Emerging Job Trends in Radiology

If you're hoping to land a job in radiologic technology, the current job outlook is positive. Of course, this means you'll have a bit of competition. One way to get ahead of the pack in your search for employment is to keep up to date with trends in radiology. Not only will this ensure you're more knowledgeable than your peers, but you'll also know which areas have the best job prospects. Here are five trends in radiology to prepare you for your hunt.

Remote Employment Radiology

When the words "remote employment" are mentioned, you likely think of stay-at-home parents writing blogs or taking customer service calls. What many budding medical professionals don't realize, though, is that the radiology job market has extended into the telecommuting world.

There's plenty of medical work that can be done from the comfort of your home. After all, some of the most essential parts of radiology jobs don't have to be performed in a hospital setting. These include reviewing files, examining diagnostic images and speaking with patients. With HIPAA-compliant cloud solutions and tools like Skype, all of this can be done right at home.

Increasing Demand for Radiology Professionals

If you're seeking a radiology career, now is the time to do it. The job market is certainly good right now, but rest assured that you'll be fine even if you haven't received a degree yet. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted a nearly 10% growth in radiology jobs between 2014 and 2024. The 16% growth just between 2015 and 2016, though, quickly overshadowed this prediction.

Compared to other potential careers, this growth rate is higher than average. This means there will be more job openings for radiologic technology professionals. An increased supply of positions means radiology professionals will be in higher demand, and administrators will have to offer competitive wages to secure top talent.

Improvements in 3D Modeling

Even a decade ago, it was difficult to imagine a printer that could create a perfect three-dimensional model of human organs to scale. Improvements to this technology, though, have made it an obvious direction for radiologic technology to move towards. While this may not seem like a radiology job trend, it can certainly increase your likelihood of getting the job you want.

One need only look toward a case of conjoined twins that was presented at the 2017 Radiological Society of North America meeting. Staff radiologists used 3D printing and were able to create a model for a pediatric surgeon to work with.

This resulted in a successful surgery, and it likely brought with it a fair amount of job security for the 3D-printing radiologists involved.

Radiologists Get More Time Off

One of the most important career trends in radiology has been building up for years. With more information on medical burnout readily available, physicians of all types are opting to work fewer hours. This is just as true in the radiologic technology field as anywhere else.

Older doctors, males, and professionals with fewer children saw the biggest declines, and their job satisfaction simultaneously increased. Of course, this can vary by medical specialty. While there aren't many recent studies on radiology professional hours, research has shown that radiologists are getting more vacation days every year.

This means two things. First, you'll typically have flexibility in choosing the hours you want. Second, if you're willing to put in serious hours and can deal with potential stressors, you'll be capable of working your way up fast in any organization you land in.

Being Informed Means Being Employed

If you keep up with emerging trends in radiology, you'll position yourself as a professional in your field. Interviewers and potential employers will look kindly upon the effort you've put into the endeavor. There's also a good chance you can pick up a few new skills along the way, and this will help you stand out in a field full of applicants. The job prospects might be good, but it never hurts to shine during interviews for higher-paying positions.