Changing radiologic technology education: evolution or revolution? I. Past and present.

The radiologic technology profession, now over fifty years old, is still in a dynamic state. It has moved forward from commercially-sponsored, on-the-job training in the early years to the formal educational programs that are now the standard. The first part of a two-part article reviews the past and present educational accomplishments, defines some current educational methods, and provokes the reader to look at the profession in terms of what educational standards are needed for the future and determine how and when they should be achieved.