Radiography education in the United Kingdom

The U.S. system of educating radiologic technologists is changing to meet the demands of an evolving health care work force. As a result, the educational standards and role of tomorrow's radiologic technologist will be very different from those of today. Many of the changes being considered by radiologic science professionals in the United States already have occurred in the United Kingdom. Beginning this year, for example, all entry-level radiographers in the United Kingdom must be graduates of a baccalaureate degree program. This article describes how radiography programs in the United Kingdom made the transition to a baccalaureate degree standard. It also examines how the role and scope of practice of U.K. technologists changed following the increase in educational standards.