If I were starting Radiologic Technology School today, I’d definitely approach it with a different mindset! Let’s be real, this journey is gonna test everything from your patience to your sanity—seriously! So whether you’re gearing up for this wild ride or just kicked it off, I’ve got some golden nuggets to share that I wish someone had handed me on day one. From learning the “why” behind the “how” to surrounding yourself with sticky notes like they’re your new best friends, we’re diving into tips that’ll not only help you survive but thrive! Trust me, you’ll want to soak up these insights—your future self will thank you when you’re rocking those clinical shifts like a pro. Grab a notebook and let’s get into the good stuff!

Diving into the wild world of Radiologic Technology, our latest episode takes a refreshing detour down the memory lane of what we wish we knew before embarking on this journey. I mean, let’s be honest, if I had a nickel for every time I thought, ‘Why didn’t anyone tell me that?!’, I could probably fund a whole semester’s worth of textbooks! So, if you’re gearing up to start or have just dipped your toes into Radiologic Technology school, grab that trusty notebook because I've got some golden nuggets of wisdom to share.

First up, it’s all about the ‘why’! Forget rote memorization of the ‘how’—understanding the reasoning behind procedures not only makes you a better tech, it earns you major respect in the imaging world. I also talk about the life-changing power of sticky notes. Seriously, they’re like magical little reminders that can help you conquer those tricky anatomy terms when the going gets tough. And let’s not forget the importance of studying to understand, not just to ace tests. Trust me, when you grasp the concepts, those pesky exam questions start to make sense!

Beyond school tips, I dive into the realities of clinicals. Treat every placement like a job interview—because, spoiler alert: it kinda is! Show up early, help out, and ask those burning questions. You never know who might be hiring in the future! Plus, let’s not overlook the importance of taking care of your mental health. The pressure can be intense, and burnout is real—so don’t forget to breathe, have lunch with friends, and remember your worth!

Takeaways:

• Starting Radiologic Technology School? Remember to learn the 'why' behind procedures, not just the 'how'.
• Sticky notes are your best friends in school; use them everywhere to remember important concepts.
• Always study to truly understand the material, not just to ace the tests and get good grades.
• It's totally okay to say 'I don't know'—it builds trust and shows that you're eager to learn.

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© 2025 A Couple of Rad Techs Podcast

If I started Radiologic Technology School today, I do a few things differently.

Because, let's be real, this program would test your patience, your memory, and sometimes your sanity.

So if you're getting ready to start or you just started Radiologic Technology School, grab a notebook, because these are a few things I wish someone had told me on day one of Radiologic Technology School.

Let's start.

Number one, learn the why, not the how.

Instead of pointing out that a radiologic technologist did.

Did something not by the book or wrong, try asking it this way.

Hey, why did you do it that way?

That way of forming your question, it makes you a better technologist because there is the book way, as we all know, and then there's the real world way.

Now you're going to learn both.

But curiosity gets you respect.

Tip 2.

Sticky notes will save your life.

Well, maybe not actual lives, but it's going to help your gpa.

Put sticky notes everywhere.

Well, maybe not here, but your car, your bathroom mirror, your fridge, anywhere, those hard to remember anatomy terms.

Landmarking, positioning tips.

Write them down on a sticky note.

Surround yourself with sticky notes until they literally stick.

Number three, Study to understand, not just to pass and get a good grade.

Now, you don't need to memorize your entire anatomy book or positioning book, but just build a basic understanding of everything.

So when you actually get in clinical and get out there by yourself working, you'll understand why something looks the way it looks on an image.

And then those test questions, they start to make sense.

And yes, those practice exams, take them because they humble you in private, so that way in public, you're not embarrassed.

Take the practice exams, you guys.

I promise.

Number four, remember, know when to say, I don't know, it's okay, because when you say, hey, I don't know, or I have a question, but that builds trust between you and a technologist that's really trying to help you and train you.

And I'm going to tell you, as a technologist, I respect when student techs say that, hey, I don't understand, or why are we doing it this way?

Can you explain this?

They start to ask questions.

I'm like, if I can explain it, I'm going to explain it to you.

If not, I'm going to find the answer for you.

That just says so much to me as a technologist helping students, it shows they're teachable.

Number five, before you start your program, enjoy your free time while you can.

Before school starts.

Live your best life, y'.

All.

Live it.

Because once the first semester Hits, kisses, social life, Bye bye.

Literally, you're going to trade brunch for bones, Netflix for notes.

But it's only temporary.

Don't say I didn't warn number six.

And this is serious.

Protect your mental health.

The program is rigorous.

Don't let anybody on social media tell you it's easy, it's not a breeze.

Take care of you.

Study hard, yes, but make time for self care.

Go outside, have lunch with friends.

Make sure you schedule all of that in.

Even as a student in a radiologic technology program, check in with yourself often because burnout does not mean you're weak, it just means you're human.

And students get burnt out as well.

Now this one is a good one.

Number seven, stay professional at all times.

Hear me out and I'm a hold your hand when I say this.

Give it to me.

Put it right there.

You're not going to get along with every technologist, just the reality.

I'm sorry I let your hand go, but I just had to hold your hand through that.

Everybody's not gonna be best friends.

You're not gonna like every.

