Radiologists diagnose and treat diseases and injuries using medical imaging techniques, such as x rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, and ultrasounds. May perform minimally invasive medical procedures and tests.

  • Obtain patients' histories from electronic records, patient interviews, dictated reports, or by communicating with referring clinicians.
  • Prepare comprehensive interpretive reports of findings.
  • Perform or interpret the outcomes of diagnostic imaging procedures including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computer tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), nuclear cardiology treadmill studies, mammography, or ultrasound.
  • Review or transmit images and information using picture archiving or communications systems.
  • Communicate examination results or diagnostic information to referring physicians, patients, or families.
  • Provide counseling to radiologic patients to explain the processes, risks, benefits, or alternative treatments.
  • Instruct radiologic staff in desired techniques, positions, or projections.
  • Confer with medical professionals regarding image-based diagnoses.
  • Coordinate radiological services with other medical activities.
  • Document the performance, interpretation, or outcomes of all procedures performed.
  • Establish or enforce standards for protection of patients or personnel.
  • Develop or monitor procedures to ensure adequate quality control of images.
  • Recognize or treat complications during and after procedures, including blood pressure problems, pain, oversedation, or bleeding.
  • Participate in continuing education activities to maintain and develop expertise.
  • Participate in quality improvement activities including discussions of areas where risk of error is high.
  • Perform interventional procedures such as image-guided biopsy, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, transhepatic biliary drainage, or nephrostomy catheter placement.
  • Develop treatment plans for radiology patients.
  • Administer radioisotopes to clinical patients or research subjects.
  • Advise other physicians of the clinical indications, limitations, assessments, or risks of diagnostic and therapeutic applications of radioactive materials.
  • Calculate, measure, or prepare radioisotope dosages.
  • Check and approve the quality of diagnostic images before patients are discharged.
  • Compare nuclear medicine procedures with other types of procedures, such as computed tomography, ultrasonography, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography.
  • Direct nuclear medicine technologists or technicians regarding desired dosages, techniques, positions, and projections.
  • Establish and enforce radiation protection standards for patients and staff.
  • Formulate plans and procedures for nuclear medicine departments.
  • Monitor handling of radioactive materials to ensure that established procedures are followed.
  • Prescribe radionuclides and dosages to be administered to individual patients.
  • Review procedure requests and patients' medical histories to determine applicability of procedures and radioisotopes to be used.
  • Teach nuclear medicine, diagnostic radiology, or other specialties at graduate educational level.
  • Test dosage evaluation instruments and survey meters to ensure they are operating properly.
Work Context
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 99% responded "Extremely important".
  • Telephone — 96% responded "Every day".
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 99% responded "Every day".
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 91% responded "Very important results".
  • Frequency of Decision Making — 91% responded "Every day".
  • Time Pressure — 81% responded "Every day".
  • Freedom to Make Decisions — 74% responded "A lot of freedom".
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Work Activities
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Develop healthcare quality and safety procedures.
  • Maintain medical or professional knowledge.
  • Develop medical treatment plans.
  • Verify that medical activities or operations meet standards.
  • Determine protocols for medical procedures.
  • Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
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Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Biology
  • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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Skills

Writing
  • Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension
  • Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
  • Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
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Abilities

Problem Sensitivity
  • The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Inductive Reasoning
  • The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension
  • The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology
Medical software
  • MEDITECH software Hot Technology
  • Modernizing Medicine Practice Management
  • MIM Software MIMneuro
  • MIM Software MIMfusion
  • MIM Software MIMcardiac
  • WRSHealth EMR
  • Merge Healthcare Merge RIS
  • medQ Q/ris
  • McKesson Radiology Manager
  • McKesson Practice Plus
  • Maplewood Software StaffReady
  • Motion correction software
  • mPlexus DICOM RadiX
  • Vitera Healthcare Solutions Vitera Intergy RIS
  • Vitera Healthcare Solutions Vitera Intergy
  • SOAPware EMR
  • simplifyMD
  • RamSoft PowerServer RIS/PACS
  • Radiopharmacy inventory databases
  • Patient electronic medical record EMR software
  • NextGen Healthcare NextGen Practice Management
  • NextGen Healthcare Information Systems EMR
  • Kareo Practice Management
  • IOS Health Systems Medios EHR
  • Infinite Radiology Opal-RAD
  • Computer aided image analysis software
  • Cerner PowerWorks Practice Management
  • CareCloud Central
  • Bizmatics PrognoCIS EMR
  • Benchmark Systems Benchmark Clinical EHR
  • Avreo Radiology Workflow Solutions
  • Automatic Data Processing AdvancedMD EHR
  • athenahealth athenaCollector
  • Alteer Office
  • Allscripts Professional EHR
  • Allscripts PM
  • Advanced Data Systems MedicsRis
  • Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine DICOM medical imaging software
  • Hosted PACS Solutions
  • HealthFusion MediTouch
  • Greenway Medical Technologies PrimeSUITE
  • GE Healthcare ViewPoint for Radiology
  • GE Healthcare Centricity Practice Solution
  • GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
  • GalacTek ECLIPSE
  • Fujifilm Synapse
  • Epic Practice Management
  • eClinicalWorks Practice Management
  • eClinicalWorks
  • ACOM Solutions RAPID EMR
Word processing software
  • Microsoft Word Hot Technology
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Education

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Job Outlook

New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
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