How long is radiology school?

Radiology school takes around four years to complete. However, all the education required to become a radiologist takes around 13 years. This also depends on if you want to be a radiologist or just an x-ray technician.

Here are the steps and timelines for both positions:

• Radiologist

You need a doctor of medicine (MD) degree to be a radiologist. A doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) is also acceptable.

There are many steps to becoming a radiologist and the process can take over a decade to complete. First, you must enroll in a college or university and complete the prerequisite courses needed for admission into medical school.

Next, you have to prepare for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). This is an eight-hour exam that is computer-based and tests over four different areas:

• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS)

• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

• Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior

After passing the MCAT you must get accepted and attend an Allopathic or Osteopathic medical school. The first half of this school is spent in a classroom and the second half is spent in a hospital learning the hands-on skills of clinical medicine.

Finally, you need to complete an internship and residency program in a hospital, clinic, or emergency room. These next few years are dedicated to learning specifically about radiology by having residents spend time with radiologists and patients.

You can also become board certified in radiology, however, this is not a requirement to be professionally licensed. To become board certified in radiology you must have been in residency for at least 36 months and must pass both the Core exam and the Certification exam.

• X-ray technician

You need an associate's degree in radiologic technology to be an x-ray technician. This typically takes only two years to complete.

These associate degree programs prepare you to work as an essential unit of a medical team by developing your patient care skills, technical knowledge and abilities, and analytical assets.

You study medical areas such as:

• Anatomy

• Physiology

• X-ray physics

• X-ray technology

• Radiographic procedures.

After you get your associate's degree, you need to obtain a license. In most states, this is a requirement. You must pass a licensing exam to complete this step. Certain states use the American Registry of Radiologic Technologies (ARRT) exam or accept ARRT certification as enough qualification to gain a license.

Total time to become an x-ray technician averages around two to three years.