UCLA
UCLA is one of the top schools in the country, not just in radiology, but in most other academic programs as well. Participants in the program can expect to spend at least four years in both academic and hands-on programs. Many fields will also require a residency at the UCLA Medical Center, though most radiology technician schools in California will require some learning at a teaching hospital.
Despite being a top school, students may find the program exceptionally challenging, both in the curriculum and in the competitive nature of the programs. Only a certain number of spots are available each year, and applicants may need to apply several months in advance before being considered. Staying in the programs also requires top grades and a strong showing of discipline.
UC Irvine
The University of California Irvine, or UC Irvine for short, is one of the best radiology technician schools in California for several reasons. For one, they provide a gamut of radiology and medical programs so that students can be well-versed in all areas of the field.
Like UCLA’s program, students can expect a minimum of four years of training with a good portion of this time spent at UC Irvine’s teaching hospital. As students move up in the program, more opportunities arise for additional research and training in the field of radiology.
While perhaps not as competitive as UCLA, UC Irvine’s program still requires that students maintain good grades in order to remain in the program. As with most of the other top radiology technician schools in California, there are a limited amount of spaces available.
Outside research is also encouraged, with third year students receiving $3,850 to attend a month-long course at D.C.’s AIRP and fourth year students receiving $4,500 to attend their choice of approved courses.
San Diego Mesa College
Despite not being as instantly recognizable as UCLA or UC Irvine, San Diego Mesa College offers a wonderful associate’s degree and certification program for becoming a radiology technician. Courses cover radiation safety, operation of equipment, image processing and patient care.
Though spots are limited in this program, as with the other radiology technician schools in California mentioned, SDMC takes applications for much longer than the other schools mentioned. It is an especially good school for anyone that wants to get into a program right away.
Conclusion
There are a wide variety of great schools in California that can help you become a radiology technician. All of them will require utmost dedication and hard work, but the reward is very gratifying. So keep this list of schools in mind, and soon you may be attending one of the top radiology technician schools in California.
