What is a radiologist? What is a radiologist's training/education?

What does a radiologist do?  This blog will provide brief description and outline of the training a physician has to complete to become a radiologist.

This is what I am often asked when friends/family found out about my job.

Simply put, radiologists read x-rays, computed tomography (CT),  Magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs), nuclear medicine scans, positron emission tomography (PET).  We interpret these scans that your doctors order for you and tell them if there is anything wrong on your scan.  We are physicians.

Becoming a radiologist is a long road.  It takes over 14 total years to become a practicing radiologist after high school.   

This is the basic training or education for a radiologist. 

1)  Finishing High school
2)  College (4 years)
3)  Medical School (4 years)
4) Internship (1 year)
5) Radiology Residency (4years!)
6)  Radiology Fellowship (1 year)

It takes a lot of time and energy to become a radiologist because we have to take many tests.
During College, we have to take the The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).  
During Medical school, we have to take the United States Medical Licensing Examination USMLE Step 1 and 2 CS and CK.
During internship, we have to take USMLE Step 3 
During Radiology residency, we take the American Board of Radiology ABR CORE exam
During Fellowship, we get specialized training in a specific field in radiology including neuroradiology, body, musculoskeletal, nuclear medicine, pediatrics, or interventional radiology.

After fellowship you finish and become a real radiologist.  However, during their first year, the radiologist still needs to take the American Board of Radiology Certifying Exam.

After their second year of their job, they will take a Certificate of Added Qualifications  (CAQ) Test if they take a subspecialized field such as neuroradiology or interventional.

Lastly, after that, they need to continue taking the  Maintenance of Certification test every 10 years for the rest of their life. 

Anyway, here's the basic outline... whew.  I feel tired typing all that out.

 Hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about what a radiologist does and what is a radiologist's training/education.