Requirements

Medical radiographer - requirements

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.

Know what you'll need to land a job below.

What qualifications do you need to be a medical radiographer?

There are plenty of university courses that are suitable for medical radiographer jobs, such as:

You will have to pass enhanced background checks as you are likely to work with vulnerable children and adults.

Please note this is a beta version. We'll continue to improve our suggestions here so that we show you the most relevant subjects.

Do you need a postgraduate qualification to be a medical radiographer?

A postgraduate degree is not always a necessary requirement to work as a medical radiographer, but it will help you if you are looking to specialise and develop your career.

What skills do you need to be a medical radiographer?

As well as technical skills in using specialist computers and equipment, a successful radiographer is able to help patients’ emotional and mental well-being by being empathetic and caring.

Hard skills usually include:

Knowledge of medicine, medical procedures and biology
Computer skills and ability to use appropriate software and equipment

Soft skills include:

Active listening
Thinking and reasoning skills
Attention to detail
Sensitivity and understanding

Do you need work experience to be a medical radiographer?

It’s beneficial to have some experience working with patients, either through volunteering or working as a healthcare assistant. It'll make your application to university stand out, as well as give you first-hand experience of what a job in a medical setting might be like.

Medical radiographers have very emotionally demanding jobs, often working with patients who are really unwell. Experience in dealing with the emotional demands of the job can be just as useful as the medical training you get at university.