Like those in many other professions, radiology technologists have seen the job market tighten considerably.
Currently, the vacancy rate for technologists is 2.1%, meaning for every 100 full-time positions, only two are vacant. This is the lowest rate since the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) began collecting employment data in 2003.
The tightening has been across the board with CT technologists seeing a drop from 8.5% in 2003 to 2.6% in 2010, MR technologists from 9% to 3.4%, mammographers from 7.2% to 1.8%, nuclear medicine technologists from 10.9% to 2.1%, cardiovascular-interventional technologists from 14.6% to 3.5%, and sonographers from 11.7% to 4.6%. More than 54% of respondents—made up of managers and directors of U.S. hospital-based radiology departments or facilities—said that they are not currently recruiting technologists. ASRT research also found that enrollments in radiologic science educational programs have declined each year since 2007. This was not unexpected considering the tight employment market.
The researchers cautioned that the current falling vacancy rates shouldn’t be cause for gloom or doom scenarios. “Many variables will influence future demand for medical imaging professionals, including an aging American population, the impact of health care legislation, exam reimbursement trends, advances in technology, and the strength of the nation’s overall economy,” said ASRT Vice President of Education and Research Myke Kudlas, M.Ed., R.T. (R) (QM) in an ASRT press release. “Any one of these variables can dramatically shift the balance between work force supply and demand.”
(Source: Press Release)
