themall:
Part 2A

Radiographers are not X-RAY LAB technicians. X-ray lab technicians are those professional who develop radiographs usually in the dark room. In the beginning, here in Nigeria, it was this technicians that eventually went yo London to certify as radiographers. There was a FEDERAL SCHOOL OF RADIOGRAPHY here in Lagos, where you could study radiography for three (3) years. Now, you may have to go in through a university's regular system.

There is a world class Diploma being offered at the College of Radiography in London, however the exchange rates forced many students to fall by the way side. It's a three year course leading to Diploma, College of Radiography. (DCR). Unfortunately many Nigerians have this mentality of wanting to pursue prestige, by crazily running after medicine in the university. For many people, who know their pocket, their family background, the need to earn a living with dignity and the quest to have job security, courses such as medicine will be a distant third choice.
As of today there is no independent diploma awarding institution in Nigeria. The Federal School of Radiography, Lagos (Address: *2/4, Taylor Drive, Medical Compound, P. M. B. 1068, Yaba, Lagos. Tel: (01) 862355 ) is now under the University of LAGOS

To be Continued

hmmn...if graduate radiographers aint potential employees...so who does their jobs in their relevant fields of necessity?

ygenius:
You sound like someone who chose medicine and was given that course.maybe After being convinced,you now see the course like a saviour of the world and you are now forming Merlin

I may sound many ways. It's all about individual perception. For example, any who have little love for biology and biological course will probably not like medicine!
Apparently, you seem not to know what Information is genuine and original. Have you tried asking a Doctor for example or a radiologist or a radiation biologist?
And what is Merlin?

My only concern with radiography is career advancement. Radiography is one of those professions that you are stuck at the level you were after initial licensure, like the Sergent Major in the Army. By career advancement I mean vertical growth and not horizontal movement. Why would a radiographer opt for a masters degree or PhD when there are no viable job options with such degree. Someone should not give me that story of Consultant Radiographer because as far as I am concern, such title does not come with any job description. And talking about becoming a university lecturer, I can assure you that a graduate of radiography (BSc) and Masters in education in any field would do just fine.

Basically, the popular option for most radiographers is horizontal movement into other specialty areas. Is this true career growth? In my oipinion, the answer is no. A radiographer might decide to get certification in CT, MRI, Cath lab, Interventional radiography, nuclear medicine, bone densitry, radiotherapist etc. This situation is even more worrisome in Nigeria where graduate radiographers with a Bachelors degree proceed to do PGD in ultrasound. This is demeaning to say the least. What they do not know is that in advance countries, the same people they are trying to copy, sonographers are high school graduates who do this course for about 18-24 months.

Until someone is able to point out the purpose of a graduate degree in radiography, what their job description would be and in what area they would function, then I do not see radiography as a career with much career advancement prospect. Unlike Medicine where you could advance and become a radiologist, you can't say the same of radiography. Lets not even go into the discussion about becoming a radiologist extender or what some call Radiologist Assistant because they work under the supervision of a Radiologist and not independently.

Pls note that, unemployment is a problem in every field of study in nigeria.

Agu87:
and who do u think man those modalities u mentioned,it's still radiographers....get ur facts right bro....Am proudly a radiographer.

i think the demand for radiographer ll be reduce drastically as more people flood the profession in the nearest future fact!

joey150:
So all of us should go and study radiography?

Remember,
Nobody wey no fit to make am.
Is any radiographer in the world richer than psquare? Or Ronaldo? Or mayweather?
I refuse to believe that all radiographers are finding it as easy as you ate potraying it to be.

Na person wey no ge hope the envy the next ma But its a good course to study as per the plenty opportunities. Dont sugercoat it any further

Nothing good comes easy. You are misinterpreting and over interpreting the entire post.
No that you have formed the sentence " finding it easy" by yourself! It appears nowhere in this post. What is apparent about the profession is that, as a youth, you tend to form BIG dreams, but after your youthful days realities set in. Many of you are looking for the easy-way-out, but it hardly ever exist.
This course is one in which, you do not need to have the big godfathers, or strong connections to work in the best establishments and to have a legitimate chance to travel live in UK and the USA. Many radiographers have gone permanently to Europe, to live and consult later in Nigeria.

