Whether you are a diagnostic or a therapeutic radiographer there are many career avenues open to you after you have qualified.
With about 26,000 registered radiographers in the UK, according to NHS figures, this is a popular profession, which offers opportunities in private clinics, industry and state hospitals.
As there is such a large number of sections in a radiology department, from ultrasound to x-rays and medicine, there are numerous career paths you can take in order to develop your skills and professional standing.
Possible career routes include moving into management, education, research or specialising further.
Specialising
Consultant radiographers can choose to combine research with clinical work in a specialist area, helping them to contribute to the wider pool of knowledge, shaping further studies and industry understanding.
This could involve areas such as CT scanning, breast screening/mammography, quality assurance, general radiography or medical ultrasound.
Meanwhile, after gaining a degree, therapeutic radiographers may also decide to specialise. This could see them learning more about treatment review, planning, delivery management, palliative care and patient support, as well as many other areas.
A spokesperson at the Society and College of Radiographers, explained that specialising is a popular option for many radiographers, although it is not usually done immediately after they become fully qualified.
They said: "Many radiographers specialise after a few years; clinical areas which currently have a shortfall are radiotherapy and ultrasound."
Locum work
In order to widen your career skill set and gain a better understanding of how you wish to develop as a radiographer, it is advisable to undertake a wide variety of different work.
This could be moving to new clinical departments, taking on different roles and also doing locum radiography jobs. This allows you to gain a great general understanding and interact with a diverse range of colleagues, as well as patients who require more specialist care.
Further training
As well as on-the-job experience and locum work, the spokesperson recommends that to further your career "you need to show a willingness to work hard, take on extra roles and responsibilities and take opportunities for post-graduate education and training. There is a wide range of post-registration study days and short courses available and many radiography education providers run longer courses which lead to master's degree qualifications."
It is advisable to explore your options to assess whether you have gaps in your current knowledge you would like to fill or are keen to take on specialist training or locum work. This could improve your career prospects and help to significantly bolster your CV and skill set.
Find out more about our locum radiography jobs.
