From Patient to Technologist: A Serious Case of Scoliosis
Born and raised in sunny Jamaica, Kamala Anderson grew up learning the importance of community and helping others. Her journey as a young girl suffering from scoliosis delved her into a medical world she has never quite departed. Kamala’s pursuit of excellence and knowledge has driven her to diversify her skillset, from mammography to CT, fluoroscopy, MRI, and Cardiac CT. She sought training outside the familiar grounds which bore her. Through accreditation, she has made herself credible in the eyes of everyone she meets. Kamala’s journey to become a radiologic technologist is a testament to the power of the human spirit.
Kamala was referred to an orthopedic surgeon. Knowing nothing of the medical industry, her condition plunged her head first into a completely new world, with plenty of different jobs with their own intricate responsibilities. Kamala considers herself a curious person, and always had questions for the staff handling her care. There were so many people handling her care, from the orthopedic doctor, to the nurse, to the radiologic technologist capturing her X-rays, to the physical therapist she visited every week. But what amazed her the most was how all these people harmonized their knowledge and expertise to bring about the best care to their patients. It involved teamwork, but most notably a standardized medical community that was built for the sharing of information, a veritable hardened infrastructure on which any one person had to contribute with their strengths, but also rely on others where they lack. Even as a child, she knew that this was an incredible expression of the human spirit, and she just had to be a part of it.
As she got fitted for the spinal brace, she would have to come back every six months for a review, which included taking new X-ray images of her spine to evaluate her progress. It was there that she met the radiologic technologist capturing her spine. Kamala recounts asking her so many questions regarding the technical aspect of the job. Why she had to stay still, what the machine was emitting exactly, what radiation does to the body, the physics of radiation – and Kamala continued to be curious.The rad tech was very accommodating. She took care to answer every question in great detail, but still accessible to her young mind. A tradition had formed, marked by the bi-annual visit to the medical imaging wing of the hospital. Every six months, Kamala lay on a table before a great machine, a man-made marvel. A colossal wave of high energy photons washing over her. To manipulate this electromagnetic marvel was to control its power. As a patient, the radiologic technologist was her first line of defense. The smallest degree mattered in the curvature of her spine, and it had to be captured with precision. A path had begun to open in front of her, slowly etching its way closer.
In the end, she wore that spinal brace for five years. She had decided that this was not the last the medical world would see of her. So Kamala enrolled in Radiography and Diagnostic Imaging at University of the West Indies. It was a selective program, and she continues to be proud of her achievement to this day. Thus began her real journey as a radiologic technologist, and her venture into a new professional world she had only previously seen as a patient.
Rad Techs are caretakers and they are the cornerstone of diagnosis that affects the patients’ treatment path.
Knowledge is power
Kamala’s strategy to succeed as a radiologic technologist was to diversify her skillset. She strives to be an invaluable asset that can never be overlooked due to certifications and experience. But more personally, Kamala hates to be static. She felt enriched as she accumulated certifications and expanded her knowledge. She sought out a new job when her old one was not sufficiently challenging. She began with mammography, then CT, fluoroscopy, and interventional radiology, and just recently MRI. In 2017, Kamala left for the United States at Harbour UCLA for training in Cardiac CT.
When that was not enough, she decided to seek out training in the United States. So she looked into programs to become ARRT (American Registry for Radiologic Technologist) board certified. She found a program with Touro College in New York. There was one roadblock left in her path to excellence. She didn’t have all the funds. When she shared this difficulty with friends and family, they gladly offered to partially fund her trip abroad and regular expenses. Through this incredible expression of the collaborative human spirit, Kamala was able to travel to the States and get her certification. She recounts her first day in the lab as overwhelming. Her first instinct was to drop the course. There was so much new information, so much work to catch up. But knowing how many people back home were supporting, Kamala stuck through and worked hard. And when she finished her course, she felt as though nothing could stop her from succeeding as a radiologic technologist. She had made herself credible in the eyes of everyone she met – even doctors – because she had created a niche for herself.
Of course, this is not where she stopped. She also is the recipient of an MBA in marketing to create her own small business. Kamala has changed jobs twice in the past 12 years, always looking for the best opportunities. Even the bad jobs served a purpose, where she could learn from them and move on to better working conditions. In fact, the only reason she was able to move jobs is because of the flexibility she has thanks to her numerous certifications.
With determination and perseverance, there is no such thing as a limited career path, and that applies to radiographers as well.
Ambitions for the future by giving back to her radiology community
With all these certifications and all this experience behind her, what is the vision for Kamala’s future? Kamala has not ceased to dream big. She aspires to unify radiographers across the Caribbean islands.
Kamala was the first to acknowledge the disparities in the health system in Jamaica compared to the United States. When she was in the states for her studies, her mind always went to what she could bring back to Jamaica. As she was being trained in Cardiac CT, a program that was not available in Jamaica simply because there was no one with that skill set.
Kamala has ambitions to create a conference across the Caribbean Islands for Radiologic Technologists, old and young, to share information and create a support network, even a mentorship program. She wishes to reenergize the Radiologic society in Jamaica. She wants radiographers to be visible, to be heard.
For her own sake, Kamala spoke of continuing her education by doing research, and eventually by teaching. She emphasized the importance of valuing all jobs in medicine, because each has an essential role in patient care.
Conclusion
From a young patient dealing with scoliosis to an entrepreneurial radiologic technologist, Kamala has set herself onto a journey of constant learning. Through knowledge, she made herself invaluable. Through ambition, she continues to improve her working conditions. Through teamwork, she envisages a future for radiographers across the Caribbean that are unified and prioritized towards patient care.
What can we do for ourselves if not strive for our own niche, to make our own value within the giant machine that is humanity? Kamala’s life so far is a testament to this, what can we do for ourselves if not take a chance on ourselves, create our own niche, adding value to the giant machine of humanity.
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