Note that the course is diverse and rigorous. A radiographer is the cross between a medical doctor, a nurse, a nuclear physicist, a lab technician and the patient.

So don't think you can just jump into a thread like this without knowing what is presently obtaining in the field.

ygenius:
You sound like someone who chose medicine and was given that course.maybe After being convinced,you now see the course like a saviour of the world and you are now forming Merlin

And how does your assertion makes you better than him.The good thing is that he's found love in his present chosen career which is very important.I don't want to know how he got the course,but, I believe Ignorance directly or indirectly plays a major role in one's decision at some stages in life.

funstufz:
What does it take to become a one?

Nowadays you have to go thorough JAMB. Am not sufficiently informed about other ways in Nigeria. But overseas you may find diploma courses leading to the profession.

well said @ op, but the only profession where the well trained or graduates are not jobless is farming.

So don't forget to think about farming alongside whatever you practice. Other systems requiring professional services may collapse, but stomach that has collapsed of hunger needs urgent attention more than something else

OP, you deliberately mocked or have contempt for those taking up God's service as a profession. Don't you know that's is the only service God would remember you for while whatever you might have achieved on the earth would have passed away or come to vanity.

INDESTRUCTABLEX:
I must correct a notion. Studying radiography because it is a hot cake will not guarantee success.

We are where we are today, having thousands of unemployable graduates because they were forced to study medicine, law, or engineering. Ask most microbiologists, they opted for the cause because they were rejected in Medicine.

My point is this, instead of trying to cajole people to study a particular course because of its future prospects, parents and our educational setting should encourage children to pursue what they are passionate about.
Up until this point, I didn't know what radiography was all about. So as a recommendation, schools should have career days as obtainable abroad. This will open the eyes of students to the world beyond.

Louis Armstrong one of the greatest Jazz musicians once went for an audition and he couldn't sing past 2 sofa notations properly. He was told that he doesn't have what it takes. He responded by saying "nothing can keep me out". The rest is history.

The world is built is such a way that everybody has a unique role to play. We have spoilt our world because we have too many imitations. Be unique, pursue your dreams even when no one believes in you, because at the end, the world rewards and recognises those who are exceptional and unique.

This post is one of the best so far. (My opinion, forgive me) I see some are already forming the opinion that I am advertising radiography!
Let me give a brief history:
At the time that the course was being taught only at the Federal School of Radiography, Yaba, a senior radiographer friend told me that students came from Gambia on government sponsorship and that many state government send their people as students to study the course. The exams were set from London. To qualify you must pass and have Diploma, College of Radiography. You have to pay in pounds sterling. Many private crashed out after failing or simply not being able to raise the exchange.
So you have to love the profession to complete it. Those who wanted to study medicine crashed out and those who wanted to study Marine Engineering crashed out.
But many doctors and lawyers and architects today will wish they are able to have the same OPPORTUNITIES that professionals like radiographers have, without having a godfather.

themall:
Nowadays you have to go thorough JAMB. Am not sufficiently informed about other ways in Nigeria. But overseas you may find diploma courses leading to the profession.

The other day, I was talking to someone and he asked, "how come people in US are allowed to do radiography for just two years while it is five years in Nigeria?" This is the misconception that most people in Nigeria have. In US, before you are accepted to study radiography at the Associated degree level (Diploma), you must have spent about 2 years taking college level courses.

1) The requirement apart from electives and other general courses (prerequisites) include: Biology l , first semester year1 > Biology ll ,
second semester year 1. Then you proceed to;
Anatomy and physiology l , first semeter year ll > Anatomy and physiology ll second semester year ll

2) After which you are accepted into the radiology program. Then you spend another two years of five semesters including one summer
semester.

