OSRT Office
PO Box 7863
Salem, OR  97303

Phone:
503-315-0930

E-mail:

CONNECTING COAST TO COAST: ASRT LAUNCHES ONLINE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES

ASRT PARTNERS WITH RAD-AID INTERNATIONAL

ASRT FOUNDATION AND VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS
ANNOUNCE SIX-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING AGREEMENT

2011 Letter from the President

2011 Student Challenge Winners Announced

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Building a network of trusted resources is more important than ever. That’s why the American Society of Radiologic Technologists created the ASRT Communities, a one-stop knowledge-sharing domain for members with common interests, practice areas or career paths.

The professional network of 19 communities makes it easy for medical imaging professionals, radiation therapists and students to learn about different radiologic science disciplines and specialties and interact with fellow R.T.s and students. This new member-only benefit is designed to help R.T.s find information about their practice areas, network with other like-minded professionals and stay up-to-date on professional practice issues.

Each community features a discussion board, which allows members to post questions, start discussions and exchange ideas with their peers. Additionally, each discussion board is managed by an ASRT moderator who updates content and makes sure that questions are answered in a timely manner.

Members also have access to the quick links area of each community which provides up-to-date information about professional practice standards and continuing education requirements. In addition, each community features contact information for ASRT chapter leaders.

ASRT members who visit the communities by Dec. 16 can enter the Birds of a Feather Drawing for their chance to win a trip to the 2012 ASRT Educational Symposium and Annual Governance and House of Delegates Meeting in Las Vegas or the 2012 ASRT Radiation Therapy Conference in Boston.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The American Society of Radiologic Technologists has partnered with RAD-AID International to recruit radiologic technologists for volunteer opportunities in developing countries.

RAD-AID is an international nonprofit organization committed to assisting developing countries in implementing and optimizing radiology and health-imaging services while improving the role of radiology in global public health initiatives.

As an official RAD-AID partner, the ASRT and the ASRT Education and Research Foundation will educate R.T.s about opportunities to provide medical imaging and radiation therapy services in developing countries. In addition, the organizations will assist RAD-AID with securing corporate support for international projects.

“Partnering with RAD-AID is a natural fit for the ASRT and the ASRT Foundation,” said ASRT President Dawn McNeil, M.S.M., R.T.(R)(M), RDMS, RVT, CRA. “As the world’s largest radiologic science organization, the ASRT is committed to advancing the medical imaging and radiation therapy profession and to enhancing the quality of patient care in the U.S. and abroad. We look forward to providing RAD-AID with resources to help build their outreach programs in developing countries.”

To learn about volunteer opportunities with RAD-AID, e-mail .

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The ASRT Education and Research Foundation and Varian Medical Systems have announced a six-year agreement to fund up to 19 scholarships of $5,000 each per year to radiation therapy and medical dosimetry professionals.

Made possible by a $100,000 donation per year from Varian, the Varian Radiation Therapy Scholarship program will assist radiation therapy and medical dosimetry professionals who are committed to improving their clinical practice skills. In addition, medical imaging professionals seeking to become radiation therapists and radiation therapists pursuing careers as radiation therapy educators also are eligible for the scholarship program.

Applications for scholarships for the 2012-2013 academic year will be available on Nov. 1, 2011. The deadline to apply is Feb. 1, 2012.

To be eligible, radiation therapists and medical dosimetrists must have applied to or be enrolled in a certificate, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree program in the radiation therapy field. Medical imaging technologists must be pursuing a certificate in radiation therapy to qualify.

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The OSRT is your state society for medical imaging.  In medical imaging we help make people better.  We are an active part of the healthcare system.  Our interaction may be no more than 5-10 minutes with a patient yet the information we provide requires years of education and skill.  With a smile, a kind word, a warm touch and careful positioning we leave a good impression, make a good image and hopefully the patient will be better for it.

When the OSRT board meets, they discuss how to get people involved and improve membership.  What it seems to come down to is people want to know what OSRT can do for them.  In the past, before mandatory continuing education, we offered educational seminars at the Annual Meeting to hone our skills and increase our knowledge base.  As continuing education became mandatory, the seminars fulfilled the ARRT requirements.  Now, as CE’s are more abundant and accessible over the internet, what OSRT does is not as visible. Besides offering CE’s, we represent you, the technologist; we go to RT in DC (sponsored by ASRT) and speak to your elected officials to promote legislation to ensure only qualified technologists perform radiography.  We represent Oregon Technologists to the ASRT.  We represent you, fight for your rights at the OBMI meetings (formally OBRT) and speak at a state level to fight legislation that could hurt our profession.  Whether a member of OSRT or not, you are represented.  We, as members of your professional society, volunteer to represent you.

The correlation is:  Don’t take yourself or the state professional society for granted.  We all work hard and the benefits of the work we do is neither always obvious nor instantaneous.

OSRT has and will always work for all the technologists in Oregon.  Please help us help you and become a member.  Our web site has information about becoming a member and upcoming events.

Michael Saker RT(R), CNMT
OSRT President

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