A radiologic technologist, who can also be known as a radiographer, is a health care professional who generally makes use of X-rays and other radiographic equipment in order to take medical images of the body and analyzing these images for doctors in order to help them diagnose and treat patients of their afflictions or injuries. If you decide that you want to make a career in this medical field, you must first get formal education and training. You can get it from schools, universities, radiology tech schools and even some hospitals. The term radiologic technologist is a substantially broad term and can refer to a wide range of specializations that one can take. An individual, among many others, can be a radiographer, sonographer or therapist by specializing in a certain field. They usually take control of advanced equipment that is capable of capturing high quality images of the different parts of the body. A radiology tech can specialize in different fields, like Diagnostic Radiography for example, which deals with taking images of the bones, cavities and other foreign objects inside the body. Sonography is another example, and makes use of ultrasound technology to render images of the body, while Radiotherapy uses radiation in eradicating or reducing the number of cancerous cells in the body. One can also take on Fluoroscopy, CT (Computed Tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), Nuclear Medicine and Mammography. A radiologic technologist’s primary responsibility is to prepare patients for the scanning procedure that they will undergo and explaining to them everything they need to know in order to successfully capture images. Since X-rays are the common equipment used, they must make sure that patients are not wearing any interfering objects like jewelries and ensure that they get utmost protection from too much radiation thru the use of lead shields. Radiographers also ensure that the radiographic equipment is properly positioned at the right height and angle of the patient’s body to be scanned in order to ensure optimal image capturing. They also make use of an object similar to a measuring tape to assess the correct range of area to be scanned and manipulate the equipment to produce images of optimum detail, contrast and density. They then place an X-ray film beneath the body part to be photographed and after development it is then analyzed. A radiology tech must be able to follow the directions given to him by the doctor, as well as the safety standards set by his workplace in operation of radiographic equipment, and ensure his safety, including patients and co-workers as well. They can also be tasked with keeping patient records, maintain medical equipment, organize work schedules, review equipment purchases, and also manage a radiology department. Since a radiologic technologist belongs in the medical profession, being physically fit and healthy is a primary requirement. Expect to work on your feet most of the time, and perform some physically challenging tasks like lifting patients or medical equipment. Work can also either be full-time or part-time, have graveyard shifts or late schedules, including weekends or holidays should your workplace demand so.