How Long Does it Take to Become a Radiologist?

The average time it takes to become a Radiologist in the USA is 13 years. The level of education required to become a Radiologist is very high and it usually takes over a decade to become a registered Radiologist in the USA. After completing high school, you have to go through a series of steps to become a Radiologist and several colleges offer programs with different durations to make it as early as possible. 

What is a Radiologist?

A Radiologist is an MD or DO physician that specialized in the use of Medical Image Equipment and Image Techniques to help in the diagnosis and treatment of injury and disease. The common procedures and techniques involved are:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• Computerized Tomography (CT)
• X-rays
• Positron emission tomography (PET)
• Ultrasonography
• Fusion Imaging
• Nuclear Medicine 

What does a Radiologist do?

The working environment for a radiologist may vary from job to job. It usually depends upon the fellowship completed by the radiologist. Mos Radiologist work in a hospital, however, some may work in a clinical or academic setting as well. The duties of a Radiologist may vary but most of them include:

• Performing imaging procedures and interpreting the results
• Diagnosing injuries and diseases from the results of imaging procedures
• Consulting with other medical professionals
• Referring patients to other appropriate health care practitioners

The medical images taken by the Radiologist are extremely complex and require extensive knowledge of human anatomy, pathology, and the intricacies of different imaging modalities.

Most of these imaging methods involve the use of some type of radiation. So, radiologists receive extensive training in protecting individuals from radiation and minimizing the adverse effects.

How many years does it take to become a Radiologist?

After completing high school, it takes an average of 13 years for you to become a Radiologist in the USA. This includes completing an undergraduate degree which usually takes four years. It is followed by four years of medical school and one year of internship. Next is four years of residency training in Diagnostic Radiology. Additionally, more than 90% of physicians who complete residency decide to pursue a Fellowship in a sub-specialty of Radiology. This adds a minimum of 1 year of additional training.

Steps to become a Radiologist:

The duration may vary depending upon the program offered by the educational institute but the steps are generally the same. These include the following steps:

Step 1: Enroll in a College and complete the pre-requisite courses needed for admission to Medical school:

Step 2: Prepare for and take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT):

Step 3: Get accepted and attend an Allopathic or Osteopathic Medical school

Step 4: Complete Internship and Residency

Step 5: Board Certification

Step 6: Complete fellowship training (optional) 

Wants to know further about How long it takes to be a Radiologist Technician.

Top 5 schools with the fastest way to become a radiologist:

There are several universities offering Radiology programs throughout the USA. Here are the top five institutions with Radiology programs: 

1۔ Johns Hopkins University

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is the medical school of Johns Hopkins University. It is a private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded in 1893. It shares a campus with the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center established in 1889. It offers a radiology program with the following details:

Rankings:

• #1 in Radiology
• #3 in Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)
• #52 in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care (tie)
• Fee: $58,000 (full-time)
• Enrollment: 470
• Student-faculty ratio: 5.1:1
• Admission date: 15 Oct
• Duration of Radiology Program: Four years

2۔ Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. T was founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan Clergyman John Harvard. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and is regarded as one of the most prestigious institutes in the world. Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. It offers a radiology program with the following details:

Rankings:

• #2 in Radiology
• #1 in Best Medical Schools: Research(tie)
• #9 in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care(tie)
• Fee: $66,284 (full-time)
• Enrolment: 699
• Student-faculty ratio: 14.6:1
• Admission date: 24 Oct
• Duration of Radiology Program: Four years

3۔ University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)

The University of Pennsylvania is a private Ivy League research University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1740 and is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the highest-ranked universities in the world. The Perelman School of Medicine, commonly known as Penn Med is the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania. It is a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that offers a radiology program with the following details.   

Rankings:

• #3 in Radiology
• #6 in Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)
• #20 in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care (tie)
• Fee: $61,586 (full-time)
• Enrollment: 626
• Student-faculty ratio: 4.6:1
• Admission date: 15 Oct
• Duration of Radiology Program: Four years

4۔ University of California–San Francisco  

The University of California, San Francisco is a public land-grant research university in San Francisco, California. This institute is a part of the University of California system and is dedicated entirely to health sciences. It conducts research and teaching in medical and biological sciences. It offers a Radiology program with the following details:

Rankings:

• #4 in Radiology
• #3 in Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)
• #2 in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care(tie)
• Fee: $37,056 (in-state) $49,301 (full-time)
• Enrollment: 646
• Student-faculty ratio: 4.1:1
• Admission date: 15 Oct
• Duration of Radiology Program: Four years

5۔ Washington University-St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university with its main campus located in St. Loui Country, and Clayton, Missouri. It was founded in 1853 and named after George Washington. This institute is ranked among the most prestigious universities in the United States and the world by major institutional publications. It offers a radiology program that has the following details:  

Rankings:

