Amy Kaufmann never planned on becoming a radiologic technologist. With a four-year psychology degree from Monmouth College, she found herself questioning her career path. Kaufmann recalls, “I looked at my husband and said, ‘I don’t think I can continue to do this.’”

That moment of self-reflection led her to Google “medical career options.” “I knew I wanted to be in the medical field, but I didn’t want to be a nurse,” she explains. Despite not knowing anyone in the profession, she discovered radiologic technology — a field she now calls “underrated” and wishes she had known about earlier.

Kaufmann enrolled in Sandburg’s radiologic technology program, graduating in 2012. She immediately secured a position at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington before transferring to OSF Holy Family Medical Center in Monmouth in 2014, where she continues to work part-time while serving as a full-time instructor in the same Sandburg program that launched her career.

“Being in the health care field was the best decision I could ever make,” Kaufmann said. “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

Sandburg’s radiologic technology program is both rigorous and competitive. Students must complete prerequisites before applying, with acceptance based on a point system — the higher your grades in prerequisite courses, the more points you earn. With only 15 spots available each year and typically 20 or more applicants, competition can be fierce.

The program itself runs for two years, beginning each June. Students take classes on Monday and Wednesday in their first year, with clinical rotations on Tuesday and Thursday. The schedule flips in their second year, with clinicals on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and classes taking place on Tuesday and Thursday.

These clinical rotations are the heart of the program. Sandburg partners with numerous hospitals throughout western Illinois, including OSF HealthCare facilities, Memorial Hospital in Carthage, McDonough District Hospital in Macomb, Mason District Hospital in Havana, Hammond-Henry Hospital in Geneseo and Graham Health System facilities. This real-world experience prepares students for the realities of the profession.

“I always tell my students that people have had sugar-coated ideas of X-rays,” Kaufmann said. “Some students think the patients are going to come in walking and talking, they’re going to take a picture, and then they’re going to move on. That’s not always how it is.”

While the program is challenging, the rewards are substantial. Starting pay for a radiologic technologist at OSF is approximately $25.50 per hour, with additional pay for night shifts and weekends. The job market is strong. Of Kaufmann’s 11 students graduating this year, 10 already have secured positions. The only exception is a student relocating to Florida and is waiting to apply for positions there.

Beyond the initial certification, radiologic technology offers multiple pathways for career advancement. Technologists can specialize in CT, MRI or ultrasound, each bringing higher compensation. They can move into equipment sales, teaching or picture archiving systems.

As Kaufmann notes, “If you don’t want to do the hospital thing, there are so many different avenues you could pursue with radiologic technology.”

The program requires dedication and strong study habits. “This isn’t a math class you just complete and walk away,” Kaufmann said. “All the lessons build upon each other, and that continues throughout your career.”

The job sometimes requires a strong stomach, but compassion is also an essential quality for a radiologic technologist. “If you can’t do blood and guts, then this is probably not for you because you’re going to see a lot of difficult things.” She adds, however, that compassion remains essential. “I just cry all the way home sometimes because I’m still human.”

Despite these challenges, Kaufmann believes radiologic technology deserves more attention as a career option. For those interested in exploring this career path, Sandburg’s program begins accepting applications in October for the following June’s cohort. Prerequisites include courses such as Anatomy & Physiology or Human Biology courses. Kaufmann encouraged potential students to reach out with questions: “Any questions, even if it’s something silly you want to know, let us answer, because you might be surprised.”

“It is so underrated,” she emphasizes. “When everybody thinks about the medical field, they think doctor or nurse. And they don’t think about X-ray techs. And we’re just as important. When someone has pneumonia, you won’t find out unless we take the picture.”