Radiology: The Backbones of the Hospital

By: Madison Chukwudi

The ones who examine x-rays, take them, and are able to diagnose diseases, serious to minor, are called radiologists. Well, what exactly do radiologists do and how do their job processes work? Let’s take a deep dive into their wonderful job and specialty. First off, to become one they must go through the usual process every other doctor must go through. They must receive a bachelor's degree and complete all the prerequisite classes in order to go into medical school, get their medical degree, then move onto residency, the typical traditional process. According to Indeed the journey is not short nor sweet, “...and finally, the training for your sub-specialty will last a year. Therefore, in order to become a radiologist, it can typically take up to 13 years." Now with basic background provided, let’s take a closer look into what they do. X-rays aren’t the only things they have to do, but instead they work with many other machinery, such as magnetic resonance imagery, better known as a MRI machine, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), an ultrasound machine, and nuclear medicine. They work with very advanced technology which is very helpful when it comes to finding treatments for patients or figuring out what their problem may be. These machines can also help target specific parts of the body that need to be looked at, such as the brain or other tissues and organs. In relation to this, diagnostic radiologists aren’t only limited to one subspecialty, their range is broadened and the American college of Radiology provides depth about this, “radiologists may also specialize in any of 10 radiology subspecialties: breast, cardiovascular, chest, emergency, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, head and neck, musculoskeletal, neuro and pediatric.” This is quite a lot to choose from and each of them are just as important and needed. This also leads down to the pipeline of the differentiation between different radiologists. Based on the findings given by Cleveland Clinic, there are three different types of radiologists, diagnostic radiologist, interventional radiologist, and radiation oncology. While they are all under the same branch, their jobs are a bit different. The diagnostic one helps decipher images to figure out what a person has or what they’re suffering with. Interventional helps with procedures, a most notable one being against cancer, using their imagery. Lastly, radiation specializes mostly with cancer and can help by using radiation therapy (Cleveland Clinic). Their skills are very important in the field of medicine, which also relates to what a radiologic technologist is and a radiologist. While they may be confusing at first, Herzing University clears it up, “A radiologist is a doctor who interprets medical images, such as X-rays and MRIs, diagnoses patients and recommends treatment. A radiologic technologist is typically supervised by a radiologist and supports the doctor and other members of the healthcare team by performing the diagnostic imaging procedures." Their career paths are very opposing too, as the technologist is typically shorter than a regular radiologist. In brief, a radiologist is very essential when it comes to finding out underlying problems that may stem from inside the body and bones. Their work is valued heavily and will always continue to be.

Works Cited:

American College of Radiology. “Radiology Overview.” Acr.org, 2025, www.acr.org/about/radiology-overview.

“Radiologist vs. Radiology Tech: What’s the Difference?” Herzing University, 19 Apr. 2024, www.herzing.edu/faq/rad-tech-vs-radiologist.

‌Cleveland Clinic. “What Is a Radiologist? What They Do, Training & Types.” Cleveland Clinic, 21 Sept. 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24184-radiologist.

‌“How Long Does It Take to Become a Radiologist? | Indeed.com.” Indeed Career Guide, www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-long-does-it-take-to-become-a-radiologist.