Radiologists work together with other health professionals.
A premed student can discover a lot of information by interviewing radiologists to find out more about their daily lives or the profession. Radiologists are physicians with specialized training in radiology. While some of the subspecialties can differ among radiologists, the general training to get to that point is the same. Interviewing radiologists -- who are doctors' doctors, as one radiologist put it -- can give you more insight into radiology residencies and radiology programs.
Why Did You Choose This Profession?
The most basic question to ask radiologists is why they chose the profession. It may have been due to a family history of physicians or due to an early interest, or perhaps the radiologist attended a radiology residency after practicing in another field. Whatever the final answer, this question provides a solid starting point, or jumping-off point, for an interview session with a radiologist.
What Did You Do to Prepare for Medical School?
If you are considering a career in medicine, then it may be helpful to find out what a professional did to get there. Getting good grades is only one factor that leads to attending a medical school. Finding volunteer opportunities, shadowing a doctor and conducting a research project are positive activities that can help a person get into medical school. Asking radiologists what they did to prepare for medical school can give you a realistic idea of what a medical school is looking for in terms of extracurricular activities.
What Is an Average Workweek?
Physicians work different schedules from week to week. Depending on the setting that a particular radiologist works in, a medical facility may use a call schedule to ensure a medical practitioner is available at all times. Finding out what a typical workweek looks like can help paint a better picture of the actual work life. Since schedules vary, it is better to interview more than one radiologist to get an overall idea of the schedule.
Do You Enjoy Your Career Choice?
If you ask a radiologist whether he enjoys his career choice, then the answer may surprise you. Some radiologists may enjoy their career at the beginning, then may not care for the profession that much as time goes on. If you get a surprising answer, then follow it up by asking, "What makes it that way?" Using this question can give a student an idea of whether she would enjoy the career choice as well.
What Types of Procedures Do You Do?
Radiologists use ionizing and nonionizing radiation to diagnose and treat diseases. Radiologists use X-rays, gamma rays, ultrasounds, interventions, MRIs and interpretations. Radiologists can work in an outpatient or an inpatient setting, which will dictate what types of procedures they will do most often. Asking radiologists what types of procedures they do can help paint a better picture of the routine work they perform.
Where Do You Think Radiology Is Going?
Radiologists, like other physicians, must stay current on the newest research and procedures that may help their patients. New procedures found in popular magazines and journals represent only a small portion of the advances in any area of medicine. Your radiologist may have new research that may not be available to the public yet. Asking a radiologist about where she thinks radiology is going can give some insight into how medicine is changing to meet the future needs of patients.
May I Shadow You Sometime?
One of the most effective ways to learn about a specific career is to experience it firsthand. Students are not allowed to perform the work of a radiologist, but they can shadow a radiologist. After taking the time to interview a radiologist, the radiologist may be more inclined to agree to having a student shadow him for a few days. It is better to shadow the radiologist for more than one day because some procedures may not be done on that one particular day.
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