3) Then you graduate and start preparing for the board exam which might take another 3-6months. If you pass, you are then given and Initial
license to practice which you have to maintain for one year.

After that, you are then given a permanent license. So, when you add all of these, that would be 5 years plus, which is about that same number of years one would spend in a Nigeria University.

sonnie10:
My only concern with radiography is career advancement. Radiography is one of those professions that you are stuck at the level you were after initial licensure, like the Sergent Major in the Army. By career advancement I mean vertical growth and not horizontal movement. Why would a radiographer opt for a masters degree or PhD when there are no viable job options with such degree. Someone should not give me that story of Consultant Radiographer because as far as I am concern, such title does not come with any job description. And talking about becoming a university lecturer, I can assure you that a graduate of radiography (BSc) and Masters in education in any field would do just fine.

Basically, the popular option for most radiographers is horizontal movement into other specialty areas. Is this true career growth? In my oipinion, the answer is no. A radiographer might decide to get certification in CT, MRI, Cath lab, Interventional radiography, nuclear medicine, bone densitry, radiotherapist etc. This situation is even more worrisome in Nigeria where graduate radiographers with a Bachelors degree proceed to do PGD in ultrasound. This is demeaning to say the least. What they do not know is that in advance countries, the same people they are trying to copy, sonographers are high school graduates who do this course for about 18-24 months.

Until someone is able to point out the purpose of a graduate degree in radiography, what their job description would be and in what area they would function, then I do not see radiography as a career with much career advancement prospect. Unlike Medicine where you could advance and become a radiologist, you can't say the same of radiography. Lets not even go into the discussion about becoming a radiologist extender or what some call Radiologist Assistant because they work under the supervision of a Radiologist and not independently.

Very good observation. You talk from a position of knowledge. These are the issues that early pioneers of the profession has tried to address namely:
1. Inferiority complex
2. Carrier Pathways
3. Carrier Advancements.
-
What you should realize is that radiographers have to battle medical doctors from LUTH to UCH to many teaching and General hospitals before they got to where they are. That's why the opportunities continue to remain attractive as a way to succeed independently. The old students of the Federal School of Radiography had to JIHAD with even their own teachers in other to have the school under the University of Lagos, Akoka.

Radiography is a profession, the closest to it that I can think of is a certified accountant by ICAN. Maybe you know that even a professor of accounting is not permitted to practice! Also any chartered accountant must go back to 300 level in the university to get a degree. Academic degrees are not the same as licence to practice a profession.

But you are right that there is no PHD in radiography. But that is not the scope of this thread. The thread only informs about what course can take you thorough open doors if you are determined to take that option.

moffymichael:
Your reason is based on the fact that radiography is not a popular discipline, we only have minute number of pple in the field (so, virtually, no competition in the labour market) and their service is not dat seriously needed because we have other advanced techniques of imaging the humman body eg NMR, MRI, Ultrasonic etc

Nuclear medicine,Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Ultrasound are specialties of Radiography.The practice is mostly done by Radiographers.

themall:
Part 2B
Have you noticed that radiography job adverts are hard to come by? Yes, except for statutory reasons, by big blue chip companies, management often never advertise. The reasons are not far fetched; such adverts is futile! You get qualified radiographers by networking with other radiographers. Other radiographers usually have to convince their junior colleagues to check out an employer's integrity, his working tools (i.e. X-Ray machines and equipment) as well as his reward or financial offer. So advertisement serves very little purpose. Instead, especially for private hospitals, you will find that radiographers are on duty once or twice a week. On emergencies, you have to call them for emergency service. So you find radiographers working in two or more hospitals. Even, those who are fully employed do their PP.

