Members at the Forefront ======================== * Kathleen M. Krisak ![Figure1](http://tech.snmjournals.org/https://tech.snmjournals.org/content/jnmt/46/2/9A/F1.medium.gif) [Figure1](http://tech.snmjournals.org/content/46/2/9A/F1) Kathleen M. Krisak, BS, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS It has been such a privilege to serve as SNMMI-TS president this past year! With the assistance of committee chairs and a great many other volunteers, I’m pleased to report that we are moving forward on many fronts to increase member benefits, strengthen membership, and safeguard and advance our profession. The Membership Committee working groups are hard at work. Their current initiatives are summarized below: ### Member Benefits A survey about benefits conducted during the National Council of Representatives (NCOR) meeting at the 2018 Mid-Winter Meeting revealed that members especially valued networking and connecting with others in the field, educational/professional development opportunities and access to resources. It also brought up the need for a central location for all volunteer opportunities, that would include details like committee descriptions and time commitments. The group is reviewing all the input and working with chapters to obtain feedback, as well. In addition, it is creating a new member welcome packet, along with a campaign to disseminate information on member benefits. Members will also receive an SNMMI-TS pin or lanyard that can be worn in the workplace. ### Chapter Resources Chapters are being surveyed to learn about their activities and ways that SNMMI can support chapter initiatives. An SNMMI-TS chapter section will also be added to the society’s website to provide resources for chapters (for example, access to member lists, national presentations, member benefits, etc.). NCOR chapter reports are being reviewed to identify common issues within chapters that need attention. The working group will also create a standard PowerPoint presentation for chapters to use to explain member benefits and how to take advantage of them. ### Member Engagement I am delighted to report that we have had a great many more members volunteer this year in a wide range of capacities, including serving on committees. They have made and continue to make such a difference in what we can accomplish on behalf of everyone! To show how members are key to the success of our profession, we’re creating member spotlight profiles to highlight individuals making a difference in their state. Testimonials—personal stories—will demonstrate career pathways. In addition, “what if” scenarios will demonstrate what would happen if there were no SNMMI-TS. Members can engage in the work of the society in myriad ways, many of which are short-term. Going forward, notification of volunteer opportunities will be matched with members’ interests and expertise (as listed in the member’s profile). ### Nonmember Recruitment Technologists early in their careers (first five years) will be surveyed to find out about their needs, challenges, and concerns. This working group is also researching other organizations to identify additional benefits to consider. To understand the true scope of potential membership, the ARRT certification list will be reviewed to determine overlap in ARRT- and NMTCB-certified professionals. ### Transitioning Students The Student Task Force is now in place and will be encouraging students in the SNMMI-TS “transition” category to go on to become full tech members. Student-specific member benefits are being developed, including a new in-training job posting area in the SNMMI Career Center. ### Program Directors Nuclear medicine technology program directors will be surveyed to determine why some are not submitting students for SNMMI-TS student membership, how the society can be of help to them, and what benefits students want most (i.e., book discounts, eligibility for grants and scholarships, free annual meeting registration). ### International Student Exchange We benefit from learning from each other across national boundaries, so SNMMI-TS pushed for an international student exchange program for nuclear medicine technologists. The first classes took place this spring (April 7–14) in London, England! Regis College in Boston, Indiana University in Indianapolis, and Chattanooga State Community College in Chattanooga, Tennessee, participated. The cohort included 18 students (with five faculty members) who did two hospital clinical rotations at King’s College Hospital and St. Bart’s Hospital in London. No universities in London offer nuclear medicine technology education, as it is all provided through prior education/training or by the hospitals. Students participated in nuclear medicine studies not performed in the United States, including several oncology therapeutic studies using radioisotopes not yet approved by the FDA. Other studies included the use of Technegas®, a radiopharmaceutical to perform ventilation lung scans and 99mTc-octreotide, used for neuroendocrine tumor imaging. At King’s College Hospital, students attended presentations about the UK health-care system and clinical procedures not done or rarely seen in the United States. Beyond the clinical setting, the group participated in extracurricular activities, including a day excursion to Stonehenge and Bath, to learn about British culture and history. For more about the exchange program, attend the Educators’ Forum at the Annual Meeting and