Looking for a new career in 2018? Take an 11 Month X-Ray Tech Class!
The New Year is long been a great time to get a head-start within a new career and to achieve your goals. If your passion is radiology & healthcare, you’re probably weighing your decision and wondering what options are available to you. Taking an x-ray tech class is one of the most popular healthcare career options for many in 2018. X-Ray Technicians in California make a good living, have many career options within healthcare, and the industry has seen solid growth over the last decade. Furthermore, taking an x-ray tech class is a great career choice because accredited x-ray tech schools will usually cross-train you as a medical assistant.
That said, we wanted to put together an article that explores becoming an x-ray technician in 2018. Together, we’ll uncover why a career as an x-ray tech makes sense. We’ll also explain what to look for when finding the best x-ray tech class in your area. Finally, we’ll look at the fine print & details. Many x-ray technician schools offer different options. We’ll address your concerns regarding pre-requisite x-ray training, hands-on classes, clinical internship, and finding a job after x-ray school.
Why taking an X-Ray Tech Class for a Career in Healthcare Makes Sense in 2018
There’s been a radical growth in the number of places that X-Ray Technicians work in California over the last decade. Moreover, the industry is changing with introduction of new digital x-ray technology as well as x-ray job options. You’ve probably noticed that while there aren’t too many new hospitals being built in California. However, there sure are a lot of new urgent cares and clinics that have sprouted over the last decade.
That’s important, because while a Radiologic Technologist (Rad Tech) will generally work at the hospital level, X-Ray Techs (Limited Scope X-Ray Machine Operators) usually work at the clinical-level. Radiologic Techs also require extra training and most college radiology programs are majorly impacted. Many junior colleges offering a Rad-Tech program have a 5-6 year waiting list. The same is not true for X-Ray Technicians. In contrast, becoming an x-ray tech in California moves at a fairly quick pace.
Moreover, if you choose an all-inclusive & accredited x-ray technician program, your pre-requisite training should be included. That said, if your final goal is becoming an CRT or RadTech in California, starting as an X-Ray Technician that can help fast-track your success and career path. You can also usually begin working in less than a year. That means you’ll know upfront whether you’d like to move on to becoming an RT or stay at the X-Ray Technician level. It also provides a solid look into the world of Radiology Sciences and the actual job, without the 6 year wait.
X-Ray Tech Class Can Lead to Many Career Options in Healthcare
We’ve already covered why taking an x-ray tech class can help streamline your goal of becoming a RadTech in California. For more information on that transition and becoming an X-Ray Technician first, read this article.
But what about career options for x-ray technicians? Do all x-ray techs all have the same job? What is expected of them by their clinics and employers? Ultimately, an x-ray technician’s career and workflow will differ from clinic-to-clinic. Many clinics hire x-ray techs who are cross-trained in medical assisting. This has an impact on the career and your daily duties. Finally, keep in mind that most x-ray techs enjoy the ability to choose where they work. You can generally find a clinic, private practice, imaging facility or urgent care that fits your personality and needs.
Adam Cooper, XT, who is an X-Ray Instructor & Radiation Safety Officer at our X-Ray Tech School, dove into the details in this interview. X-Ray Technicians in California generally work in urgent care clinics, private practice, orthopedic offices, sports medicine clinics, corporate healthcare facilities and imaging centers. With so many options, choices of different shifts/hours as well as individual employer needs, the career options are vast.
Finally, since you’re cross-training as a medical assistant, no two visits are alike. As a cross-trained x-ray tech/medical assistant, you’re more attractive to a wider range of healthcare employers. Keep this in mind when finding the best x-ray tech class for your needs. Ask about X-Ray/MA training and why it’s important in today’s healthcare environment.
All-Inclusive Medical Assisting Training & X-Ray Tech Class for Current Medical Assistants
When choosing the best x-ray tech class for your needs, consider your final goal and weigh your options. If you’re a current medical assistant who wants to get into radiology, find an x-ray tech class that will streamline your career path. Perhaps taking an evening x-ray tech class is right for you. This will allow you to continue working as a medical assistant during the day, until you reach the clinical internship phase. We’ll cover more on clinical internship as part of your x-ray tech class in just a bit.
For most others, it makes sense finding an x-ray tech class that will cross-train you as a medical assistant. Not only will it enhance your career and give you a solid foundation, but healthcare employers in California have come to expect you’ll have both skill-sets. Furthermore, the best x-ray technician schools will offer an all-inclusive x-ray tech program as part of their curriculum. We often hear the question, “why is medical assisting training coupled with x-ray tech training?” Adam Cooper’s interview, referenced above answers a lot of those questions and really puts an x-ray tech’s career in perspective. It will help you understand why you’ve got to be a good medical assistant in order to be a great x-ray technician in California.
