What is a Medical Imaging Assistant

Interested in becoming a Medical Imaging Assistant? If you want a career path that’s stable, well-paid and provides you with fascinating work, this could be just the career move you’re looking for. 

This article will give you the full rundown of this career so you can make the best decision for your future. Here you’ll find essential information about day to day responsibilities, as well as the qualities and qualifications you’ll need to successfully kickstart your career.

Keep reading to discover whether it could be your ideal path forward. 

What is a Medical Imaging Assistant  

Apart from doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, the healthcare industry is held up by a strong workforce of Allied Health Assistants. Assistants perform duties that are essential to a great healthcare system, whether it’s administration, performing tests or patient care.

One of these vital roles is the Medical Imaging Assistant.  

Medical Imaging Assistants assist Medical Imaging Professionals in operating X-ray machines and other scanning equipment in hospitals, radiology clinics and other medical settings.

Patients are often sent to get scans to help their doctor get a better understanding of what’s going on inside the body.

The job of the Medical Imaging Assistant is to support diagnostic radiographers and other medical imaging technicians to take high-quality images by ensuring the best flow of clients, setting up and cleaning equipment and maintaining disposable stock items. 

The images are then forwarded to the patient’s healthcare provider so that they can be accurately diagnosed and treated.

What are the daily duties of a Medical Imaging Assistant  

Everyday life as a Medical Imaging Assistant is varied and offers a great balance of technical work and patient interaction. Here are just a few of the daily duties and responsibilities you might find in a Medical Imaging Assistant job description: 

Preparing patients

As a Medical Imaging Assistant, you’re not just working with machines. Patients are putting their trust in your hands, so it’s important that they feel welcome and at ease during their imaging procedure. Some imaging can be fairly straightforward, but others can cause patients some anxiety. 

Your role is to help them feel comfortable by answering questions about scheduling and what they can expect. You will also be required to check the accuracy of the patient’s identification and follow the medical imaging professional’s instructions to complete a preliminary patient interview. 

Setting up and cleaning  imaging equipment 

As a Medical Imaging Assistant, your role is to set up the examination room, refill printers and help with the maintenance of the hard copy film processor. You may need to help to transport mobile X-ray and ultrasound equipment.

You will also be responsible for cleaning medical imaging equipment and examination rooms.

Throughout all of this, the role also requires that you adhere to strict safety protocols, minimising exposure to harmful radiation for the sake of your patients, your coworkers and yourself. 

Administrative tasks

Working as a Medical Imaging Assistant also requires some administrative duties. This could look like filing patients’ records, organising their data for clinical meetings and maintaining accurate telephone and other lists.

You may be expected to keep an eye on stock items in the clinic rooms, like oxygen cylinders, linen, gloves and tissues. In this case, you’ll also need to take inventory and bring it to the appropriate member of staff. 

Communication

You will be required to communicate with relevant people about patient appointment times and availability, under the instruction of the Medical Imaging Professional. 

Your role also includes liaising with office staff about patent bookings, cancellations and rescheduling, as well as patient transport arrangements. 

Some workplaces might also run staff meetings, orientations, and performance reviews, in which case you’ll have to be prepared to share important information with your coworkers and managers. You might even help to guide new hires through their roles. 

Average Medical Imaging Assistant salary 

The Medical Imaging Assistant salary in Australia is generally competitive. It also varies depending on the level of experience, and the type of clinic. But according to data based on 500 salaries, the average Medical Imaging Assistant salary is $57,439 per year for a full-time role. 

Entry-level, full-time positions can start at $54,902 per year, and can shoot up to $78,491 for highly-experienced workers – meaning there’s plenty of room to progress. 

Working as a Medical Imaging Assistant 

When you embark on a career as a Medical Imaging Assistant, you’re joining a workforce that’s in high demand across the country and is set to continue growing for years to come.

In fact, the sector is projected to grow at a rate of 14.7%, and has already gained over 10,000 new workers in the two years since 2021!

This demand is a result of higher medical needs from ageing populations and increasing population sizes. Growing families and steady migration mean a greater need for high-quality healthcare. Which is why if you choose this career, you can expect a very stable outlook with opportunities to progress. 

How do I become a Medical Imaging Assistant?

Think a career as a Medical Imaging Assistant is an excellent fit for you? The first step forward is finding out what qualifications you’ll need to get started.  

If you’re a complete newbie to the healthcare sector, it’s a great idea to consider enrolling in a Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance with Foundation Education.

This is a nationally recognised course that will prepare you with all the skills and knowledge you need to start applying for Allied Health Assistant jobs.  

You’ll be equipped with a solid understanding of how to assist with allied health programming, how to interpret basic medical terminology and how to comply with infection prevention and control policies – a perfect start before taking up your first role.

Not only that, you’ll also be qualified to work in a range of Allied Health Assisting areas, so this is one course to study if you want to open up plenty of doors. 

 Careers in Dental Radiography

As a separate branch of medical imaging, dental radiography may require some extra skills and knowledge. So if you’re thinking about pursuing this specialised role, our Dental Assisting courses might be the best fit for you. Our Dental Assisting courses include radiography units, as follows:

HLT35021 Certificate III in Dental Assisting 

• HLDEN016 Assist with dental radiography 

HLT45021 Certificate IV in Dental Assisting (Dental Radiography) 

• HLTDEN021 Apply the principles of radiation biology and protection in dental practice 

• HLTDEN022 Prepare to expose a prescribed dental radiographic image 

• HLTDEN023 Produce a prescribed dental radiographic image 

Future Pathways 

Working in Medical Imaging could be the beginning of a long career of growth and learning. If you discover that you have a strong interest in radiography, you could expand your expertise to work in roles such as: 

• Diagnostic Radiographer

• Nuclear Medicine Technologist 

• Radiation Therapist 

• Medical Radiation Scientist 

In order to work in the jobs listed above, you will need a minimum of a Bachelor's degree. Some of the university pathways include:

• Bachelor of Medical Imaging 

• Bachelor of Radiation Therapy 

• Bachelor of Medical Radiation Science

To learn more about how to enrol in one of our allied health assistance courses, please get in touch with the Foundation Education team today.  

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