CollaborationRA

This week we had the honor of sitting down with two Radiation Therapists, Clodagh Starrs (MSC, PCG, RTT) and Samantha Skubish (MS, RTT), to talk about the new advanced role as an Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist (APRT).  Exciting thing happening in our Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Community!!!

In this episode we ask several questions that we are sure are on your minds.  We talk about how this advancement came about to where do we see the future of the advancement for Radiation Therapist and higher education.  Ms. Skubish and Ms. Starrs did an excellent job at explaining how they brought this concept from over seas into the US and how Ms. Starrs has helped for kick starting this program in the US.

Listen in as they share about the support and funding efforts that are in place to help drive the research and the development of the APRT.  Marcelene and Reece spend time sharing similarities between the APRT and the RA and how they benefit the physicians and staff.  

We want to thank everyone for taking time to listen and support the podcast!  Our profession is growing in tremendous ways and we are excited to share with you how amazing our industry is!  Ms. Skubish and Ms. Starrs, we personally want to say thank you for taking the time to share with our listeners all your hard work and efforts in pioneering this new role in Radiation Therapy.

Nathan Smith BS, RT (R) (MR), comes on to share how his passion for medical imaging led into becoming the owner and operator of N Smith Consultants and the CEO and Co-founder of Imaging Diversified. 

Mr. Smith walks us through his educational process and how a rotation through MRI would later lead him into starting his own career paths.  He spends some time sharing how he found this passion and how with the help of others he was able to achieve success.

Throughout the show we hit many of current topics, from social media marketing to finding ways to better educate about entering our industry.  He shares the importance of attending conferences and the value they bring in building community, connection, and improving visibility .  Mr. Smith also share how SRPE President, David Hardwick RT, RPA, RRA, spoke at the Atlanta Society of Radiologic Technologist and educated on advocacy and the RA profession.  

Thank you Mr. Smith for coming on and just sitting and visiting with us.  It was such an honor to have these conversations and build this connection.  We are wishing you and your team so much success! 

Look for us on our website at www.collaborationra.com, come on air and join in the conversations!

Look for Nathan Smith on the following platforms:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-smith-bs-rt-r-mr-60688352/

Imaging Diversified: https://www.imagingdiversified.com

Featured guest, Sean Newman (RT), comes on CollaborationRA to share a technologist perspective on the profession and about working directly with the Radiologist Assistant (RA) profession.  Mr. Newman joins our podcast with prior experience in Xray, CT, MRI, and is the supervisor at a level 1 trauma center.

Mr. Newman talks is through his personal experiences throughout his career in radiology.  We get to see first hand what going through the military based radiology program looked like for him and how it shaped his career moving forward.  He shares some life lessons on how he got the motto of "if you see something, say something" and why that is so important in our industry.  He continues on to share about the current staffing struggles and how we might be able to better bring others into the medical imaging profession.

In the end we got to sit down and ask him some questions that we haven't really asked technologist when it comes to the RA role and how they see the profession.  It was interesting to see his take on productivity and efficiency and how the RA is vital in assisting our departments workflow.

Be sure to check out our website at www.collabroationra.com

On this episode our featured guest, Chirag Patel (RT, CT, MR, RRA), comes on to share the most current updates to the RA profession and scope of practice standards in his home state of New Jersey.  He walks us through what that process looked like for him and where he would like to see the future of the RA profession to progress in New Jersey.

Together we navigate the conversation through some of the hardships our profession has faced and what we are still working towards.  We talk about the importance of state and national recognition and how this effected his decision on when to apply to a program and after graduating.  Educational decisions care be some of the hardest to make and Mr. Patel offers advise for those who are looking to advance in our field.

We take the time to speak about those in our field who have been advocating for our profession over the past several years and the importance of speaking up along side them.  Finding that unified voice sometimes can be hard, we are so excited that more of us are finding it and coming together to make a difference in states like New Jersey.  While Mr. Patel points out there is still some progress to be made, getting that foot in the door was such a great start!

Toward the end we talk about MARCA and the importance of seeing this legislation through to its final process.  MARCA is so important for our profession and the recognition of the RA.  We are all here asking for the help to get us through to the finish line!  

This week our featured guests are Matt McColgan and Joseph Kirk!  They work together with various imaging specialist to ensure radiation doses fall within our limits as professionals.  In this podcast they do a great job at highlighting the importance of everyone in the imaging industry; including dental and vet care.

During this episode we take the time to understand the goals that each of us have in highlighting the importance of our work.  As imaging professionals we get to learn more behind the scenes of those dosimetry badges and why it is important that we remain compliant in wearing and turning them in.  Every exposure to a patient is potentially a dose that we as professionals receive and recording that is important to our safety and well being throughout our careers.

Together we share about how imaging equipment and regulations with ALARA have changed over time and who oversees what acceptable doses are in this modern industry.  We also share on our experiences during covid and what each of us experienced going through it.   

It was such an honor to have had these conversations, to learn what each of us bring to the imaging industry, and how connecting and educating brings us all together to provide care which includes our vet and dental industry!

Want to learn more, check out Radiation Detection Company at: www.radetco.com

Remember to like, share, and subscribe!

Fellow Radiologic Technologist and Radiation Therapist, Laura Nappi (RT (R)(T)(M) ARRT), enlightens us to the various aspects in Radiation Therapy and how certain modalities play a key role in the advanced treatments of cancers.  She takes the time to walk us through who all works closely with Radiation Therapist and the responsibilities they all share.

During our discussion you will hear how passionate she is in seeing the success of those who are going through Radiation Therapy programs.  We get to learn about her inspiration for the publication of two different Radiation Therapy Review courses and how determined she was to see them through completion.  Ms. Nappi also developed a Facebook group for students going through the educational process and learned where many of the struggles lie.  This has opened up an opportunity to bring students together in a common safe space and opened up an avenue to take on tutoring.

Ms. Nappi shares sheds light on the importance of advocating for one another and how our profession always comes back "full circle".  While our roles might be different, our foundations often lead us all back to the beginning.

Ms. Nappi it was such a pleasure to get to sit and share this personal space with you.  We got to learn more about Radiation Therapy and loved getting to do so in such a unique way.  Thank you for taking the time and coming on the podcast.

Want to learn more about Ms. Nappi or maybe you need some extra study material for your boards, don't worry, we got you covered!

Website: www.RTTExamPrep.com

Books: https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Review-Radiation-Therapy-Examination/dp/B09RG24MVR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5R19CGX08I4B&keywords=laura+nappi+radiation+therapy&qid=1669594986&sprefix=%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.08f69ac3-fd3d-4b88-bca2-8997e41410bb

https://www.amazon.com/Radiation-Therapy-Calculations-Manual-Laura/dp/B09PHL2B3F/ref=sr_1_2?crid=5R19CGX08I4B&keywords=laura+nappi+radiation+therapy&qid=1669594986&sprefix=%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-2