How long do radiologists work

For example, our CME courses at CME Science are developed for radiologists to get cutting edge education from renowned staff while visiting amazing destinations around the world. Often, radiologists work more than 40 hours per week and have a set schedule or routine. They work inside and will likely be exposed to radiation, infections and disease. As a radiologist, you will be required to wear specialized protective equipment often. While these daily tasks will be performed most often, radiologists also perform certain tasks on a weekly or monthly basis.

These tasks may include:. Radiologists have the option to pursue additional training in a subspecialty of Radiology. This is not necessary in order to find a job. Some Radiologists choose to not pursue a fellowship. Please read more about fellowship training and subspecialties in the next section ,. Upon successful completion of a residency program in Radiology, most Radiologists choose to pursue a fellowship in one of the subspecialties of Radiology.

This allows Radiologists to receive more advanced training in specific specialized areas. Fellowships are completed by approximately ninety percent of Radiology residents and many complete more than one fellowship. Here is a list of common fellowships available:. Find out more about Radiology specialties here :. A Radiologist is an MD or DO physician that specializes in the use of Medical imaging equipment and imaging techniques to help diagnose and treat injury and disease.

The work environment for a Radiologist may vary from job to job and based on if they have completed a fellowship discussed above. Most Radiologists work in a hospital, however others may work in a clinical or academic setting.

The duties of a Radiologist include but are not limited to:. These Medical images they perform are extremely complex and require extensive knowledge of human anatomy, pathology, and the intricacies of different imaging modalities.

The majority of these methods use some type of radiation. Thus, Radiologists receive extensive training in protecting individuals from and minimizing the adverse effects of radiation. Some Radiologists are trained in conducting imaging procedures which may require sampling of an area of the body or injection of contrast into a specific anatomic location. After completing high school, on average it will take 13 years to become a Radiologist.

This includes completing an undergraduate degree which usually takes four years, followed by four years of Medical school, then a one year internship, followed by four years of residency training in Diagnostic Radiology.

This adds a minimum of 1 year of additional training. Most Medical schools do not have a certain major required for application to their school. However as the pre-requisite courses are commonly primarily composed of Biology or Chemistry courses, many students choose to major in one of these two areas. With that being said, a Medical school applicant could choose to major in any field such as teaching, literature, biochemistry, embryology, or marketing.

As long as the Medical school applicant has completed the required pre-requisite courses, they are still eligible to apply to Medical school. In order to decide if a career as a Radiologist is worth the time and cost of education, there are many factors to consider.

These include the length of training, cost of attending school, the type of work environment wanted, enjoyment of job duties etc. All these aspects are discussed in separate sections of the article, with the exception of job security. You'll then need to complete a two-year Foundation Training programme, common to all medical graduates, where you'll work in hospitals as a junior doctor on a rotational basis in different departments that may include radiology.

After successful completion of the first year of Foundation Training, you can apply for full registration as a doctor with the GMC. For full details, see the UK Foundation Programme. The next stage of training is the radiology specialty training programme, which takes five years to complete stages S1 — S5. There is a further year of training ST6 if you want to specialise in interventional radiology.

The first three years of speciality training are in general radiology, followed by two years of special interest training or three if you're following the interventional radiology path. You can then apply for consultant posts. For full details on radiology training, see RCR Careers and recruitment. For details on the qualifications and training required to be a doctor, see hospital doctor.

Before applying to do a medical degree you're expected to undertake work experience, either paid or voluntary, in areas relevant to medicine.

This could be through work experience at your local hospital, GP surgery or nursing home, or through work shadowing a doctor.

This experience shows your commitment to becoming a radiologist and provides insight into the physical and emotional demands of working in medicine. Consider becoming a student member of the British Society of Interventional Radiology , as well as joining your university's radiology student society, to keep informed about developments in the field. You could also take a student-selected module, project and elective in radiology as part of your undergraduate medical degree.

During your two-year Foundation Training as a junior doctor, you'll need to choose a radiology placement to gain an insight into the work. Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available. The NHS is the largest employer of clinical radiologists. There are also opportunities to work in the private sector, as well as setting up a private practice.

Continuing professional development CPD is essential if you want to remain on the GMC register, and as a radiologist you'll be expected to continue learning throughout your career. CPD activities include attending courses, conferences, meetings and workshops, as well as undertaking research and peer-reviewing journal papers.

There are excellent opportunities for research up to PhD level. List of Partners vendors. Career Paths Career Path Basics. Table of Contents Expand. Table of Contents. Education and Training. Job Description and Skills. Industry Demand. By Andrea Clement Santiago. Learn about our editorial policies. Updated on March 30, Article Sources. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for TheBalanceCareers.