Every technologist is not gonna like every student.

That's just life.

Do not go in with the expectation that every tech should love you because you're a student.

They were a student once before.

It's just not reality.

So when you don't click with certain members of the imaging profession, don't take it personal.

Don't take it personal, it's okay, move on to the next one.

There's some other technologists out there that you will click with that you can work with on a day to day basis that says come on over here with me.

I'll take two students, no problem.

I'll take three.

Come on y', all, we'll find something for all of us.

There are those texts out there.

Don't focus on the one that you just don't click with because you probably will click with five more.

And when you don't click with the technologist, remember, always stay professional.

Departments are small, the imaging world is small, and now with social media is even smaller.

Your reputation will follow you more than your gpa.

So always stay professional.

Number eight, be hands on and ask questions.

I know I said that again, but this time be hands on along with asking questions.

Now, the first few weeks you're probably going to be nervous.

It's okay.

You've never been in this world before.

This is all new to you.

These terms, the everything, the smells, the sounds, everything's coming at you.

Observe and observe.

And help out.

You can do those things without knowing what in the world is going on, right?

They need a blanket.

Go grab a blanket.

They need some supplies.

Tell me the code of where the supply room is.

I'll go get it for you.

There are.

Get some water.

For patients, there are things that you can do and observe.

There's nothing better than observing, but.

Or if you feel like you want to and maybe you hadn't covered it, or you're not sure, but you've observed enough.

Jump in.

Don't be afraid to jump in.

Get in there, help them move patients over.

Be willing to.

Can I just angle?

I don't have to press the button.

Can I just angle to see if I got.

I've been observing for a while.

I think I got this 45.

I would like to try to angle a little bit more.

I would like to try to position a patient.

I want to put the board behind the patient.

I want to do this cross setup for this cross table ladder.

I want to set the room up, get it all ready for you.

For this barium swallow, jump in there.

Even if you've done chest X rays a hundred, a thousand times, do it again.

It's your first time.

Because every time you do an exam, not just for the comp, it builds confidence in you because you're going to say, this patient is different this time.

So this is not the same chest.

No chest X ray is the same.

Every patient is different and makes that chest X ray different.

So you're gonna get better every time.

You're gonna see things that later on in life, you're gonna say, I did that before.

I got this.

I've seen.

I've done 20 wheelchair chest x rays.

I got this.

I remember my first wheelchair chest X ray, and I was like, how in the world am I gonna get this bar I at the middle of.

But once I worked through it with the technologist, the first time, they had to help me out a lot.

The first time, I just caved.

I couldn't think.

By the second time, I didn't need as much help from the technologies.

I knew which part of the wheelchair came out.

I saw that wheelchair before because every wheelchair is different.

Some sidebars don't come out, some backs don't come.

Everyone is different.

But the more you do them, you will get different wheelchairs and you will learn, oh, this one comes out this way.

Or I turn this wheelchair so I can scoot this patient up a little bit more.

You guys just jump in there and do it.

Observe.

Help out.

And when in doubt, ask questions.

Curiosity beats cockiness every time.

Number nine, treat your clinicals like a job interview.

I don't know how many times I'm going to say that.

I wish somebody had told me that.

I learned that later on in clinicals, but I wish I would have known it from the beginning.

So I'm sharing it with you guys.

This part is so important because every clinical site, every rotation, one big interview for those two years that you're there.

Show up early, stock rooms, help out, ask questions.

Those are the bare minimum things.

You do those because the same tech that you're doing all those things for, observing, you'll be surprised.

That might get you hired later.

Not maybe at that facility, but they may know another facility that's hiring that needs someone.

They may say, I remember this student, they were amazing.

Give them an interview.

This is what I think.

Sometimes we don't realize the managers don't always do the hiring.

So sometimes it's your fellow technologist that observed you as a student.

I'll give you an example.

I was a travel tech at a hospital and this hospital had several travel techs, very few staff that were actually staffed by the hospital.

So that tells you they were in need of full time employees.

But they weren't taking just anybody.

And I remember being in this department and they were so short, they kept renewing my contract and I kept renewing it with them.

It was good.

They would get resumes from HR over the machine and they would get them.

The manager was new herself and she did not.

The manager was new to the city so she didn't know really anybody there.

So every time she got a resume, you know who she asked?

Should we interview this person?

Those technologists that have been there for years and they observed students and there were times I remember them saying, oh no, that student was lazy.

Oh no, that student gossiped a lot.

Oh no, not that student.

And then they said, oh, you should interview that one.

Oh, that's a good one.

She relied.

And when it was a no rip up, throw it away or back to hr.

Nope, that's a no go.

You'd be surprised that many times it's the technologist that you're working with that have a big influence of who is hired.

And places aren't just going to take anybody just because they're short on technologists.

They want to keep their dynamics just right, especially if they have a good dynamic in the department.

Just a little tip.

So again, if I started radiologic technology school today, that's exactly how I do it.

Learn with intention, stay humble, and don't ever stop asking why.

And if you're starting soon to a radiologic technology program, congratulations, you got this.

And welcome to Imaging.

Go label some bones and grab your sticky notes.

If you enjoyed this video, be sure to check out my other videos and this next one.

If I started my MRI career today, this is how I do it smarter.