Career In Radiology

I took off running at top speed, hit my mark, and was airborne into my first tumbling pass at the 2014 State Tumbling Championships. I completed my first back flip and went into the second and I felt my left forearm shatter. Instead, of a position on the podium I was on my way to the hospital in an ambulance and would need a Radiologist to tell me how badly my arm was damaged. Radiology is an exciting, specialized field of medicine, with a rich history, that uses cutting-edge technology to improve people’s lives. Radiologists use their specialized knowledge to assist other doctors to diagnose and treat a wide range of health issues. I am interested in this career because it uses sophisticated technology and medicine to improve people’s
lives. In this paper I will discuss the history of Radiology, the requirements to become a Radiologist, and what it is like to be a Radiologist. The history of Radiology dates back to a time of early technology. This was the start of the careers in radiology and the first type of X-rays. The X-ray is one of the main focuses of Radiology has made major advances since Wilhelm K. Roentgen discovered X-rays in 1895 in Germany, providing the first opportunity to see inside a body without opening it up. (Julian) X-rays are electromagnetic energy waves that act similarly to light rays, but at wavelengths approximately 1,000 times shorter than those of light. Rontgen conducted a series of experiments to better understand his discovery. He learned that X-rays penetrate human flesh, but not higher-density substances such as bone or lead and those they can be photographed. Rontgen’s discovery was labeled a medical miracle and X-rays soon became an important diagnostic tool in medicine, allowing doctors to see inside the human body for the first time without surgery. In 1897, X-rays were first used on a military battlefield, during the Balkan War, to find bullets and broken bones inside patients. (History.com staff) Many famous people affected the way Radiology progressed over the past couple centuries. Some of the most notable contributions to the career of radiology came from all over the world and from many different people. For example, in the 1950’s David E. Kuhl an American scientist: invented Positron Emission Tomography (PET) - an imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of the inside of the body by using gamma rays. In 1957, Ian Donald a Scottish physician: invented the ultrasound and tested with it, one year later, a pregnant woman. (Julian) Throughout history Radiology was increasingly gaining technology and interest. In 1972 Godfrey Hounsfield, English electrical engineer and Allan M. Cormack, South African-American physicist: invented CT scanner and shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1979 for the invention of CT scanning. Computed tomography (CT) or Computed axial tomography (CAT), is a medical imaging method using computer processing which is used to generate a 3D images of the inside of an object from a large series of 2D X-ray images. (Julian). Those two people made major contributions to the field of Radiology and the knowledge of Radiologists. Throughout history, many people have contributed famous attributes to the knowledge of Radiology and through the increase in knowledge and technology the field has come a long way since 1895. It takes many years of schooling and specialized medical training to become a Radiologist.
The first requirement is to complete four to five years of pre-med preparation at a college or university. This schooling is then followed by another four years of medical school. (Giuliano personal contact) Upon graduation from Medical School an individual must complete an internship and a medical residency specializing in Radiology. The residency is on the job training in a hospital or Radiology practice and it is where a doctor learns the specialty of Radiology. According to the Journal of Surgical Radiology the infrastructure of teaching hospitals has changed enormously which now provides residences with a more focused and detailed residency program. (Shortell) According to Doctor Peter Giuliano “Each of the specialties in medicine has established its own curriculum, which defines the length and content of residency training necessary to practice in that specialty. Programs range from three years after medical school for internal medicine to five years for surgery to seven to eight years for neurosurgery.” (Personal contact Giuliano). To be a radiologist one needs to complete a four-year residency. In addition to all of the formal education and specialized medical training a Radiologist must obtain a license to practice medicine in the state in which they live. The requirements to obtain the license includes having to base a state mandated licensing examination as well as a rigorous personal background check. The path to become a Radiologist is one of education, practical specialized training called a residency, and formal licensing from the state in which a person lives. Overall, it will take a person a minimum of twelve years after graduating from High School to become a Radiologist. (FSMB
staff). Radiology is a very exciting career and on a daily, basis it provides a challenge. “As a radiologist, one will examine various types of images, including x-rays, computer tomography (CT) scans, mammograms, ultrasounds, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.”(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) Many Radiologists work in a hospital environment, but others run a private practice. According to Dr. Peter Giuliano this is what he does on a daily basis at his private practice. “This depends on the area of expertise. For me, I mostly look at computer images of radiology tests - CT scans, MRIs, X-rays. Radiologists are unlike other doctors in that most of us don't spend much time with patients. I might see patients one or two times in a week, at most half a dozen. Some of my partners who do Interventional radiology however, spend all day seeing patients.” This shows that as a Radiologist one would not see a lot of patients on a daily basis, they are more working with the technology. The hours for a radiologist are pretty standard, but can vary depending on emergencies. "Hours for radiologists are usually from around 7 a.m. until around 5 p.m. 5 days per week; however there is always at least 1 radiologist at our practice working at any time to provide 24 hour coverage 7 days a week. So most of us have to work 1 weekend per month and various evening or overnight shifts."(Giuliano personal contact). Radiologists have a very demanding job, but can retire in their 60s, but many work into their 70s since it’s not as physically demanding as other medical fields. Many radiologists will semi-retire in their 60s but continue to work a few times per week or per month just for fun and to make extra money. (Giuliano personal contact) The career is important in our society because it helps people and provides them with the services they need to be treated for injury and illness properly. For example, the CT scans can do an early cancer diagnosis, which could save someone’s life. An MRI can show how badly and where a bone is broken, which allows a doctor to properly set it so the person doesn’t become disabled. Radiology improves people’s lives through the proper diagnosis of health problems so they can be treated properly and quickly. This would be a good career for me because I find the medical field interesting and demanding. I find that I would do really well in this career because of the advanced technology and the use of medicine. I would do well in this job because my values in life are to help other people and put others before myself in any situation. I enjoy learning about medicine and technology; I am really good with both. “Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity” (Hippocrates)W