To further examine the importance of all-inclusive x-ray technician class, consider the following:
- Your X-Ray Tech Class should offer pre-requisite x-ray/healthcare classes as part of your x-ray education, meaning you can start with just a high school diploma
- The X-Ray Technician program you choose should combine your MA/X-Ray Training and provide the fundamentals of patient care
- Some ACCSC Accredited X-Ray Tech schools (like Modern Technology School) include scrubs, textbooks + the cost of your first CA State X-Ray Exam with tuition
- The best X-Ray Tech class will also include other important things such as clinical internship, job placement assistance and career help
- For those who qualify, find out if your x-ray tech class offers financial aid; if you’re a veteran, inquire about whether they accept the GI BILL
Find an X-Ray Tech Class that Includes Clinical Internship & Job Placement Assistance
These are two big factors to consider when choosing an x-ray tech class in your area. While x-ray technician schools can’t guarantee a job after graduation, it’s vital they offer some form of job placement assistance. For starters, this means the x-ray school has an in-house career center with a dedicated student career professional. Moreover, you’ll want to ensure that their career advisor has a good track-record of actually helping students find work after graduation. Ask admissions if the the x-ray tech school’s career center offers help with the following:
- Drafting healthcare resumes and unique cover letters
- Help with prepping for phone & in-person interviews
- Working one-on-one with x-ray tech students on mock interviews
- Healthcare employer network meet & greets with x-ray tech class grads
Another thing to consider is clinical internship in your x-ray tech class. Clinical internship is one of those things that many x-ray schools say they offer, but the details matter in this case. You’ll want to be certain you’re comparing apples to apples when it comes to clinical internship. Speak to admissions and ask about the relationship the x-ray school has with local clinics, where you’ll complete your internship. Find out how fast you can complete clinical internship and how many hours are offered. Furthermore, ask the school if they charge extra for internships. Lastly, remember that not all clinical internships are created equal. Speak to admissions about what the student experience is like, and research the x-ray school online.
Why Modern Technology School Offers the Best X-Ray Tech Class in Orange County
Modern Technology School has offered the best x-ray tech class in Orange County since 1981. Our ACCSC accredited X-Ray Technician school offers an all-inclusive x-ray tech program. We believe in helping our x-ray students soar from start to finish. That means we take the details seriously. Our x-ray tech class is taught in small-class sizes; this helps students absorb the material quickly. We offer hands-on x-ray training and digital x-ray technology that continues to revolutionize the world of radiology. We cross train our x-ray technician students as medical assistants — you get two skill-sets under one tuition.
Our ACCSC Accredited Orange County X-Ray Tech School offers an 11-month X-Ray Technician program, start with just your High School Diploma! Our included x-ray clinical internship is held to rigorous licensing/education standards and we have built many lasting relationships with local clinics. We also offer an X-Ray Only class for medical assistants looking to enhance their healthcare careers! Our x-ray tech teachers and compassionate faculty are driven by our students’ needs and growth. Teaching in hands-on labs on field-used x-ray equipment. Our night class for x-ray technician also offers great options for busy working professionals with everyday responsibilities.
Our Orange County X-Ray School is easy to commute to from all over Southern California. Students come to us because we offer the best x-ray tech class in SoCal. They’re elated when they learn they don’t have to pay extra for books & scrubs and have plenty of easy-to-find, free parking on a safe campus.
Next X-Ray Tech Class Starts February 20th – Graduate in Less than 12 Months!
Our next X-Ray Tech Class starts on February 20th. Our evening x-ray technician class begins January 22nd. While our x-ray technician classes usually start every other month in Orange County, they are also very popular. Remember that we keep class sizes small and as a result, classes tend to fill-up quickly. Whether you ultimately plan on becoming a rad tech or are a current medical assistant who wants to get into x-ray, we’re here to help. Our friendly Admissions Advisor is here 5 days a week to answer your questions and help you. Rather than being concerned with numbers, we pride ourselves on ensuring there’s a great fit on both ends. Rest assured, we’ll guide you through the easy admissions process and walk through your questions and concerns.
We provide free tours of our x-ray tech school to prospective students 5-days a week. Look us up on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, as well as reading our reviews from x-ray tech class students on Yelp. We look forward to meeting with you and answering your questions. If you’ve met with other x-ray tech schools in Orange County, Los Angeles or San Diego, don’t fret. Our approach is a little different; our goal is to be helpful, not pushy.
2018 is set to be another great year to take an x-ray tech class. Jump into the world of Diagnostic Healthcare and complete your x-ray technician training in less than 12 months!
Learn About Modern Technology School’s X-Ray Tech Class Today!
We serve students from all of Southern California including Orange County, San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego County.
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