EDITOR'S PAGE

Frances Neagley, CNMT, FSNMTS Editor, JNMT

December—my second year as editor of the JNMT comes to an end. I cannot say it has gotten any easier, but at least I am feeling a bit more comfortable with the process. I owe a lot of my comfort and efficiency to my associate editors.

The success of just about any task is partly determined by the people one gets to help with that project. My editors have really been there for me, once again, this year. They never failed to respond to every request I made of them.

Elpida Crawford, especially, deserves my heartfelt thanks. She oversees everything about the continuing education articles. She solicits the articles, follows up with the authors, and helps write the posttest questions.

Kathy Thomas has been a personal friend for many years and has always been there when I had questions about any aspect of nuclear medicine technology. This year, besides being an associate editor, she has undertaken our new book review section.

The rest of my associate and consulting editors have been consistently available. I try not to put too many requests on them, and they have been gracious and productive. The associate editors are all technologists with different areas of interest and expertise. The consulting editors are physicians and scientists chosen for their specific interests and expertise also. All of their names can be found on the title page of the JNMT each issue.

Then there are the Susans—Susan Alexander and Susan Nadolny—in the SNM Communications office in Reston, Virginia. I have email conversations with Susan Alexander almost daily, and Susan Nadolny suffers through the tardy submission of my editorial every issue. They both work hard for all of us and are efficient and cheerful at all times.

The other group to whom I owe much gratitude is the reviewers. I really appreciate the effort and comments they give to each manuscript submission. We have been trying to enroll more technologists as reviewers, and I cannot stress enough how important this is to the JNMT. While we accept manuscripts from technologists, scientists, and physicians, I would like technologists to play a bigger role in the review and acceptance of these articles.

As I write this editorial in September, I am reminded that there is a new fiscal year for the SNM/SNMTS, which means we all should have renewed our memberships. As our field becomes more complex, it is increasingly important to have networks and sources of education. The SNM and Tech Section should be an important part of our career resources. Besides maintaining our memberships and involvement, we really should be encouraging our fellow technologists to join and participate. And do not forget to add a contribution to the Paul Cole Scholarship Fund when you renew. This is a very easy way to give back to our profession.

Before the next issue of JNMT comes out in March 2009, the Tech Section will hold its annual business meetings in Clearwater, Florida, the first week of February. These meetings will precede the SNM Mid-Winter Educational Symposium. This is a good opportunity to meet with other technologists, get some educational credits, and have a respite from the winter weather in perpetually warm and sunny Florida. Unfortunately, we will be there too early for baseball's Spring Training, but there are plenty of other extracurricular activities in Florida.

I hope you find the articles in this December issue of the JNMT to be interesting and informative. As usual, I welcome your comments and suggestions and can be contacted at fneagley{at}pacbell.net. In the meantime, I hope to see some of you at the SNM Mid-Winter Educational Symposium in February or at the annual meeting of the Northern California Chapter of the SNM later that month in Pleasanton, California.