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Career Connections[1]
There are several careers related to the skeletal system.
Orthopedists
Orthopedists are medical doctors who complete specialized training in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of disorders and diseases related to the musculoskeletal system. Some orthopedists are generalists, while others specialize in certain areas of the body, such as the hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand, or spine. Orthopedic surgeons explore nonsurgical options first, such as pain medication or rehabilitation, but also have the expertise to perform surgery to repair an injury or correct a condition, if necessary. They treat patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, and treat conditions such as fractures, sports injuries, joint replacements, and spinal deformity.[2]
For more details about orthopedists, see the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ web page.
Radiologists
Radiology is a branch of medicine that uses imaging technology to diagnose and treat disease. A radiologist is a medical doctor that specializes in diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases using medical imaging and procedures, such as x-rays, computed tomography (CT scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET scan), and ultrasound. Radiology specialists include diagnostic radiologists, interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, nuclear medicine radiologists, and medical physicists.[3]
Read more about careers in radiology on the American College of Radiology website: https://www.acr.org/about/radiology-overview
Radiologic Technologist
Radiologic Technologist (X-ray Technician): Radiologic technologists, also called X-ray technicians, are medical personnel who perform diagnostic imaging examinations and administer radiation therapy treatments. Radiology technologists practice in hospitals, clinics, and physician’s offices, and in many clinical specialties, from prenatal care to orthopedics. They are educated in anatomy, patient positioning, examination techniques, equipment protocols, radiation safety, and patient care. Radiologic technologists may practice general radiography or specialize in imaging techniques such as bone densitometry, cardiac or vascular interventional radiography, computed tomography, mammography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine, or sonography.[4]
Read more about careers as a radiologic technologist on the American Society of Radiologic Technologists webpage: https://www.asrt.org/main/career-center/careers-in-radiologic-technology
- Unless otherwise indicated, this work is a derivative of Ernstmeyer, K., & Christman, E. (Eds.). (2024). Medical terminology 2e. Open RN | WisTech Open. https://wtcs.pressbooks.pub/medterm/ ↵
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. (n.d.). Orthopaedic surgeons: Restoring mobility and keeping our nation in motion. https://www.aaos.org/about/what-is-an-orthopaedic-surgeon ↵
- American College of Radiology. (n.d.). What is a radiologist? https://www.acr.org/about/radiology-overview ↵
- American Society of Radiologic Technologists. (2025). Careers in radiology technology. https://www.asrt.org/main/career-center/careers-in-radiologic-technology ↵
Medical doctors who complete specialized training in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of disorders and diseases related to the musculoskeletal system.
A branch of medicine that uses imaging technology to diagnose and treat disease.
A medical doctor that specializes in diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases using medical imaging and procedures, such as x-rays, computed tomography (CT scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET scan), and ultrasound.
Medical personnel who perform diagnostic imaging examinations and administer radiation therapy treatments.
