Any Radiological Technicians?

I'm a former x-ray tech. I got my training in the Air Force and I've been out of the field for about five years. In the civilian world I worked in a busy inner city hospital mostly in the ER (my choice). It was a job where you spent a lot of time on your feet and constantly moving around. Of course in less busy and better staffed hospitals (although they're all under-staffed) you can actually spend a lot of time sitting around and shooting the shit with others.
Plenty of opportunity for advancement where you can make more money and not work as hard, e.g., CT. MRI, etc. Here in NJ after getting your license, you can go to school for one more year and become a licensed radiation therapist and make A LOT more money and work even less. Different states have different requirements (in some states you don't even have to be an x-ray tech first and go straight to radiation therapy school, but I believe it's at least two years). I recommend doing this either way.
All in all, I liked it a lot. Interesting job, seen a lot of crazy things, and made a lot of good friends. Also, it's a steady job that is safe in bad economies. If you have any other specific questions, I'll do my best to answer.
P.S., "technician" is like the "n" word to x-ray techs; they are "technologists."

I only know about Human Anatomy and Physiology (I teach the course) which is one of the radtech program prerequisites. Get ready to learn every bump, ridge, hole, and depression on the entire human skeleton; i.e. being able to name skeletal structures on drawings, actual bones, models, and on x-rays images. If you decide to enter the program, just remember you'll be science (biology) major with a health-career emphasis. If you like applied biology and computer/technology, then this could certainly be for you.

No need to apologize to me, reichenbach; I was just letting you know how it is (I think the whole thing is kind of silly, myself). But as a new student you'll find use of the word in front of an instructor is most likely going to be responded with "We're technologists, not technicians." No, my reasons for leaving were just because of other opportunities; I'm actually planning to go back to it at least part time. I did a stupid thing and never kept up with my CE credits after leaving the field which means I'm no longer licensed and will have to take the test again, which also means I'll have to start studying again (there's a lot of stuff to know that you NEVER actually use on the job).
In bigger hospitals the technology will likely be much better than in smaller facilities, but as far as taking the x-rays, what you have to know is the same. The biggest difference will be whether or not the image is going on film or is digital and will only be seen on a monitor. Developing film these days doesn't even involve going into a dark room; the processor does all the work (there are exceptions such as doctors offices and smaller places that can't afford day-light processors). The biggest difference for a tech between film and digital is that with digital your image doesn't have to be as perfect since you can adjust brightness and contrast on the monitor before saving the image (of course patient positioning still has to be pretty perfect). Also, don't worry about licensing issues from state to state; once you're a registered tech you're good to go nationwide.
The worst parts of the job are pretty much the stuff you'd find in any occupation. The biggest negative for me was dealing with lazy co-workers. Besides that I really can't think of anything that stands out- I regret leaving.
I know what you mean about the risk of making a decision like this. You make a decision to go through years of school for something new and have little idea what a day in the life of someone with that occupation is like. I had the same thoughts when I was seriously thinking about getting into the computer field. I would visit the school or schools you're thinking of attending and asking if you can spend about half a day with the techs where the students put in their clinical hours. That should help a lot with getting an overall gist of what a day will be like. There are a lot of different things you'll be doing as a tech though- taking "regular" x-rays, morning procedures (barium enemas, espohograms, etc.), working in the OR with a machine called a C-arm, taking portables on the floors...
I don't mind answering questions so feel free to ask more if you'd like. You'll probably have more after you visit with a school and get more info (if that's what you end up deciding to do).

My wife is the education manager at the American Roentgen Ray Society, it is where rad and Dr's get CME's and it is the oldest in the nation. I would start with some research at the radiologist sites first like ARRS and see if they offer any insight to job, career track and so on. ARRS.org

Wife started out as a xray tech, then was looking for me a new job and found herself a job with a company that makes breast biopsy equipment, so she met the requirement of being a xray tech. Now she travels all over the country training people on how to use the equipment. Doubled her salary over a standard tech position :clap: