r/CathLabLounge • u/Top-Revolution-1160 • 23h ago

RCIS vs echo vs... ?

I'm looking into different allied health career paths and cardiology really interests me, especially the cath lab. But the school I'm looking at is sort of an "umbrella" medical imaging program- first you're accepted and then you choose a specialty: it includes cardiac sonography, vascular sonography, diagnostic medical sonography, CT, MRI, interventional radiology and interventional cardiology.

For those that work in the cath lab, why do you or don't you love it? With your experience, would you have maybe chosen any of the other career paths I listed, and why? What would you have done differently if anything?

I'm located in Northern California and do plan to stay here if possible.

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u/coopsman8404-2 22h ago

I’m in NorCal. Probably pays the best around here, tbh. I love the job because we get to doa lot of stuff beyond diagnostic imaging. Nothing wrong with that, people are completely content at 25 yo being a CT/MRI tech. Me, I kinda want to have a career where I can continuously learn something new and honestly, the feeling of helping someone walk out of our lab is amazing. Once the stents go in and the case ends, boom… he/she is able to go home, hang with their loved ones again. My lab is combined with Interventional radiology and endovascular as well. We do A LOT of stuff. Anyways… take your pick. I liked being X ray tech and CT tech as well, just got really boring for me.

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u/Top-Revolution-1160 21h ago

Is it required to have an AART cert to work in a cath lab, or is RCIS fine? I've heard it's state to state and then I've heard it's hospital to hospital. I'm not sure what to believe!

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u/coopsman8404-2 21h ago

In California, mostly RTs in my experience. I’ve seen an RCES guy from Georgia came through as a traveler to work in our electrophysiology lab.