If you’ve been looking online for x ray technician schools in Iowa, you’ve probably found a lot of online programs and not much in the brick and mortar department. Online degrees can be fine, and for some people being able to complete all their coursework at home is a huge advantage. But not everyone is comfortable with being the only one in the classroom, at home. In fact, most people find that they perform better when they have a professor who they meet with on a regular basis, in person, and classmates who they can study or compete with.
There are quite a number of fully accredited x ray tech programs in Iowa, and even more that are not accredited. You may or may not need to have a degree or certificate from an accredited program to work in the field of radiology, but employers tend to view accredited programs as preferable. To find out more about accreditation, visit www.jrcert.org, the website of the national accreditation Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). The programs listed below are just a few option and more can be found on the JRCERT website.
It is highly likely that you will get a similar education no matter where you go. While some schools offer more thorough programs, the basic knowledge and skills you will need to do the job will be included in all accredited programs. Additionally, all programs will require that you complete clinic hours every week. These clinic hours will be the building blocks for your future career. Nothing teaches you how to do your job right like hands on experience in the field.
Brick and mortar campuses usually have established relationships with local clinics, hospitals, and medical centers, which makes getting a clinic position easier. You may also find that when you are done with your program, the clinic where you completed your hours will be interested in hiring you. It is much easier for them to hire someone who is already trained than to hire someone who doesn’t know how things work when they start on the job.
The job market is tight right now everywhere, but it is not as tight in medical professions. This includes nursing jobs as well as medical assistants and medical technicians of all kinds. If you have a specific skill that is in high demand, your chances of getting a job, and a job that you will appreciate, are much higher than if you are looking for any old job. More and more x ray techs will be needed in the years to come. Securing your future is as close as one x ray technician certification.
Certification Program:
Iowa Methodist Medical Center
Iowa Health – Des Moines
1200 Pleasant St
Des Moines, IA 50309-1453
www.iowahealth.org/radtech
Associate in Applied Science Degree Program:
Iowa Central Community College
Fort Dodge Center
One Triton Circle
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
www.iowacentral.edu
Northeast Iowa Community College
Peosta Campus
10250 Sundown Rd
Peosta, IA 52068
www.nicc.edu