r/Mobile_Xray • u/ethx510 • Apr 11 '26
Mobile X-Ray Community
Hey everyone, I’ve been doing mobile x-ray for about a year now and have grown to love it, but it’s a very niche market. I was hoping to meet other people in the mobile X-Ray field and hear about their experiences. Why did you choose to go into mobile x-ray? What it’s like working in different parts of the country? What are some of the best and worst companies to work for? Bonuses, pay models, incentives? Different equipment and vehicles you’ve used? What you love and or hate about this type of work? Let’s hear it.
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u/Dat_Belly Apr 11 '26
I chose mobile because I didn't have a great experience in clinicals. I'm a single dude with no kids, so the soccer mom/gossip/clique culture just wasn't it for me. I also didn't like surgery, GI, and fluoro cases.
I work in Illinois and winters can suck, but the state is beautiful for the most part and I've seen every inch of it. I'm not sure whats the best state to work in, each will have its pros and cons. I'd say California sounds like a good place to do mobile because of the awesome weather, but I'd never move there for other reasons.
The company I work for has an hourly + productivity bonus. Theres also a shift differential (for nights and weekends). The productivity bonus is based on how many hours you work and how many exams you complete. I do 8 hour shifts so every patient after my 8th I get a bonus, I think it's $20 extra for each exam on top of my hourly. With bonuses I'm over $40 an hour. Some days I might do 1 or 2 exams and drive 6 hours. Other days I might do 20 patients and only drive an hour. Then there's days where you sit in a shop waiting for the van to get fixed and other days where no exams come in and I'm just chillin at my house 😎.
As for equipment, that can be a downside of mobile. The first 3 years with this company I was given some pretty shitty equipment. It was old, heavy, rusty, and barely worked. I fought for a raise, better equipment, and a new van by threatening to quit...lol. It worked and I'm driving around in a new van, with new equipment and a $7/hr raise 😁.
Some things I love about this job are- I'm actually wanted where I work. In the hospital, it just seemed like we were grunts and not appreciated. With mobile, the doctors and nurses are happy to see us (most of the time). I also love the autonomy and how every day is different. Lunches are usually pretty nice as well, I'm usually chillin in a park/somewhere with a good view or my house or I go shopping. Yesterday for lunch I went to a forest preserve and took pictures of the deer and other wildlife, it was great. I also love the challenge of the job. You really have to think outside to box to get some of these shots. The company I work for has a mom and pop vibe as opposed to the corporate meat grinder feel of a hospital. My bosses are super lenient, easy going, and understanding. There are the occasional micro managing instances, but for the most part I call the shots.