A radiographers job is protected forever at least on two fronts. In Nigeria,
1. by the laws guiding healthcare professionals practices and
2. laws guiding the use of ionizing radiation.
This has several implications. Only authorized personnel can handle materials such as X-RAYS. Only trained and authorized personal can by law be allowed to expose anyone to radioactive materials or substances. To this end it is illegal for a doctor to try to take a X-RAY of a patient (but emergencies can be excused) Even a radiologist, even though trained in the use of radioactive substances, can run afoul of the law, if s/he attempts to become a radiographer, by practising radiography.
This protection covers every nook and corner of Nigeria and is better overseas.

I will also let you know something about prestige among Youth Corp Members in my next part.

Pls don't mislead people if you don't have the information. Most of the things you said here are wrong. A radiologist can do the Images of any patient. The radiologist is allowed because he is taught and experienced in the field and art of radiation exposure and its implications. So the law allows a radiologist not just to take the pictures but also interprete them.
Also radiography as its is called now was previously on of the professions initially referred to as radiation technician. It is for the sake of prestige that the name was changed.

themall:
No doubt paramedical profession are often serious minded systems and protected by relevant state laws. I have mentioned Nursing and medical laboratory scientists at the onset. There are also physiotherapy and optometry. However, hardly does anyone enjoy the single relevance of radiography.
I have a girlfriend who started as a medical lab scientist at Yaba Tech (OND) and later proceeded to study Nursing at UNIBEN. She probably did not see herself as a professional already. A radiographer is already in demand in his/her third year. Please, I do not want this last paragraph over interpreted. Only to emphasize why radiography is different.

Ur girl friend has lied to u she studied Science lab tech not Medical Laboratory Science. Medical Laboratory Science can never be studied at Yaba tech NEVER. Nobody will study Medical Laboratory Science and go back to nursing. Medical Laboratory is not and has never given OND but rather B.MLS degrees

Maybe I should do dis cos

Rexyl:
well said @ op, but the only profession where the well trained or graduates are not jobless is farming.

So don't forget to think about farming alongside whatever you practice. Other systems requiring professional services may collapse, but stomach that has collapsed of hunger needs urgent attention more than something else

OP, you deliberately mocked or have contempt for those taking up God's service as a profession. Don't you know that's is the only service God would remember you for while whatever you might have achieved on the earth would have passed away or come to vanity.

No mockery intended. But I consider the Lord's work as a charity. it should be a not-for-profit profession. The scenario am describing is business and profit for the Nigerian youth, no godfathers, no queuing up in the sun for jobs that is not backed by constitutional, labour and professional protection.

I am self employed and i'm loving it. Even when i'm sleeping my cash is running errands for me yet your so called radiographer will wake up and go to work else he won't get paid.

How many radiographers are employers? from what you posted here, they are all employees

There's no job in Nigeria dat gvs immediate employment. The unemployment is just for months in the Medical world cos before u snap there's vacancies somewhere.

FYI Mr OP, Medical Laboratory Science is a university awarding course and the work force is much with numerous specialties in pathology.

For NYSC most facilities accommodates everyone but with preference to some (Drs, nurses, pharmacists, Medical laboratory scientist and any other) not how you painted it.

If you are jobless in the Medical field ask well sth is wrong somewhere. Doctors, Pharmacists and Medical laboratory scientist are all employers of labour.

drnoel:


Pls don't mislead people if you don't have the information. Most of the things you said here are wrong. A radiologist can do the Images of any patient. The radiologist is allowed because he is taught and experienced in the field and art of radiation exposure and its implications. So the law allows a radiologist not just to take the pictures but also interprete them.
Also radiography as its is called now was previously on of the professions initially referred to as radiation technician. It is for the sake of prestige that the name was changed.

Dr Noel you will run foul of the law if you are found as - A Dangerous Practice Officer (DPO). If you are a radiologist you probably have theoretical knowledge and SOME clinical experience in the views and position in an procedure or examination. You are not a radiographer and you could easily go to jail.
Do not pass insidious misinformation to others in other to win an argument.
Big headed doctors who had a pass degree grade have caused a lot of problems for hospitals and patients by making assumptions out of ego and ignorance. Some doctors even claim to be experts in keeping hospital records. To them only the medical doctor have all the knowledge! It's a kind of inferiority complex. Radiographers too had to battle this notion.

