Medical radiographer

Medical radiographer - overview

Medical radiographers are medical professionals who use equipment to treat and diagnose sick or injured patients. Read our guide to find out what a career as a medical radiographer is like and what you should study and do to become one.

Learn what the role involves below.

What does a medical radiographer do?

There are two kinds of medical radiographer, therapeutic and diagnostic. They operate medical equipment and interpret the results.

Therapeutic radiographers mostly work with cancer patients, providing care to those who are undergoing radiotherapies.

Diagnostic radiographers will use equipment like X-ray machines, computerised tomography (CT) scanners and sonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine diagnoses for patients with medical concerns.

What will your days involve?

Daily tasks will vary but could involve:

Designing and organising treatment
Working with other medical specialists
Monitoring progress and reporting accordingly
Using linear accelerators (for planning) and radiation therapy (for treating)
Working to take and interpret images of the body for the purpose of identifying and diagnosing illness and injury
Screening for abnormalities or taking images for external healthcare professionals

FAQs

How much can you earn as a medical radiographer salary?

The average salary for a medical radiographer in the UK is £37,440.

Does a medical radiographer role involve travel in the UK or overseas?

Typically, no. Radiographers will work with specialist equipment on-site at medical facilities and work closely with teams of other medical professionals.

Can you work from home as a medical radiographer?

Working as a medical radiographer, you’ll be based in settings where patients can gain access to radiography equipment. Therefore, working from home is not usually an option.