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Faith Patterson, RT, decided to become a radiologic technologist,
she had no idea it would be a job she would love.
A day after graduating pre-med from Boston College, Patterson joined
the U.S. Army Reserve to help pay off her school loans. One of the
jobs that was available was as a radiology
specialist—a good background, she figured, before enrolling in medical
school. But after earning accreditation at a military school in
San Antonio, Texas, and landing a job at Children’s, she found the
field to have rewards of its own.
One of the best aspects of her job, Patterson says, is helping
children through what could be a scary experience. “You can’t just
explain to every child what is going on,” she says. “You have to
bring it to their level. I explain to kids that I’m basically just
taking their picture. Some kids will even smile for the ‘picture’
when I do a scan—I think that’s great because it means I’ve made
them comfortable and shown them that it’s not going to hurt.”
In 2001 Patterson was deployed for nine months in Kosovo, an experience
that tested her soldiering and medical skills. “I remember when
they told us to ‘lock and load’ our M-16s as we were transported
through a dangerous area. ‘Nervous’ is such a minimal word for how
I felt. My military training became a reality to me that day,” she
says. “But Kosovo was a really a great experience for me. I learned
a lot about trauma and patient care,” she says.
When Patterson began at Children’s, she was qualified only to take
two-dimensional images such as chest
or extremity x-rays. Today she administers computer
tomography, or CT scans. “If you think of a standard x-ray image
as a picture of a loaf of bread,” she explains, “a CT scan is like
taking one slice of that loaf and rotating around it to see it from
all sides.” For the last year, Patterson has also practiced interventional
radiography, which involves more invasive techniques for advanced
imaging and takes place in a setting that more closely resembles
an operating room.
In addition to her full-time position in Radiology, she enjoys
working part time as a financial advisor and devoting time to singing
with her church. Soon she will choose between medical school and
her love for her current work. “There is so much room for growth
in this field,” she says.
“There is a misconception that radiology technicians are just photographers,
but the job entails much more,” says Patterson. A technologist needs
to understand the physics behind the many forms of energy that are
used to produce images, be competent in patient care, such as patient
assessment and the placement of IVs, and be able to communicate
with children of all ages. “Also,” says Patterson, “we need to know
our anatomy and pathology, and it takes skill to capture the images
that allow physicians to make correct diagnoses.”—CM
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