8 Free Online Radiology Courses With Certificates

Are you a student Radiologist looking for free courses to take? In this article, I have listed some free online radiology courses with certificates to meet your learning needs. Read till the end as there is a wealth of information in this article that may be helpful to you.

You have probably been on a search spree for free online radiology courses with certificates to take but couldn’t find enough information to satisfy you. Don’t worry, you have come home. I have shared as many free online radiology courses with certificates as I could find, enough to keep you learning for a long time.

These courses have been designed for self-paced learning. That is, nobody is going to rush you through them, you may take your time and learn at your own pace.

Whether you are an aspirant, undergraduate or postgraduate student in radiology, a practicing radiologist, or a professional in a related field, there is a course for everyone. You can feel free to explore as many as you can before settling for the one that is right for you.

Keep an eye open, too, as there are so many scholarship opportunities in this field which I will be sharing subsequently in this article. But before we dive in, I would like for us to have a quick recap of what radiology is all about and see why the field is booming these days.

What is Radiology?

Radiology is a field of medicine that uses medical imaging techniques, such as X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to diagnose and treat diseases or injuries. A person who specializes in Radiology is called a radiologist.

It is important to note that radiology is not the same as radiography. While radiology deals with the use of technology to treat diseases, radiography focuses more on the technology itself. Radiographers are tasked with the production of images of body organs which radiologists would use in diagnosis.

Types of Radiology

Radiology is divided into different specialties namely:

  • Diagnostic Radiology
  • Interventional Radiology
  • Radiation Oncology
  • Medical Physics

Diagnostic Radiology

Diagnostic radiology deals with the use of medical imaging which helps health care providers see structures inside the body and therefore diagnose and treat diseases. Doctors who specialize in the interpretation of these images are called diagnostic radiologists.

Diagnostic imaging tests can include:

  • X-rays (plain radiography)
  • Computed tomography (CT) scans
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans
  • Ultrasound (also known as sonography)
  • Nuclear medicine imaging techniques.

If Obstetric Ultrasound is something you are interested in, we have written an article where you will find some free online courses to get you started.

Interventional Radiology

Interventional Radiology refers to a range of techniques that rely on the use of radiological image guidance such as X-ray, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging, to precisely target therapy.

Most IR treatments are minimally invasive alternatives to open and laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. Keyhole surgery involves making small cuts instead of larger ones and using tiny cameras to see inside the body.

Many IR procedures start with passing a needle through the skin to the target. It is sometimes called pinhole surgery.

Radiation Oncology

Radiation Oncology uses high-energy radiation to destroy or shrink cancer cells and tumors. It may be delivered using machines called linear accelerators or via radioactive sources placed inside the patient on a temporary or permanent basis.

A Radiation Oncologist has special training in using radiation to treat cancer.

Medical Physics

Medical physics is a hybrid of physics and medicine. It deals with the application of the concepts and methods of physics to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human diseases with a specific goal of improving human health and well-being.

Check out this article if you are interested in gaining your footing in physics.

Benefits of Studying Radiology

Radiology is a nice field for people who love Medicine and technology equally. It is sort of a blend of bought, and in addition, you get to interact less with people and still be in a position to help in solving their problems. Weird but true. Does this sound like something you would like to do? There is more. Below are some of the benefits of studying Radiology.

1. Radiologists are in High Demand

Radiology may be a wise career move for you. As one whose job is to reduce medical uncertainty, it can be totally rewarding. Also, in a field where nearly every other specialty has been saturated, you can effortlessly stand out.

There is no better time to sail with this ship than now. Moreso, Canada has scholarship opportunities open to international medical students. You might want to apply to kickstart your radiology journey.

2. Perfect Career for Introverts

Maybe your fear of being in the medical field is having to deal with streams of patients every day. Well, lucky for you, radiology pushes you into a private room and locks you in there, away from everyone and their families.

As a radiologist, all you do is read scans, diagnose, and treat. You don’t have to interact with patients if you don’t want to. We can say it is one of the best jobs for introverts and it is stress-free to do. 

3. You are a Superior

A radiologist’s opinion is often needed by other doctors before they can commence treatment. For instance, before a surgeon can start opening a patient up, a radiologist must have to direct a few things because they are the ones in the right position to interpret scans.

Check out our article to find out which medical schools are the best in the US for different specialties.

4. Great Opportunities for Research and Innovation

You will be surrounded by great technologies and informatics. AI and machine learning will keep developing but human radiologists will always be needed to be making the difficult decisions that machines cannot. If you are a tech-savvy person it can be an exciting place to be.

Requirements for Online Radiology Courses

The courses that are listed in this article are not degree programs. They are certificate courses for radiologists and students radiologists. Enrolling in these courses will not require much from you. With just a few things in place, you are good to go.

Below are what you will need to take our free online radiology courses with certificates:

  • A learning device (Mobile phone, Laptop, or Desktop)
  • A stable network connection
  • Commitment
  • Discipline

It is important to note that most educational websites will provide these courses for free but you will be required to pay for your certificate. To earn a certificate, you will need to complete all your coursework and meet a cut-off mark in your assessments.

8 Free Online Radiology Courses With Certificates

These free online radiology courses with certificates have been carefully selected, and do not come in a particular order. If you find anyone interesting, do not hesitate to enroll or save it for later.

  • Preventive Cardiology
  • Advanced Cardiac Imaging: Cardiac Computed Tomography (CT)
  • Advanced Cardiac Imaging: Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR)
  • Medical Applications of Particle Accelerators (NPAP MOOC)
  • X-Ray Chest Interpretation
  • Human Anatomy: Musculoskeletal Cases
  • Radiology Courses on Radiopaedia

The first course on free online radiology courses with certificates is MRI Fundamentals, a video-based intermediate-level course on Coursera.

