equipment, usually machines called linear accelerators, directs x rays at cancerous cells in the patient’s body to shrink or eliminate them.
The therapist is responsible for determining the exact area to be treated, configure the equipment to apply the correct dosage, and follow strict safety procedures.
Who certifies? American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
Find programs by state
Online
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Washington D.C.
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
What are Medical Dosimetrists?
Medical dosimetrists are responsible for calculating radiation doses and the distribution of those doses. Treatments are often daily and distributed over a number of weeks.
Dosimetrists must have a sound knowledge cancer treatment and brachytherapy, or internal radiotherapy. They must also have a thorough knowledge of the role of the radiation therapist, and an understanding of the medical equipment used.
Who certifies? Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board
What is magnetic resonance imaging?
MRI is a technique to visualize in detail the internal structures of the body. An MRI scanner is a huge magnet in which the patient lies. The magnetic field is used to pull atomic nuclei in the body into alignment. By varying the radio frequency of the magnetic field, that alignment can be changed, causing them to produce a rotating magnetic field that can be read by the scanner and used to build an image.
MRI scans are used for many purposes, such as the identification of tumors, infections, blood vessel diseases or internal injuries and bleeding.
Who certifies? American Registry of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists