Radiologist Requirements

[mcb019]

Hello.
I have recently become interested in the career as a radiologist. Although I have done research, I find that many of the websites are quite broad and not as detailed as I would like. To those who are radiologists, would you please tell me the requirements of becoming a radiologist (such as GPA, good colleges to look into, courses to take, and what is suggested to major in)? Also, do you have any tips that would be helpful along my road into college, medical school, and so on? I realize that this is a lot to ask, but any information would be helpful and great appreciated. Thank you!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[shark2000]

It seems that you have not even started your college yet.

Rather than thinking about radiology, enjoy your best years of your life. Go to college with open eyes and then decide what you want to do to your life. At that point, you may not be even interested in medicine.

 

[DeucesHigh3]

Hello.
I have recently become interested in the career as a radiologist. Although I have done research, I find that many of the websites are quite broad and not as detailed as I would like. To those who are radiologists, would you please tell me the requirements of becoming a radiologist (such as GPA, good colleges to look into, courses to take, and what is suggested to major in)? Also, do you have any tips that would be helpful along my road into college, medical school, and so on? I realize that this is a lot to ask, but any information would be helpful and great appreciated. Thank you!

If you are thinking about doing radiology eventually, concentrate on doing the best you can in school now. Go to the best undergraduate school you get into that won't put you in tons of debt, and take whatever classes you want (as long as you take the medical school pre-requisites). Have fun, and enjoy yourself, as long as you keep your GPA high. Get exposure to clinical medicine (shadowing, EMT, medical scribe, volunteering), because it will be important for medical school applications.

From there, go to the best medical school you can (if you get a scholarship or someone is paying your tuition), or go to the cheapest one you can -- it doesn't really matter either way. From there, get involved with a radiology interest group or do some shadowing, but you really won't have much exposure to the field until you can take an elective block (usually 4th year). You'll apply to radiology residencies during your 4th year, and find out where you're going that spring. From there, you have a 1 year internship (preliminary medicine, transitional, or surgery), 4 years of diagnostic radiology residency, and then 1 year of fellowship for subspecialization.

So: 4 years college, 4 years medical school, 5 years residency, 1 year fellowship.

 

[mcb019]

If you are thinking about doing radiology eventually, concentrate on doing the best you can in school now. Go to the best undergraduate school you get into that won't put you in tons of debt, and take whatever classes you want (as long as you take the medical school pre-requisites). Have fun, and enjoy yourself, as long as you keep your GPA high. Get exposure to clinical medicine (shadowing, EMT, medical scribe, volunteering), because it will be important for medical school applications.

From there, go to the best medical school you can (if you get a scholarship or someone is paying your tuition), or go to the cheapest one you can -- it doesn't really matter either way. From there, get involved with a radiology interest group or do some shadowing, but you really won't have much exposure to the field until you can take an elective block (usually 4th year). You'll apply to radiology residencies during your 4th year, and find out where you're going that spring. From there, you have a 1 year internship (preliminary medicine, transitional, or surgery), 4 years of diagnostic radiology residency, and then 1 year of fellowship for sub-specialization.

So: 4 years college, 4 years medical school, 5 years residency, 1 year fellowship.

Thank you very much for answering!
So, is choosing a sub-specialization required? Can you have multiple sub-specialties?

 

[mcb019]

It seems that you have not even started your college yet.

Rather than thinking about radiology, enjoy your best years of your life. Go to college with open eyes and then decide what you want to do to your life. At that point, you may not be even interested in medicine.

Thank you very much for answering, your advice will help me make sure to keep an open mind when going into college!

 

[DeucesHigh3]

Thank you very much for answering!
So, is choosing a sub-specialization required? Can you have multiple sub-specialties?

It's not technically required, but basically everyone has to do a fellowship. You can do several of them if you want, or if you need to make yourself marketable for a tough hiring environment.

 

[mcb019]

Awesome, thank you!

 

[mcb019]

It's not technically required, but basically everyone has to do a fellowship. You can do several of them if you want, or if you need to make yourself marketable for a tough hiring environment.

Awesome, thank you!

 

[wisdom101]

Hello.
I have recently become interested in the career as a radiologist. Although I have done research, I find that many of the websites are quite broad and not as detailed as I would like. To those who are radiologists, would you please tell me the requirements of becoming a radiologist (such as GPA, good colleges to look into, courses to take, and what is suggested to major in)? Also, do you have any tips that would be helpful along my road into college, medical school, and so on? I realize that this is a lot to ask, but any information would be helpful and great appreciated. Thank you!

I am glad you posted this. Before getting all into the requirements to be a radiologist, talk to individual radiologists about their career. Specifically, ask them about the job market. There is a lot of uncertainty out there right now as there was when I went into Radiology. I was lucky when the job market improved, but then it went down again and I found myself struggling to find a job. I really dislike the instability, it's not what I expected at all. If I could do it all over again, I'd devote some serious time to speaking with people in whatever field I chose, get the real truth and then decide. As of right now, people in medicine are very anxious- I have friends who aremboard certified highly qualified Radiologists but unemployed & an orthopedic surgeon who left his practice, it looks like a PA is doing a lot of the work instead. Do yourself a big favor and talk to people before you make any major decisions. I love the medical field but I do not love how doctors are being treated right now-- more work, jobs being outsourced and no change in the malpractice environment. Someone needs to do some serious research on what's happening in our field because it's very confusing.

 

[RadsonRads]

I am glad you posted this. Before getting all into the requirements to be a radiologist, talk to individual radiologists about their career. Specifically, ask them about the job market. There is a lot of uncertainty out there right now as there was when I went into Radiology. I was lucky when the job market improved, but then it went down again and I found myself struggling to find a job. I really dislike the instability, it's not what I expected at all. If I could do it all over again, I'd devote some serious time to speaking with people in whatever field I chose, get the real truth and then decide. As of right now, people in medicine are very anxious- I have friends who aremboard certified highly qualified Radiologists but unemployed & an orthopedic surgeon who left his practice, it looks like a PA is doing a lot of the work instead. Do yourself a big favor and talk to people before you make any major decisions. I love the medical field but I do not love how doctors are being treated right now-- more work, jobs being outsourced and no change in the malpractice environment. Someone needs to do some serious research on what's happening in our field because it's very confusing.

Trolling high school kids now?