Technologists are the ones who take the pictures for the radiologists to read. Most perform this function with skill and compassion while protecting the patients from unnecessary radiation.

"No such thing as a typical day.."
No day is a typical day to Margo Firestack. Each patient's needs require this technician to perform different duties. Her day begins  by attending to the emergencies and trauma patients and then she takes her scheduled patients who have fasted for tests at the hospital.    She also takes x-rays  that are prescribed by the doctors. Sometimes she is involved in billing  and inventory for items the patients have used during their visit. 

"This all began with my own injury..."
Mrs. Firestack  started thinking she might want to try her hand at the career of radiology techniologist when she was 17.  She had injured her knee in  cheerleading practice and was unhappy with her treatment when she was being  x-rayed.  She decided she would learn to take x-rays and do it even better.

"Math and science turned out to be my most important subject.."
Looking back at what subjects she  took in school, she felt she has used  physics, algebra, trigonometry, calculus, and Spanish. She said they were vital the first day on the job. She said that students who choose this career will be required to take advanced math courses. 

"Needed skills include communication..."
Mrs. Firestack feels that communication and language skills are every important.  Clear communication between patient and technician as well with other caregivers may mean the difference between life and death.  You need to be in good shape because the work is very physical as you move the machines and patients. All information about your patients is private and confidential.

 "The best part of my job......"
The best part about her career is that it is in great demand. She has no trouble getting jobs anywhere she chooses to travel. She also feels the diversity of jobs in the field makes the career very inviting.  Her required A.R.R.T. ( American Registry of Radiological Technicians) License allows her to  enter into Oncology ( radiological therapy for cancer patients).  

"The toughest part of my job....."
She thought the  tough part of her career was that she  may have  long hours due to the shortage of health care workers. She is also aware that she can be  exposed to disease and uncooperative or violent patients.

"Technology is constantly changing....."
The new technologies that are being used  in her field keep things interesting also. The new MRI (Magnetic Resolution Image) machines will have patients stand if possible instead of the older style where patients are in a very tight tube for the MRI scan.

They also now have teleradiology which is when film can be sent to larger hospitals in seconds after the film has been taken. This configuration consists of the basic sending and review station directly connected by a dedicated transmission network (e.g, a single wire or fiber-optic cable). This configuration is often used in a single building to accommodate image transmissio n from one location to another.

"Training coming soon to Alaska!
An  exciting new thing that Mrs. Firestack and her co-workers were discussing is that there will be a class in September of 2001at the UAA School of Nursing that will train others to be radiology technologists.

New Vocabulary

fasted-

trauma

inventory

confidential

great demand-

diversity

therapy

MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) An imaging technique based on the principles of NMR.

teleradiology - Teleradiology is a means of electronically transmitting radiographic patient images and consultative text from one location to another.

HowStuffWorks: 7-12th graders can dig deeper into how MRIs work. This site includes how MRI uses magnets and technology.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/mri.htm

A day with a technician- spend a day with Alice who works in a hospital.
http://www.radiologychannel.net/insideradiology/techday.shtml