Articles

Carlos' Story: X-ray technologist turns imaging entrepreneur

By Andi Atkinson

Oct 30, 2023

Carlos Castro, Class of 2002, took his expertise as an X-ray technologist and turned it into a thriving business. 

From warrior to welder

Carlos Castro of Kingwood, Texas, never intended to become an X-ray technologist. In fact, the McAllen, Texas, native never even intended to go to college.

“I’m a first-generation American, and college was a pipe dream,” Castro said. “There was just no money, so I went straight into the Marine Corps at 17 after I graduated high school.”

In 1995, after serving four years, Castro moved to Houston where his family relocated.  He found a job with an employer that offered on-the-job welder training.

The warrior-turned-welder enjoyed his job, but he developed back problems from the 12-hour days and 6-day workweeks. Four years later, his doctors advised him to find a new profession.

“That’s when a doctor friend of mine recommended radiography. I’ve always dabbled in photography, so I became fascinated by the profession. That’s when I took a bus and walked the rest of the way to HCC Coleman College.”

From technologist to imaging specialist

Castro enrolled in the Radiography program at Houston Community College - Coleman College for Health Sciences and stayed on course until he graduated in 2002. He became an X-ray technologist and immediately began working at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in the trauma unit.

“I graduated at 29, so felt I would be behind in learning the trade,” Castro said. “I made it a point to learn as much as possible and as quickly as possible. I really dove into it the first couple of years. I worked at the hospital on the weekends and a couple of acute centers during the week.”

In 2006, representatives from GE HealthCare witnessed Castro working in the operating room. Impressed by his ability to comfortably speak and efficiently work with doctors, they offered him a job as an imaging specialist.

“I worked for GE from 2006 to 2009, and doctors would always tell me about their imaging problems,” he said. “That’s when I got the idea to go out on my own.”

From employee to entrepreneur

Castro developed a business plan to solve two common challenges in the operating room and surgery suite. His company would better prepare X-ray technologists in C-Arm mobile imaging commonly used in the surgery room, and it would also rent and deliver top-of-the-line C-arm equipment to surgery suites.

In 2009, during the nation’s “Great Recession,” banks were unwilling to lend Castro the $230,000 loan he needed for three machines and a delivery vehicle, so he took an $80,000 private loan to purchase one new C-Arm machine and one used box truck.

“From then on, I was completely committed to my business. I would drop off equipment myself, and I would do the staffing myself,” Castro said. “There was a lot of tears, sweat, and sometimes doubt, but I just took it one day at a time and with many prayers.”

Over the next five years, the entrepreneur successfully grew his business with more clients, machines, and satellite locations across Texas. Then he added more businesses!

In 2014, Castro opened a statewide staffing agency specializing in X-ray and computed tomography technologists. In 2022, he started an in-house training laboratory for medical device companies, students, and technologists to practice C-Arm mobile imaging with cadavers.

From student to teacher

The healthcare professional and entrepreneur is grateful for the doors his HCC Coleman College education opened in his life.

“Coleman has a great program, and it gave me a great foundation to go out in the field and prove myself,” he said. “My instructors were also my mentors, and they gave me the confidence to go out there and do the work.”

Castro visited his alma mater in October to give radiography students the opportunity to practice C-Arm imaging.

“I try my best to expose them to the C-Arm so they are prepared and comfortable when they need to use it in the operating room,” he said.

As a student, Castro never imagined he would find so much career and business success. He credits passion over ambition.

“If you have a passion for lemonade, you build a lemonade stand,” he said.