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Chapter 19 |
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"A & P is extremely relevant. You must know how to image the correct body part and how to position the body for the best images."
Are you interested in a medical career that will allow you to see the country and work when you want to or need to? Many health care fields offer opportunities for "travelers," professionals with national licensing that allows them to work anywhere they wish. Radiologic imaging is one of those fields. Knowing that X-ray imaging is a universal need helped Beth Feinberg make the decision to go into mammography, a specialty within the field of radiologic technology. Beth's interests in traveling, keeping a flexible schedule, and working with people are all met by her career. Mammographers work in hospitals, clinics, and mobile units. Wherever they work, a typical day involves seeing many patients and performing the same function for each- taking diagnostic images of the breasts. Mammographers also participate in procedures such as ultrasound, biopsies, and cyst aspirations. Mammography is an important tool in breast cancer screening and assists in early detection, leading to a higher rate of successful treatment.
An Opportunity to Travel Like many mammographers, Beth has worked as a traveler. Travelers work at one place-usually a hospital-for a contracted length of time and then, if they wish, move on. Beth has worked in many states, including Maine, Florida, and California. For the time being, Beth is happy at her current location and intends to stay there. However, because X-ray techs are in such high demand, Beth is virtually assured of work if she decides to travel again. "I knew being a mammographer would be steady work if, when, and where I wanted it. Being able to travel was very important to me." Performing mammography puts Beth in contact with people all day long. Although the job of a mammographer can be repetitive, each patient is different. "Although most of my day is mammography," says Beth, "I am also dealing with women's emotions and concerns." "I am not a desk job kind of person. Helping people is very important to me. The best part of my job is giving women good news-that everything is okay. They're very nervous when they come in, whether they've been diagnosed with breast cancer or not." Like many people in her profession, Beth studied in an accredited two-year radiologic technology training program. Half of the day was spent in the classroom and the other half took place in a hospital where students learned procedures. As part of her training, Beth took courses in anatomy and physiology. "A & P is extremely relevant," she says. "You must know how to image the correct body part and how to position the body for the best images." Beth then obtained her national license by passing an exam. She is certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technicians. Some states also require that X-ray techs obtain a state license and some require a separate test. "Because you are dealing with ionizing radiation, licensing is required." In addition to passing the national registry exam, mammographers must also have taken 100 mammograms before they can be licensed.
Important Skills What are the qualities of a successful mammographer? Beth says, "You need to be patient, care about the people you see all day, and have good interpersonal and technical skills." At the same time, mammography and other types of radiologic technology work can be physically demanding. "X-ray technology is much more than pushing buttons," says Beth. "It takes a lot of stamina to correctly position people on a daily basis."
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