Healthcare is a difficult field to be in but it is crucial for the wellbeing of society as a whole. Those who pursue a career in healthcare dedicate their lives to helping those in need and making sure people receive proper care. For those interested in radiology, choosing the right college is crucial in ensuring that they receive the proper medical knowledge to set a proper foundation for their future career. When it comes to this field, it is important that the college that you choose has the good faculty support, clinical training facilities, and research opportunities that can help you take your education in your own hands.
Luckily, we're here to help you on your educational journey! And don’t worry, it’s not as stressful as it seems at first. In this article we will be discussing the colleges with the best programs for illustration as well as:
- What is Radiology
- Job Opportunities For Radiology
What is Radiology?
Radiology is a science that involves dealing with x-rays and various forms of high energy radiation. This is a very important addition to the world of healthcare because radiology is utilized to help analyze, diagnose, and aid in the treatment of diseases. There are two different types of radiology; diagnostic and interventional radiology.
Diagnostic Radiology
Diagnostic radiology assists in allowing healthcare providers to see the overall structure of an individual's body. As a result of diagnostic radiology, doctors are able to diagnose, monitor the body’s response to different treatments (when treatment is applicable), and search for different diseases or illnesses or monitor their potential spread.
Different types of diagnostic radiology tests include:
- CT scans
- Mammograms
- X-rays
- Ultrasounds
Interventional Radiology
Interventional radiology is equally as important! In interventional radiology individuals use the diagnostic radiology scans to determine the best ways to go about procedures to help cure any illness the patient may have. Interventional radiologists help in the treatment of conditions such as cancer, problems with veins or arteries, and problems with organs such as the kidneys.
Different types of interventional radiology procedures include:
- Angioplasty
- Vertebroplasty
- Artery embolization
- Feeding tube placement
- Catheter placement
From this, it is clear that radiology is an extremely educationally diverse field that can involve various different types of patients as well as complications. That means that getting the proper education is all the more important!
On average radiologists make $355,370 a year, and that doesn’t even factor in overtime opportunities that are available. So if taking care of others is your niche, don’t worry you will make an extremely comfortable living!
Job Opportunities For Radiologist
If you thought radiology couldn’t get any better, then guess again! Other than the financial stability, radiology is a great career to pursue because it truly allows for individuals to have various different job opportunities.
Some of the most common jobs for radiologists include:
- Neuroradiologist
- Pediatric Radiologist
- Oncologic Radiologist
- Cardiovascular Radiologist
- Forensic Radiologist
And those are only the most common job opportunities, but there are many more to choose from. If this is making you eager to start your career then continue reading as we go over the best colleges that specialize in radiology.
Best Colleges For Radiology
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
While Harvard is known for being a great college for many majors, radiology is no exception! What makes Harvard stand out amongst others is its comprehensive radiology program that specializes in both diagnostic and interventional radiology. This is important because it allows for students to receive a well rounded education and helps them choose what career path they will prefer to go down in the future.
Harvard is also well known for its research programs that make large improvements in the world of medicine. This allows for students to not only receive great in class education but also allows them to apply what they have learned to real life scenarios and truly help them make a difference in the world. Harvard offers programs such as the Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Residency Fellowship for a Master’s program that allows students to jumpstart their careers.
For undergraduate options, it is recommended that students major in any field related to radiology. This includes:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Biomedical Engineering
Harvard has an average acceptance rate of 3% however, this varies based on each program and the amount of applicants that apply each year. The average tuition cost for Harvard is $56,000 per year, which is no small cost. However, Harvard offers financial aid opportunities and scholarships to students that help cut down the cost.
University of California, San Francisco
Do you enjoy the Bay area? Then UCSF might be the place for you to kickstart your career. UCSF’s school of medicine is hallmarked for giving students high quality clinical and research training for radiology. Students are able to do their clinical training at UCSF’s medical center which is also nationally ranked and highly reputable. Not only does this provide students with valuable experience, but it also allows them to network and build bonds that will last long after they have graduated. Similar to Harvard, UCSF offers a Residency Fellowship Program as well as a special Neuroradiology Fellowship.
The Neuroradiology Fellowship allows for students to focus on the study of these key parts of the body and techniques:
- Brain
- Spin
- Nervous System
- Neuroimaging
The UCSF school of medicine has a similar annual tuition cost of $46,000 per year and an acceptance rate of 3%. While it is no small accomplishment in attending this school, we guarantee that UCSF will provide a bountiful education that makes it worthwhile.
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Are you a hands-on learner? Then attending the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota might be the perfect opportunity for you. What makes this school stand out is the fact that its core goal is to get students to work on patient-centered care and also values the innovation and exploration of new technologies and techniques. The Mayo Clinic does not want students to have an outdated concept of radiology and values a collaborative learning environment centered around contemporary medicine.
The Mayo Clinic offers a Radiology Residency Program, Body Imaging Fellowship, Neuroradiology Fellowship, and a Paediatric Radiology Fellowship. What makes this school stand out is all the diverse options that it has to offer and its ability to appease the needs of every aspiring radiologist.
However, the Mayo Clinic does not offer any undergraduate programs unfortunately. Despite this, it can still be a good place for students to transfer into once they have obtained their undergraduate degree. In doing this, their chances of getting accepted into the school may even be increased significantly.
With an annual tuition cost of the Mayo Clinic is $64,000 and it has an acceptance rate of 1.5-3%. While it has become obvious that a career in radiology is highly competitive, that does not mean it is entirely impossible! Similar to other schools, financial aid opportunities are available and highly encouraged.
University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Similar to the above schools, the University of Chicago is known for being one of the best because it simply has everything a student needs to succeed. Its radiology program is centered around clinical training and research to ensure that students can go above and beyond once they enter the medical field post graduation. Students who attend this school have the opportunity to complete their clinical training at the University of Chicago Medical Center which is known for its imaging technology. Similar to other schools the University of Chicago offers the following radiology programs:
- Diagnostic Radiology Residency
- Interventional Radiology Fellowship
- Neuroradiology Fellowship
- Pediatric Radiology Fellowship
- Body Imaging Fellowship
However, one unique program that stands out is the Radiology Informatics Fellowship. In this fellowship, students focus on projects that involve imaging informatics and data management. This means that students will learn about Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) which is responsible for storing and managing digital medical images.
With an average annual tuition rate of $64,000 and an acceptance rate of 2-3% the University of Chicago is similar to the above schools. However loan options are also available to all students which can help heavily cut down costs as well as student stress.
Why does this matter?
While getting into medical school seems like a difficult endeavor it’s important to remember that despite its challenges, it is an inspiring career path to pursue and one that is greatly rewarding. Although it may seem impossible at this moment in time, choosing the right school for you is only the first step in the other choices and challenges that you will make in life. As a student, it is important to not compare your own personal journey to those around you and to choose the place where you feel like you most belong.
However, if you’re not set on a career in radiology and still want to explore other options, that’s okay too! There are a lot of other careers to look into before you make your final decision. No matter what you choose to pursue, congratulate yourself on taking the step to obtain higher education!
