Career as a Medical Technologist Essay Example

Deciding a career has been something I have worried about for as long as I can remember. Once I learned about medical technology, I knew it was something that I wanted to pursue. Having a career in the medical field is what I have wanted to do because of how much doctors are able to help people and it has been a goal of mine to be able to help people out as much as possible. Physician’s assistant was what I was thinking about doing; however, it was always so overwhelming with how much schooling there was and all of the tests and once I was introduced to medical technology, the amount of schooling wasn’t so mind boggling and I enjoyed what the career consisted of. 

Medical technologists preform x-rays and other diagnostic imaging examinations on a variety of patients. A medical technologist normally specializes in ultrasound technology, radiologic technology, cardiovascular technology, or nuclear medicine technology. A medical technologist is trained to use all different types of diagnostic equipment, including x-ray, mammography, or CT imaging. Medical technologists are required to follow precise instructions from physicians about what areas of the body they are supposed to image. This means that the technologist must position the patient in a specific way and to make sure to shield exposed areas that are not needed imaged so they can get a proper screening. They must also be able to work with the computerized equipment properly and keep detailed records about the patients. 

Being a medical technologist you will mainly be working in hospitals. However, you could also work in a physician’s office, outpatient care centers or medical and diagnostic laboratories. Working full time is expected as well as working evenings, weekends, and overnight because imaging is sometimes needed when there is an emergency. Medical technologist can be on their feet all day and might need to lift or turn patients, which could cause injuries. Working with all different types of sick or injured people could lead to being exposed to infectious diseases. Also, being exposed to radiation is dangerous but precautions, like wearing gloves, lead aprons, and other shielding devices are used. Being exposed to people who are sick or injured all day can take a toll on someone’s mental and emotional health, so being able to get through that every day is something that is also very important. 

To become a medical technologist it is necessary to have a least an associate degree. Once you complete that degree, you can continue to with schooling and get your bachelor’s degree or you can go right into work. If one is considering to go on with schooling, they should expect to see academic study and clinical work. Once you get your degree or certification in medical technology, then you will have to get a state licensure, depending on the state you live in. Throughout your years of being a medical technologist, you might have to take tests and renew your license. 

The annual salary for a medical technologist varies throughout the states. In Indiana, the median annual salary is $69,200 and the highest annual salary is $85,710. However, if you were to live in Minnesota, the median annual salary is $80,110 and the highest annual salary is %101,820. Becoming a medical technologist can be done in a few short years, so that means that you won’t have to be paying for college as long as other people who are going to 4, 5, or more years, so that is a major plus. Also, health, life, and disability insurance could all come with becoming a medical technologist. Have the job security of working in the medical field is something to consider as well. 

One of the pros of being in this field is job stability since there is always going to be a demand. Also, being able to learn more in the job and progress throughout your career is another plus of working as a medical imaging technologist. Having to adapt to different situations and using your creativity is another benefit of working in this field. A con of working in this job is that it very physical. You will be standing on your feet, walking, lifting, and stretching all day. You will also have to work long hours, weekends, and nights, so you don’t really have a set schedule for a long time. This job can also get very stressful. 

You will have to work with a variety of different patients, dealing with a selection of problems. You will also have to work with coworkers, whether that is a whole hospital of doctors, nurses, etc., or working in a physician’s office. Having to being able to program computers, set up functions, entering data, and process information are all things that you will have to do. A medical technologist will have to be able to keep files separated and organized. They have to observe patients and entering it into the data sources. The career outlook for becoming a medical technologist is about 9%. Travel could be an important factor to consider because a job will come up around the United States and you will be needed in that state. 

Being a medical technologist has been a recent decision for me but is something that I believe I can do for the rest of my life. Taking x-ray unit in anatomy helped me make this decision. Examining all the x-rays and being able to identify what was wrong with them gave me a little excitement you could say. That was a different way of being able to help people I haven’t experienced before and I enjoyed it a lot. The personality tests we took were spot on in the health care field and I can’t wait to further my look for colleges for this career.