watch for an upcoming *JNMT* article! ### Women in Nuclear Medicine Committee (WINM-TS) The new WINM-TS is developing programs that encourage women technologists and students to become leaders and decision-makers. Working groups have been set up to create programing, foster mentoring, and establish social media interaction. At the SNMMI Annual Meeting, WINM-TS is partnering with the SNMMI WINM for a joint networking breakfast to be held Sunday, June 24. It will feature a presentation on mentoring by Mary H. Scanlon, MD, FACR, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. The first WINM-TS session, TS24 — [The Secrets to Being (or Working With) a Successful Woman in Nuclear Medicine Technology](https://webmobile.experientengage.com/%7ESNM181/) — will be held at the Annual Meeting on Monday, June 25, at 3 PM. ### State Advocacy I want to take this opportunity to thank our state TAG representatives for their advocacy—addressing state licensing requirements, issues concerning state boards of medical imaging, and more. This is an ongoing effort, requiring vigilance. Some TAG representatives have also been appointed to their state’s boards of medical imaging or boards that review issues pertaining to all imaging modalities including licensure. This ensures that nuclear medicine technologists have a voice at the table. It’s important that we all keep informed of new or revised laws/regulations being proposed. Please consider reaching out to your state TAG representative to see how you might help with efforts to protect our profession. ### Preparing for the NMTCB Radiation Safety Exam If you haven’t already taken the [Radiation Safety+ Review and Essentials](https://www.snmmilearningcenter.org/Activity/5719549/Detail.aspx) course, it’s a great way to ensure your knowledge is up to date and that you can take the exam with confidence. A mock exam is included with the course. ### American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) Certification Process ARRT is joining many other credentialing organizations in shifting to a time-limited certification process for maintaining credentials called Continuing Qualifications Requirements (CQR). The goal is to help you assess and improve your knowledge and ability to provide high-quality patient care. This process applies to technologists who earned any credentials after January 1, 2011, and the process must be completed every 10 years for each eligible discipline. The CQR process has three main steps: 1. ***Your Professional Profile:*** An online survey covers clinical procedures performed in your job and how often you perform them. Upon completion, a profile summary report displays how your experience compares to that of others in your discipline. You will also have access to a list of optional free clinical refreshers to brush up on knowledge and skills. 2. ***Structured Self-Assessment (SSA):*** This is not a test; it measures your current knowledge and skills against today’s requirements for entering the profession. 3. ***Prescribed Continuing Education*** *(if necessary):* If your SSA reveals areas for additional learning, the ARRT will assign CE that targets those areas. ### Tech TIME Technical Imaging Multidisciplinary Education—Tech TIME for short—is an informational. series created by the SNMMI-TS to provide accurate, up-to-date online tools to solve questions and problems encountered on the job quickly. These great resources include easy-to-read fact sheets, 2- to 3-minute video vignettes to answer specific “how-to” questions, case studies with relevant patient examples, and a valuable directory for follow-up learning or continuing education credit. Tech TIME’s first project was the development of [informational materials about nuclear medicine brain imaging procedures](http://www.snmmi.org/AboutSNMMI/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=25959). ### The Quality Project As the health-care environment continues to evolve to a system focused on evidence-based outcomes, SNMMI-TS needs both to raise awareness of the value and benefits nuclear medicine procedures provide in patient care and treatment, and to ensure that technologists have the appropriate training, competence, and credentials to perform these procedures in the new multimodality environment. This past year, the Quality Committee has worked on two initiatives that focus on the importance of quality in imaging: The first is educational modules that review the theory, principles, practical applications, and quality factors for each disease process imaged. In addition, an all-day program titled “The Importance of Quality in Nuclear Medicine” will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2018, during the Annual Meeting. The second initiative is an awareness campaign that will include a case-of-the-week focusing on specific techniques technologists can apply to ensure they are acquiring a high-quality study. The cases will be linked to the quality education modules to reinforce understanding. These initiatives will launch August 1. As I turn the SNMMI-TS presidency over to the capable hands of Norman Bolus, MSPH, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, I am eternally grateful to my committee chairs and all the volunteers who have shared their time and expertise to advance important initiatives that will help ensure a vibrant future for the nuclear medicine technology field! We are all in this together, and together we can and do make a difference!