Learn How to Become an MRI Tech in New Mexico
Do you enjoy working with technology and want to put your interests to work in a rewarding career? If you’re detail-oriented, people-centered, and ready to learn, an MRI technician program in New Mexico may help you start your ideal career. By becoming an MRI technician, you can work alongside medical professionals like doctors and nurses to provide excellent care to patients.
Magnetic resonance imaging is a field that offers skilled technicians the chance to work with a constantly changing technology. The ways that MRI machines can be used are always evolving and changing, leading to a greater need for technicians. NewScientist reports that a mini-MRI machine was recently developed to allow in-space astronauts to check their bone health and bone strength. The World Economic Forum claims that a high-resolution MRI machine has been used to find one single hydrogen atom, surpassing the abilities of any previous MRI machine.
As an MRI student or technician, you may be able to network with other professionals in New Mexico. The New Mexico Society of Radiologic Technologists helps members with legislative updates, new research on MRI technology, and events that bring together technicians for networking and education purposes.
MRI Technology Education in New Mexico
As you may have guessed, working in the MRI field requires a great deal of knowledge in human anatomy, technology, MRI machines, and other aspects of the health career. That’s why attending a good MRI technician program is a crucial step to beginning your career. New Mexico has many MRI technician programs that are part of community schools and technical colleges. You may spend between one and two years in school, depending on whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma, or associate’s degree.
In the first half of your MRI program, you may take lower-level courses in MRI technology and the human body. Courses you may enroll in include MRI Physics, MRI Patient Care, Anatomy for Medical Imaging, and MR Imaging of the Head and Neck. These courses help you hone your skills for more advanced classes, like MR Imaging of the Spine, MR Imaging of the Musculoskeletal System, and MR Imaging of the Abdomen & Pelvis.
Clinical hours are a core part of your curriculum, so you may need to travel to a clinical site several times per week until you earn your degree. Most New Mexico programs require approximately 500 hours of clinical work. You may go to a medical imaging clinic or hospital to get the hands-on experience you need. These hours help you hone your MRI skills as well as your patient communication abilities!
MRI Tech Careers in New Mexico
In New Mexico, you must have the proper licensure before you can legally work as an MRI technician. The New Mexico Radiation Control Bureau is responsible for licensing medical imaging specialists and MRI technicians. You must pass the ARRT Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist exam, which gives you a two-year license. You must then remember to renew your license each year.
You can use this degree and license to work in many different settings. MRI technicians may seek employment at nursing facilities, hospitals, medical imaging clinics, and specialty clinics. Some of the biggest employers in New Mexico are Maxim Healthcare Services, X-Ray Associates of New Mexico, UnitedHealth Group, and Albuquerque Heights Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center.
New Mexico has a relatively promising career outlook and job salary range for MRI technicians. Between 2012 and 2022, O*Net anticipates an 18 percent increase in job openings in this field. Their salary estimates reflect an average salary of $65,600 per year in New Mexico (O*Net, 2013). If you are ready to take the first step in your MRI technician career, contact the New Mexico schools listed on this page to get started!