Whether you are already employed in a health related profession or recently graduated from high school, a career in radiology technology is an excellent goal. Radiology technicians are in demand in Arkansas. In 2010, 27 percent fewer radiology technicians were employed in the state than in 2006, and the demand for qualified technicians is on the rise. X-ray technicians work directly with the public and earn competitive salaries similar to those earned by registered nurses and health care professionals in similar fields.
Find Accredited X-Ray Technician Schools in Arkansas
As of this writing, many Arkansas universities and community colleges and some health care facilities offer radiology certifications and degrees. A partial list of Arkansas programs that are accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology is shown below. Additionally, many certificates and degrees are available online through distance education programs provided by out-of-state schools.
How To Get Certified in Arkansas
Arkansas requires that individuals pass the American Registry of X-Ray Technicians exam in order to be licensed to practice radiology science in the state. Nuclear Medicine specialists must also be licensed by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board. Registered radiology professionals from Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia may practice in Arkansas in accordance with reciprocity agreements between the states.
Technologists must take additional course work and be licensed by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board to practice nuclear medicine. Additionally, anyone who wants to practice cardiovascular radiology must be licensed as a registered cardiovascular invasive specialist by the state.
Salaries for X-Ray Technicians in Arkansas
Certified X-ray technicians in Arkansas are well-compensated. An entry level technician typically earns about $38,000, while an experienced ultrasound professional can make $74,000 or more. The average for all radiology professionals in Arkansas is about $61,000, significantly more than the average of $49,000 nationwide.
X-Ray Technician Programs in Arkansas
To work as a CAT technologist, an individual must be certified by the American Registry of Certified Technologists. Certification requires, at minimum, completion of a program in Radiography, Nuclear medicine or Radiographic Technology, which can be taken at any of the above Arkansas schools. As of Jan. 1, 2015, candidates for CAT certification must have an Associates of Applied Science Degree to apply. Candidates also must demonstrate expertise in performing CAT scans, including experience in actually initiating scans. This experience can be documented online.
Beginning November, 2014, the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board will offer a CAT Certification Exam. The exam is open only to already registered Nuclear Medicine Technologists who have documented a minimum of 500 hours of clinical experience in PET/CT, SPECT/CT and/or CT.
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