That's why a Doctor will open his mouth and say "I ALSO A RADIOGRAPHER"

themall:
Nothing good comes easy. You are misinterpreting and over interpreting the entire post.
No that you have formed the sentence " finding it easy" by yourself!

So don't think you can just jump into a thread like this without knowing what is presently obtaining in the field.

are you a radiographer or planning to be one? Well you should sensitise those still taking jamb or in their early university years.

drnoel:


Pls don't mislead people if you don't have the information. Most of the things you said here are wrong. A radiologist can do the Images of any patient. The radiologist is allowed because he is taught and experienced in the field and art of radiation exposure and its implications. So the law allows a radiologist not just to take the pictures but also interprete them.
Also radiography as its is called now was previously on of the professions initially referred to as radiation technician. It is for the sake of prestige that the name was changed.

I agree with you that radiologist are permitted to take X-Ray but that is not the standard of care in radiology. It is unethical to leave the care of patient with someone who does not have mastery of the equipment. The radiologist domain is in the reading room and not the exam room. Most of those equipment need certain level of expertise to avoid injury to patient. With multiple knobs and controls, there is no time to start figuring out which to use while a patient is on the table.

Also, the name was not changed because of prestige. Things have really changed over the past decades. Without advance knowledge of certain medical and science courses, there is no way Radiographers could possible obtain optimal images for studies (reading) considering the current sophisticated equipment they work with. May be you still have the impression of dark room and washing of radiographic films, it might interest you to know that those day are gone. Even, the days of computer radiography are numbered. What they have now is digital radiography with the science and technology that comes with it. Radiographers must now have the knowledge of electronics clinical information system, in addition to medical knowledge. The work flow through PACS and similar software have made it more complicated this days.

So, now tell me why a radiographer would acquire all these education and you still conclude that the name change is just for prestige?

I will still choose Pharmacy any day anytime....Px rocks

Op u no good oo so you want high unemployment rate 4 radios abi? As dm tek do engrs abi? E no go work.

[b]

nelszx:
There's no job in Nigeria dat gvs immediate employment. The unemployment is just for months in the Medical world cos before u snap there's vacancies somewhere.

FYI Mr OP, Medical Laboratory Science is a university awarding course and the work force is much with numerous specialties in pathology.

For NYSC most facilities accommodates everyone but with preference to some (Drs, nurses, pharmacists, Medical laboratory scientist and any other) not how you painted it.

If you are jobless in the Medical field ask well sth is wrong somewhere. Doctors, Pharmacists and Medical laboratory scientist are all employers of labour.

You're right about there always being a job for those in the medical world. This post only informs about one area in which the benefits far outweighs the cost. Doctors will always get some employment, same as many paramedics. And this post is not in competition with other professions, although some will be challenged and like to turn it to "[b]Oh OP other professions are like that, no difference in radiography[b]"

Also, you are 100% wrong about automatic accommodation for doctors and nurses and paramedics.On paper it is supposed to be. But in actuality, the state must have those facilities before it can give to them. Lagos state has not finished housing it doctors and nurses! Taraba may consider doctors but not always paramedics. FACT. Best case scenario in south south is that doctors will be provided accommodation others may disappointed about the care given to them. Do not listen to ignorant people. I served in Delta.

But radiographers will be given preference from day 1 in the camp! While the rest are looking, mouths wide agape and asking WHO IS THIS CORPER.....?

sonnie10:


The other day, I was talking to someone and he asked, "how come people in US are allowed to do radiography for just two years while it is five years in Nigeria?" This is the misconception that most people in Nigeria have. In US, before you are accepted to study radiography at the Associated degree level (Diploma), you must have spent about 2 years taking college level courses.

