Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Successful Careers in Radiology Require Continuing Education for Technicians

Radiology, as many other high-tech fields of the modern health care industry, has become a very promising employment market. The demand for highly qualified professionals in this segment is permanently high. As for the employment outlooks for the future - they are expected to be even better than today. The population growth and the senior citizens segment growth lead to increasing demand for health care specialists, including radiology technicians. Besides, the radiology technicians can find employment everywhere all over the nation, so the necessity of relocation - moving with a family to some other unfamiliar city or state- does not present a great problem for such professionals. Advantages of radiology technician professional specialization determine the popularity of this specialization among other high-tech segments of health care industry. This is a great pro in favor of radiology specialization.
On the other hand, there are no pros without contras, as they say. The present-day professional environment of radiology is highly competitive - too many guys strive to get an attractive and rewarding job in the field - and dynamic. Consequently, a good professional, in order to stay in the team, should take care of constant upgrading and enhancement of the professional qualifications, which is officially required by health care industry regulation. It's of critical importance to understand the necessity of continuing education for radiology technicians. Otherwise a professional will not be in position to advance his or her career in this field. The official requirement for radiology personnel qualifications are very strict and definite - any radiology technician registered with ARRT (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists) is required to obtain 24 hours of continuing education credits - if not, the guy is going to lose the hard-earned professional status. What is even worse, minimum half of all these credits must be of Category A. This requirement came into effect fifteen years ago and nowadays the Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism takes care of upgrading the radiology technicians' professional excellence and skills - they should always be of state-of-the-art quality!
Probably, a lot of people consider continuing education just a waste of time, but with the radiology specializations it is different - any radiologic technician should take the utmost care about staying on top of the game throughout the whole career. The technology and radiology applied sciences are constantly on the move, modern medical technology is advancing speedily, the health care protocols are changing. Any professional in health care industry needs to upgrade his or her skills and knowledge at least once in two years.
What are the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists requirements for the continuing education of radiology specialists?
According to requirements of ARRT any registered radiology technician is required to renew his or her registration. The minimum requirement is 24 continuing education credits during the last two years. You have to be able to prove that you have obtained those credits, otherwise the ARRT will not renew your registration, and it will be suspended. And you will be left without such critically important professional designation as the registration with ARRT! As you see, the continuing education is far from being waste of time for radiology specialists!
Is it difficult to provide 50% of Category A credits, as approved by Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism?
A piece of good news is that the minimum requirement of at least half of continuing education credits for radiology professionals is not as difficult as it sounds. The term "Category A activity credits" means that such credits need to be approved and evaluated by a Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism, as simple as that. The difficulty level of such activities is not higher than the activities you were engaged with during the coursework you did to get your degree and become a certified radiologic technician. So, you do not have to worry about that. The detailed information related to Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism and its requirements is readily available at the official site of ARRT and other online resources.
Keeping up with the continuing education requirements is of critical importance for the successful career development and professional growth of any radiology technicians who cares about further working in the field of health care industry. The Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism is very far from being something of a fancy or a nasty hindrance, designed to make the life of radiology specialists miserable. Nothing of the kind, this procedure, though it might look troublesome for outsiders, helps a radiology specialist stay at the prime level of professional fitness, and that is an excellent thing in itself!

Friday, November 2, 2012

5 Steps To Starting Your Careers As a Special Education Teacher

You've decided that you need a change in life. You feel the need to do something meaningful that will help others. You've investigated and gained information and you've concluded that you'd like to become a teacher, not only a teacher, but a special education teacher. Your aspiration is praiseworthy and now is the time to explore the profession and determine if it's REALLY something that you want. Teaching is one of the most significant careers that anyone can become involved with. You must be passionate, temperate, and dedicated and that's just the beginning. Do keep in mind that each student touched is a life that you'll imprint forever. That imprint can be the incentive for good or the impetus for harm. It all depends on how you the teacher will emboss your stamp on that student.
So what's the process? How can you become a teacher who specializes in special education? Well the first step is to do research and garner information. Begin by asking the question what is a special education teacher? She/he is a teacher that devotes their career to working with students that have diverse disabilities. As such you will encounter students with learning disabilities that range from mild to severe, physical disabilities, mental disabilities, and emotional issues. You'll need to be organized, methodical, and meticulous as your students will often be the opposite and will need you to help keep them on task. You'll encounter students with speech impediments, hearing impairment, autism, and much more so you will have to be resilient. During this phase learn all that you can about this profession and determine if this is truly what you want to do.
The second step is to establish the educational requirements and salary proportions. Firstly you must obtain a bachelors degree, preferably in special education. Although not required, but definitely preferential. Upon completion of your bachelors you may want to continue on and earn your masters. Take note, there are some states that require a master's degree prior to securing your teaching certification/license. You must be sure to check with the state where you plan to teach to determine what their requirements and qualifications are. You may also want to secure board certification from the American Academy of Special Education Professionals. Certification from this board will signify that you have achieved the maximum in professional proficiency in the field of special education. Once you have determined your educational prerequisites then investigate salaries. Depending on the degrees you've earned, where you've selected to teach, and the grade that you teach salaries vary greatly. You can expect a salary that ranges from $34,000 to $83,500 annually depending on the criteria just stated.
You are now ready to proceed to the third step and find an accredited school from which to obtain your degree. The good news is that you live in a global society and if time and place don't allow you to physically attend the college of your choice, you can still achieve your goal through virtual attendance. Many acclaimed universities and colleges offer online courses. Don't limit yourself; seek out the very best education possible, it will serve you well in the long run. Make a list with several schools that you would like to attend. Contact each school and obtain information on their courses and admission procedures. Once you've selected your school, enrolled, and selected your major commit to doing the best job possible. Can you say Dean's list!
Your fourth step will commence as you near the completion of your bachelor's degree. You will get your feet wet as you begin the process of student teaching. Here you'll get a real sense for what you have desired to do. You will interact with students and get authentic on the job training. You'll be able to put into action all that you have learned while in school.
The fifth step will occur as you are nearing graduation. You'll begin to seek employment. Start by finalizing what city and state that you want to teach in and then select the school or school district you desire. Once you've determined the where, then start applying. Be flexible and persistent about the process and keep going until you have secured a position.