Diagnostic or Therapeutic radiography?

If you're not sure it would be a good idea if you could do a day's work experience in an x-ray department and a day working with radiotherapists so you could see for yourself which might suit you best. Also read up as much as you can about both careers. When I became interested in radiography at first I thought I'd prefer radiotherapy but then when I started reading into diagnostic I thought that I would probably be better suited to that.

You may have looked already but I found the radiography careers website really helpful as well as using the search facilty on here to look up old posts about radiography courses etc.

I'm in my first year of diagnostic and have literally just gone out on placement and I'm really enjoying it so if you have any questions feel free to to ask

I was sort of in a similar position and I did what dreaminchicken suggested and did a days work experience in both departments. They are two very different careers with some, but not many, overlapping skills.

Therapeutic is generally fixed hours (e.g. 9-5) and they always work in teams of at least two. Diagnostic can work shift patterns or overtime and you may work alone, in teams or with other medical professionals (eg. in theatre). Therapeutic get to see the same patient many times, sometimes they will get better but a lot of the time they are receiving palliative care. They also tend to spend longer with their patients so an ability to engage in small talk is helpful. Diagnostic tend to see a lot of different patients for a shorter period, but both deal with very sick people all the time. Therapeutic jobs tend to be clustered in large hospitals around the country whereas almost every hospital employs some diagnostic radiographers. Diagnostic radiographers outnumber therapeutic by about 10:1. Both routes allow for specialising, although there seem to be more avenues available to the diagnostic radiographer. At one hospital I was at, the therapeutic radiographers weren't allowed to do treatment planning, for instance whereas the diagnostic radiographers could train into ultrasound, CT, MRI, nuclear medicine or reporting.

Personally, I really enjoyed the imaging (CT) side of therapeutic and almost everything in diagnostic. Therapeutic seemed a bit samey to me but diagnostic radiography looked like it had more variety. They get to rotate through plain X-ray, CT, A&E, theatre and fluroscopy. I am now holding offers to study Diagnostic Imaging in September

thanks for the info Is the salary pay the same?
Thanks

Hi thanks for the advice. I just wanted to ask since you have chosen Diagnostic, do you think it's rewarding and do you think you have a lot of responsibility?

Thanks!

Hiya, yes I enjoy it and think it will prove to be a rewarding career in my opinion. At the moment obviously we don't really have any responsibility because we are only students but yes I'd say that once you qualify there is a fair amount of responsibility. There is a lot more to it than you would think.

You can find out more about pay and benefits via NHS website (http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/Default.aspx?Id=190)

I am going to study therapeutic radiography next week (i'm going to have my induction)... but i'm a bit confused! I don't know whether i like therapeutic or diagnostic more??

I know that the ratio of diagnostic to therapeutic is 10:1,, so are diagnostic more employable or therapeutic (there would be more diagnostic radiographers around than therapeutic as the ratio suggests) im not entirely sure...

I also love working late shifts which fits into the diagnostic type of side....

Hi there

I am currently a third year therapy student, where will you be studying? As far as employability you do have to take into account that all hospitals have a diagnostic department but not many a radiotherapy and the intake on the courses reflect this which is why there is a much smaller intake in therapy. Please be sure you are certain about which one you want as the degrees are very different. If you have any questions feel free to message me.

Lindsay

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thank you!!! yes i love both diagnostic and therapeutic so i would be really happy to study either one, but since all hospitals have a diagnostic department like you said, then there would probably be more jobs for diagnostic radiographers?

(im going to study at st george's university of london for therapeutic radiography btw))

i also have another question, do some of the skills and work of therapeutic radiographers overlap and link with a diagnostic radiographer (ie they operate some of the similar machinery?) if so, does this mean a therapist radiographer can work in a diagnostic department if they are taught the same skills and requirements the job is asking for?

-thank you ((sorry my qstion is quite long)) thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Linsay, im looking forward to studying therapeutic radiography at BCU , interms of work life balance, which one (therapeutic radiography or diagnostic) is better? .

Which of these pays more?


I still need to make up my mind though.

Thanks
Divine

Thank you Lindsay for the reply.
Which of the two is harder and which is more relaxed (less exhaustive)?- just being curious.
Which one has an edge?
How do you experience therapy so far?
Monday to Friday means you've got more time for yourself.