1) The requirement apart from electives and other general courses (prerequisites) include: Biology l , first semester year1 > Biology ll ,
second semester year 1. Then you proceed to;
Anatomy and physiology l , first semeter year ll > Anatomy and physiology ll second semester year ll

2) After which you are accepted into the radiology program. Then you spend another two years of five semesters including one summer
semester.

3) Then you graduate and start preparing for the board exam which might take another 3-6months. If you pass, you are then given and Initial
license to practice which you have to maintain for one year.

After that, you are then given a permanent license. So, when you add all of these, that would be 5 years plus, which is about that same number of years one would spend in a Nigeria University.

Informative

nelszx:


Ur girl friend has lied to u she studied Science lab tech not Medical Laboratory Science. Medical Laboratory Science can never be studied at Yaba tech NEVER. Nobody will study Medical Laboratory Science and go back to nursing. Medical Laboratory is not and has never given OND but rather B.MLS degrees

Oh yes you're right. It's Lab science. Sorry for the mixup

Agu87:
and who do u think man these modalities,it's still radiographers....get ur facts right bro....Am proudly a radiographer.

Are you a student?

And so what? Moreover, no body remains unemployed forever.

themall:
In this world of survival-of-the-fittest, one needs all the information necessary to make the best decision in life. This includes choosing one's education and carrier in life. My reasoning is in terms of how to remain relevant, in a modest way, in securing a professional carrier and maintaining it for life. Take a look at the following questions below:

Is there any profession on earth today, where you CAN NEVER become jobless or irrelevant once you graduate and are qualified?
Is there a profession where you are always in demand anywhere on earth as long as you apply?
Is there a profession where you are instantly give attention at local and foreign embassies around the world once you secure invitation and employment offer?

You may be thinking far and wide about some advanced specialized profession such as experts in the field of Medicine, Surgery, Computer Technology or Science or some Engineering or Nuclear Program Expert. All these may be in demand but trust me, such degrees and expertise are expensive to acquire and the competition is stiff. More importantly, they sometimes loose their jobs with little to fall back on.

Of course Nursing is one profession that has stood the test of time. However there are many standards and there are many nurses making the for nursing jobs unstable and sometimes patronizing.

So what profession do I have in mind? It is medical radiography. I am not a radiographer, but do you know that, THERE IS NO UNEMPLOYED RADIOGRAPHER ON EARTH?! Ok, that may sound too ambitious, but if you see one unemployed qualified radiographer anywhere in the world, then that would be a serious exception, and it would not be due to lack of jobs or job opportunities or other normal reasons.

Radiography is the art and science of imaging of body cells, tissues and organs for the purpose of diagnosis using scientific techniques and tools such ionizing radiation is safe doses. In Nigeria, it is now offered as degree courses in the university for a period of five years.

No Nigerian radiographer is jobless. They are in perpetual demand by several private hospitals who can only engage their services on a part time basis since they often can not pay them full time. That's why many of the experienced and qualified radiographers have gone overseas. In fact its possible that over 60% of radiographers trained between 1989-2009 are likely not living in Nigeria. The rest are in bigger blue chip companies. While few are found TEMPORARILY working at General Hospitals across the country. Those on PP (private practice, a term used by radiographers, sometimes in sarcasm) in private hospitals are newer, younger and student radiographers.

My advice to youths (and older middle aged men, even of up to 50 years) is to consider going back to study radiography if the right opportunity exists.
(To be Continued. Contributions welcomed)
CC: lalasticlala, Carrier and Education Mods, hope this can be shared for all to see on front
(c) 2016 themall on Nairaland.com

Radiographers are technicians who are supposed to be supervised by Radiologists, but u know how our system works. All of them are now functioning as 'shadow doctors' granting themselves consultancy status, making money and polluting pure medical practice.

It so annoying

radiographers will be given preference from day 1 in the camp! While the rest are looking, mouths wide agape and asking WHO IS THIS CORPER.....?[/quote]

Really?? Like really? Why would any sane human give preference to a radiographer in NYSC camp? What's their use in camp clinics?

Just dey yan rubbish there and keep making yourself happy!