• #4 in Radiology (tie)
• #11 in Best Medical Schools: Research (tie)
• #56 in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care (tie)
• Fee: $65,001 (full-time)
• Enrollment: 448
• Students-faculty ratio: 5.5:1
• Admission date: 30 Nov
• Duration of Radiology Program: Four years

The state-wise average salary of a Radiologist:

Radiology is one of the top most paying fields and has the following state-wise average salary details: 

State	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
New York	$364,984	$30,415	$7,018	$175.47
New Hampshire	$346,037	$28,836	$6,654	$166.36
New Jersey	$319,081	$26,590	$6,136	$153.40
Wyoming	$317,688	$26,474	$6,109	$152.74
Arizona	$317,268	$26,439	$6,101	$152.53
Massachusetts	$310,939	$25,911	$5,979	$149.49
Montana	$310,708	$25,892	$5,975	$149.38
Indiana	$307,412	$25,634	$5,915	$147.89
Hawaii	$307,608	$25,617	$5,911	$147.79
Tennessee	$307,412	$25,602	$5,908	$147.71
West Virginia	$306,650	$25,554	$5,897	$147.43
Nevada	$304,270	$25,355	$5,851	$146.28
Washington	$302,409	$25,200	$5,815	$145.39
Connecticut	$301,111	$25,092	$5,790	$144.76
Pennsylvania	$301,018	$25,084	$5,788	$144.72
Minnesota	$300,043	$25,003	$5,770	$144.25
Rhode Island	$296,701	$24,725	$5,705	$142.64
Alaska	$294,420	$24,535	$5,661	$141.55
Oregon	$292,291	$24,357	$5,620	$140.52
North Dakota	$289,158	$24,096	$5,560	$139.02
Wisconsin	$286,645	$23,887	$5,512	$137.81
Ohio	$283,670	$23,639	$5,455	$136.38
Maryland	$283,013	$23,584	$5,442	$136.06
Alabama	$280,798	$23,399	$5,399	$135.00
Virginia	$278,089	$23,174	$5,347	$133.70
Utah	$277,955	$23,162	$5,345	$133.63
California	$277,717	$23,143	$5,340	$133.52
Iowa	$277,695	$23,141	$5,340	$133.51
Vermont	$276,529	$23,044	$5,317	$132.95
South Dakota	$274,931	$22,910	$5,287	$132.18
Idaho	$274,755	$22,896	$5,283	$132.09
New Mexico	$273,556	$22,796	$5,260	$131.52
Florida	$272,145	$22,678	$5,233	$130.84
Nebraska	$271,501	$22,625	$5,221	$130.53
Delaware	$269,361	$22,446	$5,180	$129.50
Colorado	$268,623	$22,385	$5,265	$129.15
South Carolina	$265,202	$22,100	$5,100	$127.50
Kansas	$264,116	$22,009	$5,079	$126.98
Arkansas	$261,348	$21,779	$5,025	$125.65
Maine	$260,576	$21,714	$5,011	$125.28
Mississippi	$257,500	$21,458	$4,951	$123.80
Oklahoma	$256,405	$21,367	$4,930	$123.27
Michigan	$253,820	$21,151	$4,881	$122.03
Georgia	$253,743	$21,145	$4,879	$121.99
Kentucky	$253,356	$21,113	$4,872	$121.81
Illinois	$246,783	$20,565	$4,745	$118.65
Missouri	$244,928	$20,410	$4,710	$117.75
Texas	$243,270	$20,272	$4,678	$116.96
Louisiana	$240,219	$20,018	$4,619	$115.49
North Carolina	$223,537	$18,628	$4,298	$107.47

FAQs:

1. Can a radiographer become a radiologist?

Yes, a radiographer can become a radiologist but he/she has to complete a medical degree. You can’t be a radiologist without first qualifying as a doctor. Being a radiographer, you can become a radiologist by going to medical school and earning your medical degree, and then completing a radiology residency.    

• Can you become a radiologist without going to medical school?

No, you can’t become a radiologist without going to medical school. You need to complete medical school to become a radiologist. A medical school grants you a Doctor of Medicine (MD) Degree or a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DOM) degree. You spend the first two years of medical school in classrooms and labs studying anatomy, biochemistry, advanced physics, and medicines. 

• How long does it take to become a radiologist assistant?

The Radiology assistant program is 24 months in length. This curriculum combines distance education and web-based instruction with a radiologist-directed clinical preceptorship. This clinical preceptorship includes a minimum of 1,792 clinical hours and is completed off-campus.  

• Radiologist vs Radiologist technician

A radiologist is a doctor who interprets medical images such as X-rays, and MRIs diagnoses patients, and recommends treatment. A radiologist technologist is usually supervised by a radiologist and supports the doctor and other members of the healthcare team. A radiologist technologist performs diagnostic imaging procedures.