How to Become a Radiologist

Radiology
is a great subspecialty of medicine, but if you want to know how to
become a radiologist, beware that it's a long, hard road.  It's
definitely worth all the effort in the end, though, so if being a
radiologist is your dream, read on to find out how to become a
radiologist. 

The first step in how to
become a radiologist is earning a bachelor's degree.  If you've already
got one and are changing careers, don't worry too much about what your
degree was or where it was from, but if you're applying to or still in
college, you may want to consider an undergraduate school that's
affiliated with a medical school, and a major area that's connected to
medicine.  Biology and biomedical engineering are examples of the
latter.  Make sure you get good grades because medical schools are
extremely competitive. 

The next step in learning
how to become a radiologist is to apply to medical schools.  Be warned
that medical school is even more grueling for prospective radiologists
than other doctors because you have to have a good background in all
areas of medicine.  Medical schools are exceptionally competitive, so
apply to a number of them and cross your fingers.  If you don't get
into traditional medical schools, there are a few other options.  One
is to attend medical school in a foreign country (the US will recognize
your degree at the end as long as you pass the medical board exams). 
Another is to apply to a school of osteopathy.  Osteopathy is a
recognized form of medicine in the US, and you'll have the same
abilities as doctors with an MD degree (yours will be DO), but it's an
alternative theory of medicine that treats the body as a system rather
than individual symptoms and illnesses.  Because it's not as well-known
as traditional Western medicine, osteopathy schools have fewer people
applying to them.  There are many talented doctors with osteopathy
degrees and it should not be considered a lesser degree than an MD. 

After medical school, the
next step in how to become a radiologist is to do an internship at a
hospital.  This will take one year and will give you the beginning
training you need.  After that, you're promoted to a resident.  Your
residency will take four years, and at this time you'll be exposed to a
number of different branches of medicine.  If you show an aptitude for
diagnosis, are keenly interested in research and enjoy the procedural
part of medicine as opposed to interacting with patients on an intense
level, then radiology may very well be the career for you. 

The last step in how to
become a radiologist is performing two-year fellowship.  During this
time you'll be concentrating on radiology exclusively and learning a
lot in your field, but you'll also be working very hard for very little
pay.   The payoff is worthwhile, though, because after 15 years of
intense education, you'll finally be a radiologist!