This course is for you if you want to develop expertise in basic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) physics and principles and gain knowledge of many different data acquisition strategies in MRI.

This course will introduce you to the basic terminologies used in MRI, MR imaging sequences of spin echo, gradient echo, fast spin echo, echo planar imaging, inversion recovery, etc. As you go deeper into the course, you will learn about the magnetic resonance phenomenon, how magnetic resonance signals are generated, how an image can be formulated using MRI, how soft tissue contrast can change with imaging parameters

Enroll here

2. Preventive Cardiology

The next course on free online radiology courses with certificates is Preventive Cardiology, a short course by Stanford Center for Health Education in collaboration with GetSmarter. In this 6-week course, you will gain a practical approach to the prevention of first and recurrent coronary artery disease events.

If you are interested in learning how to promote cardiovascular health with tools to guide behavior change strategies; how improved eating patterns, an increase in physical activity, weight loss, and smoking cessation can lower the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD); and how to improve the quality of life and overall health of individuals with CAD by helping them to implement healthy habits, then you should enroll in this course.

Over the duration of this online short course, a new module will be introduced to you each week, which you will complete within 8 hours of self-paced learning.

Enroll here

3. Advanced Cardiac Imaging: Cardiac Computed Tomography (CT)

This next course on free online radiology courses with certificates is developed by the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Hong Kong in collaboration with committee members of international and national cardiac imaging societies.

This 4-week is for radiologists, cardiologists, radiographers/ technologists, and other health professionals who want to learn more about cardiac CT.

The course follows the level 1 recommendations of cardiac imaging societies by covering the required topics and providing 50 hands-on cardiac CT cases. Note that previous experience in cardiac CT is not required but it would be helpful if you have a medical background or education.

Enroll here

4. Advanced Cardiac Imaging: Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR)

This is another course on free online radiology courses with certificates similar to the one listed before it. Just like the Cardiac CT course, this one is also targeted at the same audience and has the same requirement.

Over the duration of 5 weeks, this course will introduce you to advanced techniques such as T1 and T2 mapping, feature tracking, and exercise CMR; the different sequences used in cardiac MRI imaging and the physics behind these sequences; how to acquire the cardiac imaging planes; and so much more.

You will learn at your own pace, and if you are qualified, you can obtain SCMR level 1 certification.

Enroll here

5. Medical Applications of Particle Accelerators (NPAP MOOC)

This is another course on free online radiology courses with certificates. This 8-hour beginner-level course is one out of three courses in the Nordic Particle Accelerator Program (NPAP).

Here you will be taken on a tour focusing on the medical applications of particle accelerators where you will discover the two very important, but different, applications of accelerators in hospitals.

The first application has to do with radiotherapy of tumors while the other is all about the production of medical nuclides for diagnosis and treatment. Both will be included in this course and described through four modules.

Enroll here

6. X-Ray Chest Interpretation

Another course on free online radiology courses with certificates is Learn X-ray interpretations, a short introductory course for doctors and medical students. If you are looking for a course to start and finish in one sitting, you should definitely enroll in this one where you will learn about the basics of interpreting chest X-rays.

Enroll here

7. Human Anatomy: Musculoskeletal Cases

On our list of free online radiology courses with certificates is this 7-week Human Anatomy course on edX. This course is for you if you want to learn anatomy basics to understand five musculoskeletal injuries commonly seen in primary care medicine and orthopedic clinical specialty practice.

What you will learn in this intermediate course includes the fundamentals of musculoskeletal anatomy, the basic concepts and procedures of radiology, and the anatomical structures related to five common injuries.

This course will take you inside the anatomy laboratories where students entering medicine, dental medicine, and other health professions study anatomy by performing anatomical dissections.  Content includes videos, photographs, and other content, including anatomical images and videos showing cadaver dissection, that some people may find offensive, disturbing or inappropriate.

Enroll here

8. Radiology Courses on Radiopaedia

Radiopaedia is an educational website that offers a range of courses, lecture collections, and an annual virtual conference. Its mission is to provide high-quality, globally affordable online radiology education.

Radiopaedia is a highly resourceful website and has a good number of video-on-demand courses in radiology. These courses, however, are not free but the exciting thing about what Radiopaedia is doing is that it has offered free access to its online radiology courses to individuals in 125 low or middle-income regions.

If your country falls within this category, you may apply for free access to the courses on this website. Otherwise, there are tons of other resources you can access for free.

Visit website

Conclusion

While this may be an exciting moment for you, I would recommend that you don’t dive into all the courses at once. You may end up not finishing any. They may be self-paced but it is not advisable that you take them all at once. Start with the ones that interest you more, and then slowly, you may enroll in and complete the rest. I really am rooting for you on this one, Doc.

Free online Radiology courses with certificates – FAQs

Is radiology hard to learn?

Studying radiology is quite tough. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. You need to make sure it is what you really want before going for it. By doing so, you will have a reason to stay when the journey starts getting frustrating.

Is a Radiologist a doctor

Radiology is a medical specialty, therefore radiologists are doctors. They are doctors who specialize in medical imaging. They analyze images, such as X-rays, to help diagnose, monitor, and treat various conditions and injuries.

How long is the radiology course?

On average it will take 13 years to become a Radiologist. This includes completing an undergraduate degree which usually takes four years, followed by four years of Medical school, then a one-year internship, followed by four years of residency training in Diagnostic Radiology.

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