My name is Ivan Melo and I am a freshman at New York City College of Technology. I am currently majoring in radiology and my goal is to become a radiologist. This career is ideal for me because it requires my aptitude for math and science, it builds on my passion for working in the medical field, and it provides a great wage for living a contented life. In this essay I will describe the field, elaborate on my reasons for pursuing this career, and offer advice on preparing for this career.
In radiology you learn about using different machines and instruments to find out what is going on with a patient without using invasive procedures. Some of these include X-rays, CT scans, and MRI machines. Radiologists can help people who have anything ranging from a broken arm to cancer and can even be used to study the brain. Since the field is very broad, there are many different sub specialties that radiologists specialize in. According to the New York City College of Technology College Catalog 2014-2015, “The radiologic technologist utilizes ionizing radiation to produce radiographic images of various parts of the body to aid in the detection of injury or disease. In recent years, the increasing complexity of radiologic procedures and e continuing emphasis upon the elevation of prescribed standards of practice set forth by the Bureau of Environmental Radiation Protection of New York State have made radiologic technology and medical imaging a highly specialized and sophisticated science requiring competently trained personnel. City Tech’s comprehensive program provides students with the special knowledge and skills required for the practice of radiologic technology and medical imaging.” This describes what my job would be like as a radiologist and motivates me to get the most out of my education at City Tech. In the four years I will be studying at City Tech, my goal is to learn as much as possible about my career and to perform to the best of my ability in my classes so that I can become a successful radiologist.
There are many reasons why being a radiologist is the ideal career choice for me. One reason is because of the intellectual stimulation and challenge it would provide. Radiology involves using visual diagnostic equipment to identify and treat conditions of patients. According to the article, Factors Leading to Radiology Career Selection: Results of the 2004 National Physician Survey, “The results illustrate that the most important factors in the decision to pursue radiology were intellectual stimulation and challenge and workload flexibility. Given the rapidly expanding nature of the field, it is encouraging that most of its members entered the field to be challenged.” This is a prime example of why radiology is the ideal career for me. I like to constantly be challenged and learn new things and in the field of radiology, the technology is constantly being updated so the job would require me to learn how to use the different equipment and at the same time find different ways of doing the same job. In radiology the process to actually become a radiologist is very rigorous and competitive which is something I enjoy having since it will motivate me.
Another reason why being a radiologist is the best career for me is because it would allow me to earn enough money for me to live a co tent life. I want to earn enough I will never have to worry about having financial hardships, and by becoming a radiologist I would be earning well above the average salary in New York. According to the article, Want to Be A Millionaire?, “A salary of up to $1 million for a radiologist is being offered by a Townsville X-Ray clinic. X-Ray Services is offering a salary of between $800,000 and $1 million to attract one of the highly trained professionals. NQXS director John Gibb said they were searching high and low for a specialist to join their clinics.” I find it astonishing at the amount of money a radiologist earns. If you divide the salary per month you would earn about $83,000 a month. This easily allows me to have not only necessities, but also luxury items. The starting salary however of a radiologist is about $56,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a really good salary considering the fact that you just need an associates degree to earn the starting salary.
The third reason why I believe radiology is the best career choice for me is because I have always wanted to work in the medical field. Since as long as I can remember, I have had a passion for learning about science and particularly medicine. The thing that I like most about the medical field is the fact that you can help people. It may sound like a cliché reason but I really like to help people without expecting something in return. The fact that I know I would be helping at least one person would make me happy and feel like I make a difference on the world. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Radiologic and MRI technologists work closely with patients who may be in extreme pain or mentally stressed. Technologists must be able to put the patient at ease to get usable images. Radiologic and MRI technologists may need to calculate and mix the right dose of chemicals used in imaging procedures. ” This is evidence that radiologists actually do help in a greater sense because they provide a way to let doctors know what’s going on inside of your body. This career requires you to be able to communicate well with people to tell them in a calm way whatever the problem is and suggest some solutions to help their condition. I interviewed my friend’s Aunt who is majoring in radiology and asked her about why she decided to go into that major. She replied, ” I was never really good at math and science and I actually didn’t really find interest in those subjects but my parents sort of forced me to take radiology courses. At first I didn’t really like it and thought about changing my major without my parents knowing but after really getting to know more about the major its actually really interesting…” (she asked to remain anonymous) This further encourages me because if it could make someone who isn’t interested in medicine or good at math and science, and still manages to get their attention, I could only imagine how it would be like for me.
To restate, this is the best career path for me, because it requires my aptitude for math and science, it builds on my passion for working in the medical field, and it provides a great wage for living a contented life. The process you have to go through in order to become a radiologist is very rigorous and challenging, however it is very rewarding. I recommend this career choice for people who are skilled in the subjects of math and science, are good at communicating with others, and are interested in earning a high salary. Even if this doesn’t seem like something that you would normally be interested in, you never know you may actually turn out to be another one of these highly specialized doctors.
Works Cited
Bhargavan, Mythreyi, Jonathan H. Sunshine, and Barbara Schepps. “Data From A Professional Society Placement Service As A Measure Of The Employment Market For Radiation Oncologists.” International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics 53.2(2002): 401. Academic Search Complete. Web. 26 Nov. 2014
Julie, Appleby. “Nurse Anesthetists In Short Supply.” USA Today (n.d.): Academic Search Complete. Web. 26.Nov. 2014
Mills, Michael D. “Internal Qualification And Credentialing Of Radiation Oncology Physicists To Perform Patient Special Procedures.” Frontiers In Oncology 3.(2014): 1-6. Academic Search Complete. Web.26Nov. 2014
New York City College of Technology Course Catalog. New York. “Radiologic Imaging.” 2014 City Tech Course Catalog. Web. 24 Nov. 2014.
“Salaries Climb For Radiology Directors, Physical Therapists and Staff Pharmacists.” H&HN: Hospitals & Health Networks 80.12(2006):65 . Academic Search Complete. Web. 26 Nov. 2014.
