Interview with Sharon Miller, Past President of the Pennsylvania Society of Radiologic Technologists
Sharon Miller, M.S., RT (R) is the past president of and a current board member for the Pennsylvania Society of Radiologic Technologists. She is also an Associate Professor of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences at Mount Aloysius College. Miller’s interview will be enlightening to those entering the profession of radiology and imaging because of her high regard for advocacy and action in professional societies that support the radiology field. The Pennsylvania Society of Radiologic Technologists was reactivated by Sharon Miller in 2006.
What event or series of events led you to pursue the field of radiology as your professional choice? Please elaborate.
When I was younger, I had an x-ray, and that really sparked my interest in the x-ray field. When I entered the radiography field, the education was received through a hospital based program. You could go through the program with minimal cost and that was appealing to me. Also, I liked working with people and learning about anatomy.
Name 1 or 2 guidelines you would offer the radiology professional just entering the field?
Get involved! Be active in professional societies and advocate for your profession!
How would you advise an individual entering the radiology professions to proceed? What are the challenges, or obstacles that may be faced?
I would advise an individual to keep an open mind and be flexible. This field is always rapidly changing with new technologies and it is important to stay up-to-date and current in the field. The current challenge facing new technologists is difficulty finding first time employment in the field; therefore, be willing to take any job available in order to gain experience. Also, consider making themselves more marketable by pursuing additional avenues such as phlebotomy to complement their radiography education.
Can you give us an example of an interesting case or project that you have worked on and your role in helping to achieve a positive outcome?
I attended the American Society of Radiologic Technologists Leadership Academy in 2006 and used this experience to reactivate the Pennsylvania Society of Radiologic Technologists (PSRT). Currently, I am the President of the PSRT and we continue to grow as we reach to the younger technologists to become active participants.
What is the best career advice you have ever received? Name 1 or 2 guidelines you would offer the radiology professional just entering the field?
If you don’t like something, work towards making the situation better.
Get involved! Be active in professional societies and advocate for your profession!
As an experienced professional in the radiology profession what role do you feel advanced technology is playing and what other advances do you foresee?
Technology advancement is essential to improving healthcare and quality of life. Earlier diagnosis and treatment of diseases would be important goals to achieve so that outcomes can be improved.
What is the key strength you bring to your career and how would you advise radiology professionals to mine their own strengths to further their careers.
A strength that I bring to my career would be a willingness to get involved and to mentor younger technologists to do the same. I would advise radiology professionals to be mindful of staying current with modern advancements and to make sure that they do not become complacent. They also need to be mindful of what is occurring on the legislative front regarding this profession.
We thank Sharon Miller for taking the time to share her career experiences and insights with our readers. You can learn more about Sharon on LinkedIn.