Medical physics expert to diagnostic radiographer
A medical physics expert already meets 24% of what the diagnostic radiographer role asks for. The move turns on 41 required skills not yet in the profile.
84.6/ 100
1 How much of what a diagnostic radiographer is expected to do is already part of a medical physics expert’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the diagnostic radiographer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A diagnostic radiographer role treats 14 of its required skills as things a medical physics expert already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply radiation protection procedures
- assess radiation response
- calculate exposure to radiation
- comply with legislation related to health care
- comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice
- contribute to continuity of health care
What stands in the way is 41 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A diagnostic radiographer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a medical physics expert background worth leading with.
- already held assess radiation response information skills
- already held evaluate delivery of radiation treatment information skills
- already held use treatment verification systems information skills
- already held apply radiation protection procedures assisting and caring
- already held calculate exposure to radiation information skills
- already held radiation physics in healthcare health and welfare
All 15 carried skills, including the 14 the diagnostic radiographer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 56 missing skills fall into 12 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn perform diagnostic imaging procedures required
- still to learn analyse X-ray imagery required
- still to learn apply radiological health sciences required
- still to learn conduct cancer screening tests required
- still to learn conduct preoperative investigations required
- still to learn determine patient's exposure factors required
- still to learn manage radiology information system required
- still to learn perform bronchoscopy required
- still to learn post-process medical images required
- still to learn manage healthcare users' data required
- optional, not held Interpret diagnostic procedures for vascular surgery optional
- optional, not held report on radiological examinations optional
- optional, not held conduct video telemetry optional
- optional, not held determine eye disease progression optional
- optional, not held identify progression of disease optional
- optional, not held interpret medical images optional
- optional, not held perform clinical research in radiography optional
- still to learn evidence-based radiography practice required
- still to learn medical contrast agents required
- still to learn medical oncology required
- still to learn pharmaceutical products required
- still to learn first aid required
- still to learn human anatomy required
- still to learn human physiology required
- still to learn medical terminology required
- still to learn paediatrics required
- optional, not held development trends in radiography optional
- still to learn adhere to organisational code of ethics required
- still to learn determine imaging techniques to be performed required
- still to learn prepare patients for imaging procedures required
- still to learn undertake post-examination activities required
- still to learn deal with emergency care situations required
- still to learn empathise with the healthcare user required
- still to learn provide psychological support to patients required
- still to learn apply medical imaging techniques required
- still to learn prepare for diagnostic imaging procedures required
- still to learn determine medical images' diagnostic suitability required
- still to learn maintain imaging equipment required
- still to learn operate medical imaging equipment required
- optional, not held perform ultrasound optional
- optional, not held administer contrast media optional
- optional, not held use obstetric sonography optional
- still to learn apply context specific clinical competences required
- still to learn communicate in healthcare required
- still to learn interact with healthcare users required
- still to learn listen actively required
- optional, not held use foreign languages for health-related research optional
- optional, not held use foreign languages in patient care optional
- still to learn apply organisational techniques required
- still to learn respond to changing situations in health care required
6 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a diagnostic radiographer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 apply medical imaging techniques practise this
- 02 perform diagnostic imaging procedures practise this
- 03 prepare for diagnostic imaging procedures practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 15 skills that carry over
- already held apply radiation protection procedures skill
- already held assess radiation response skill
- already held calculate exposure to radiation skill
- already held comply with legislation related to health care skill
- already held comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice skill
- already held contribute to continuity of health care skill
- already held ensure compliance with radiation protection regulations skill
- already held ensure safety of healthcare users skill
- already held evaluate delivery of radiation treatment skill
- already held follow clinical guidelines skill
- already held radiation physics in healthcare knowledge
- already held radiation protection knowledge
- already held use treatment verification systems skill
- already held work in multidisciplinary health teams skill
- already held conduct health related research skill
The 6 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn health care occupation-specific ethics required
- still to learn health care legislation required
- still to learn radiobiology required
- still to learn hygiene in a health care setting required
- optional, not held psychology optional
- optional, not held conduct radiotherapy computer planning optional
15 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held Interpret diagnostic procedures for vascular surgery optional
- optional, not held perform ultrasound optional
- optional, not held report on radiological examinations optional
- optional, not held administer contrast media optional
- optional, not held conduct radiotherapy computer planning optional
- optional, not held conduct video telemetry optional
- optional, not held determine eye disease progression optional
- optional, not held development trends in radiography optional
- optional, not held identify progression of disease optional
- optional, not held interpret medical images optional
- optional, not held perform clinical research in radiography optional
- optional, not held use obstetric sonography optional
- optional, not held psychology optional
- optional, not held use foreign languages for health-related research optional
- optional, not held use foreign languages in patient care optional
29 held skills the diagnostic radiographer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role advise on medical device features skill
- not needed by the target role analyse experimental laboratory data skill
- not needed by the target role apply scientific methods skill
- not needed by the target role cancer risks knowledge
- not needed by the target role contamination exposure regulations knowledge
- not needed by the target role densiometry knowledge
- not needed by the target role develop radiation protection strategies skill
- not needed by the target role dosimetric planning knowledge
- not needed by the target role execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
- not needed by the target role general medicine knowledge
- not needed by the target role health technology assessment knowledge
- not needed by the target role implant brachytherapy treatments skill
- not needed by the target role laboratory techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role maintain medical devices skill
- not needed by the target role mathematics knowledge
- not needed by the target role measure physical phenomena in healthcare skill
- not needed by the target role medical devices knowledge
- not needed by the target role medical laboratory technology knowledge
- not needed by the target role monitor radiation levels skill
- not needed by the target role operate scientific measuring equipment skill
- not needed by the target role perform dosimetry measurements skill
- not needed by the target role perform laboratory tests skill
- not needed by the target role perform transcranial magnetic stimulation skill
- not needed by the target role radiology knowledge
- not needed by the target role scientific research methodology knowledge
- not needed by the target role statistics knowledge
- not needed by the target role teach medical science skill
- not needed by the target role test medical devices skill
- not needed by the target role use measurement instruments skill
15 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn evidence-based radiography practice required
- still to learn medical contrast agents required
- still to learn medical oncology required
- still to learn pharmaceutical products required
- still to learn radiobiology required
- still to learn first aid required
- still to learn health care legislation required
- still to learn health care occupation-specific ethics required
- still to learn human anatomy required
- still to learn human physiology required
- still to learn hygiene in a health care setting required
- still to learn medical terminology required
- still to learn paediatrics required
- optional, not held development trends in radiography optional
- optional, not held psychology optional
Common questions about this move
Can a medical physics expert become a diagnostic radiographer?
Yes, and it is a career change move. A medical physics expert already covers 24% of what a diagnostic radiographer is expected to do: 15 skills carry over, 14 of which the diagnostic radiographer role treats as required.
What skills does a medical physics expert need to become a diagnostic radiographer?
41 required skills are missing, plus 15 optional ones. They fall into 12 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is apply medical imaging techniques.
How hard is the move from medical physics expert to diagnostic radiographer?
Its learning distance is 84.6 out of 100, which is the career change band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.