A diagnostic radiologist is a career role in the medical field that is almost always in high demand. As one of these professionals, you will spend your time administering radiological exams that help a physician make an accurate diagnosis of certain conditions. While your prior experience and your education are definitely important when you apply for a diagnostic radiology position, potential employers will be looking at other skills as well to make sure you are a good fit.
Hard skills are skills that you gain through formal training and education. Soft skills are less teachable skills that can be a natural part of you as a person. Take a look at a few soft skills that can be important to possess when applying for a diagnostic radiology job.
Clear and Effective Communicator
The diagnostic radiology position is likely to involve a lot of communication with different people. For example, if a patient comes in for a mammogram, you will communicate the procedure and what the patient should expect. Once the procedure is finished, you may be communicating the findings with the patient's medical provider. You will also be communicating with other radiology department staff members, professionals who service radiology equipment, and more. Therefore, being a clear and effective communicator will be important.
Proficient with Reasoning and Judgement
Reasoning and judgment mean you can think critically and logically when issues arise and make a judgment call when needed. Radiologists can spend a lot of time working with complex equipment pieces and performing procedures that require critical thinking skills in the event something goes wrong. For example, if a patient visits for a procedure but the equipment is dysfunctional, you would have to make a judgment call about whether or not to reschedule the patient at another time.
Empathetic to Others and Patient
If the role you are applying for will have you working directly with patients, it will be important for the employer to know that you have the soft skills to make those patients comfortable. The best diagnostic radiologists have an empathetic nature, which means they can sympathize with and anticipate a patient's needs and concerns during interactions. Some types of radiology appointments can be a bit stressful. And, patients can be experiencing a lot of fears and worries about what the diagnosis will be. Therefore, the role requires an individual that is capable of empathizing and keeping the patient calm in stressful situations.
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