Radiology Technologists

RADIOLOGY TECHNOLOGISTS ARE A KEY PART OF RAD-AID

RAD-AID builds interdisciplinary teams for its international outreach efforts, consisting of MDs, nurses, technologists, engineers, physicists, and business leaders to formulate well-rounded solutions to radiology shortages around the world. An important part of this strategy is having radiology technologists serving key roles in these teams. Beginning in 2011, RAD-AID partnered with the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) and offers continuation credit (CE) for technologists participating in the yearly RAD-AID Conference. RAD-AID and ASRT offer a unique joint program for funding technologists to join RAD-AID teams all over the world.  For details on this program, please visit our ASRT/RAD-AID web page. 
 
What do radiology technologists do? Put simply, radiology technologists are the medical personnel that manage and use the imaging equipment (CT, MRI, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, mammography, fluoroscopy, and plain film ‘x-ray’ radiography) to make the vital images that enable physicians to diagnose and treat disease.  Radiologists, on one hand, are medical doctors (MDs) that do the job of interpreting these images while radiology technologists (RTs) do the picture-taking. The skills needed for making high quality radiologic images are very advanced, requiring schooling and training to learn how to 'take the pictures' perfectly so that the patient is safe and the image comes out good enough for the radiologist to read and interpret for diagnosis.  Radiology technologists are the ones at the front line with the patient; working with the patients to get just the right position or help the patient to remain perfectly still for the picture, which requires perseverance, expertise, and compassion.
 
In many places in the world, radiology technologists are hard to find because this technical training is mainly available in developed parts of the world. This lack of access to radiology technologists is a vital reason why radiology services are scarce. Moreover,  the longitudinal training and follow up communications to maintain these technical skills are scarce and limited in many parts of the world. In all of RAD-AID's radiology assessments throughout the world, hospitals have reported a great need for more radiologic technologists! This profession is essential for improving diagnostic quality and patient safety. 
 
We at RAD-AID understand the critical role that radiology technologists play in medical imaging and salute these hard-working men and women, without whom, the doctors would be unable to identify and treat disease. RAD-AID’s mission for increasing the availability of world-class medical imaging in other parts of the world includes expanding the vital army of radiology technologists. RAD-AID is also committed to providing resources for ongoing training and communication that strengthens the skills of the technologists.  RAD-AID salutes these individuals for their hard work and service.