Faculty Transcript

 

​Stacy Mallory: My name is Stacy Mallory, and I am the program director for the Diagnostic Imaging program at Linn-Benton Community College.

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Paula Merino: Hello, my name is Paula Merino, and I am clinical faculty with the Diagnostic Imaging program.

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Carley Hansen Prince: My name is Carley Hansen Prince, and I am Diagnostic Imaging faculty.

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SM: I have been involved in the radiological sciences profession for a little more than twenty years. I started off as a staff radiographer, having just received my Associate of Applied Science degree, and then through the years worked up through a bachelor’s degree and a master’s of science degree in radiation health physics.
 

​PM: I worked in the public schools for eleven years, then decided I wanted a change. And so I went back to school, went through LBCC’s first Diagnostic Imaging program, worked for about a year in the hospital setting. And then I came back to education. So I have felt very blessed to have had both the education and healthcare background.
 

​CHP: I have a background in science education. I have a bachelor’s in biology from Oregon State University and a master’s in education from Western Washington University, and then I’m also a graduate of Linn-Benton’s Diagnostic Imaging program. I also have three years’ experience working in a very busy outpatient clinic setting as a radiologic technologist.
 

​SM: I have had the opportunity to work as a staff radiographer, as an MRI technologist, as a CT technologist, as a mammographer, and in doing administrative and management positions.
 

​CHP: So our job is very diverse. And that’s one of the things that I love about X-ray: is that every day is different, every exam is different, every patient is different. And you never quite know who’s going to come in your door next. I think Linn-Benton’s program teaches you really how to sort of think outside the box.

 

​PM: It’s very hands-on. You have your classroom work, but you also have hands-on experience. You immediately come into the lab, you start positioning each other, the phantoms, and start working taking X-rays from day one.
 

​CHP: So our program really strongly encourages you to think of alternative ways to get the best diagnostic image possible for each patient.
 

​SM: This is not necessarily the profession for everyone. You have to have a passion for patient care, and you have to have a passion for technological types of things.
 

​CHP: I think there’s a misconception that those of us who are technologists are simply button pushers. That it’s just our job to go in, and quickly take a picture, and then get the next patient in. And our job is anything but being a button pusher. We have to have an excellent understanding of anatomy and physiology; we have to be able to work with people and patients and provide excellent patient care and customer service; we have to be able to understand the technical factors; we have to understand how X-rays are produced; and then when that patient asks you, “Is this X-ray going to give me cancer?” be able to explain that to them in a way that they understand.
 

​PM: We can teach the technical skills, but as far as the people skills . . . you either usually have it or you don’t. And we do a lot of work with patients, a lot of interaction, and so it’s really important that you enjoy that part.
 

​SM: Understand that a huge part of what we do is interacting with the patient, with touching the patient, and making a difference to a patient’s life for a short period of time—a short and impacted interaction with patients. And that’s part of what the imaging profession is.
 

As a student who may be interested in the Diagnostic Imaging program, I believe that it’s very important to research the profession, to understand what you’re getting into, and to really understand whether this is a profession that you could have a passion for. Most radiological technologists that I know have been in the profession for many, many years, and they can’t imagine doing anything else. I can’t imagine doing anything else. But it’s because I have a passion for what I’m doing, I have a passion for the patients, and I have a passion for being part of a healthcare team.
 

​CHP: Paula, Stacy, and I are all very passionate about our profession. And we hope that if you have questions, you will contact one of us. And we’ll be happy to sit down and talk about the Diagnostic Imaging field with you.
 

​PM: I hope that this helps to give you a little bit better idea about the program, and that you’re able to make a decision based off some of this information.
 

​CHP: We look forward to hopefully seeing you in one of our future cohorts.