Thank You for an Amazing Year

Krystle W. Glasgow

Krystle W. Glasgow, MIS, CNMT, NMTCB(CT), NMAA, FSNMMI-TS

“Time flies when you are having fun” is a familiar cliché. Let me say, those words could not apply more to my experience as president-elect and president of SNMMI-TS over the past two years. The original proverb states, “When you are enjoying something, time seems to move more quickly.” I have often pondered why this happens. Research has shown that if someone is actively engaged in an activity while focusing on achieving a goal, that person actually does perceive that time is moving much faster than it actually is.

Interestingly, many researchers have found that it is not being happy or content with your activity that causes the brain to perceive time as flying by, it is the active pursuit of goals. Of course, there is much research to be done in this area, but this is exactly what I have experienced. I feel like I just found out that I won the election…and then I realize it has been two years. Knowing what research says about this phenomenon, I can understand why time has flown by for me: I have been actively engaging, pursuing, and achieving important goals.

During this past year, we have worked tirelessly to provide resources for our members and to ensure that the field of nuclear medicine is moving forward. Every task force and committee has produced amazing resources, data, and member activities. One of my big goals for this year has been to get a better handle on the issues we are facing with the nuclear medicine technologist workforce pipeline. We have launched a very successful video to promote the career path. In addition, there are many amazing resources that will launch very soon, including a docuseries covering the different facets of and opportunities offered by a career in nuclear medicine. The series will air on many popular streaming platforms.

This summer we will take an additional step forward for the workforce pipeline goal. I am happy to say that at the 2023 Annual Meeting in Chicago, we will launch the first-ever event for high school students. The event is an opportunity for local students and their parents to learn about nuclear medicine, take special tours of the exhibit hall, and meet local program directors. We will close the event with a guest speaker who will focus on the college admissions process, admission counseling, and student success coaching. I am hopeful that this will continue at every annual meeting in the future.

Another area of focus this year has been theranostics and how technologists fit into that area. I want you to know that we are being very intentional and firm in our position that theranostics and radiopharmaceutical therapy belongs to us—the nuclear medicine professionals. This initiative started with the release of the special September 2022 issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology, which focused entirely on radiopharmaceutical therapy. We have moved further and created “Therapy Thursdays” on which we send our members radiopharmaceutical therapy resources and updates from around the globe. I hope to see this grow and become a permanent activity for the SNMMI-TS.

Another area that we are exploring is the role of the Nuclear Medicine Advanced Associate (NMAA) in theranostics. With the NMAA’s advanced knowledge in medicine, diagnostics, therapeutics, and dosimetry, active involvement of an NMAA could be a viable option for freeing up some reading physician time. The University of Alabama at Birmingham is pursuing this option and has completed the first level of approvals. The university is working on syllabi and will soon be sending the program forward for the next round of approvals. This is a very exciting venture that has been in the works for some time now; I am eager to see the process and program unfold.

All in all, I can truly say that my time as president has flown by. I have had challenging goals along the way, and I have had an absolute blast throughout the process. I will leave you in the amazing and capable hands of Dmitry Beyder, MPA, CNMT, as he steps in as your next SNMMI-TS president. I assure you that the endeavors that have started to gain speed in the past year will not slow down during Dmitry’s term as president; he will grow them and see them to their end.

I could write enough to fill the entire journal about all the amazing accomplishments of the SNMMI-TS committees in the past year, but unfortunately, I have limited space. Just know that for every achievement discussed in this message, there are numerous others right beside it.

To close, I would like to thank all of my committee chairs for your amazing work over the past year. I truly could not have done it without you. To use yet another cliché: It takes a village! In this case, it has taken a village of highly intelligent and hard-working individuals who are pursuing the same goals. Thank you!

Advocacy Committee—Tricia L. Peters, BS, CNMT, PET, RT(CT), Co-Chair; Dmitry D. Beyder, MPA, CNMT, Co-Chair

Bylaws Committee—Amy B. Brady, MAED, CNMT, Chair

Chapter Presidents—Krystle W. Glasgow, CNMT, NMTCB(CT), NMAA, FSNMMI-TS, Chair

Continuing Education Committee—Roberta J. Alvarez, MS, ARRT(N)(MR), CNMT, Chair

Educators Committee—Julie Dawn Bolin, MS, CNMT, Co-Chair; C. David Gilmore, EdD, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, Co-Chair

Finance Committee—Jay J. Smith, MA, CNMT, RT(R)(N), Chair

Grants and Awards Committee—Tina M. Buehner, PhD, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, Chair

History Committee—Leonas A. Nalivaika, CNMT, RT(N), MBA, FSNMMI-TS, Chair

International Liaison—C. David Gilmore, EdD, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS

Membership Committee—Amy B. Brady, MAED, CNMT, Chair

Molecular Therapy Task Force—Joseph R. MacLean, MHA, CNMT, Chair

Nominating Committee—Dusty M. York, CNMT, PET, RT(N)(CT), Chair

Nuclear Medicine Week Task Force—Leesa Ann Ross, MA, CNMT, PET, RT(N), Chair

PET/MR Task Force—Elad Nevo, MS, RT(MR)(N)(CT), CNMT, Chair

Professional Development and Education Fund (PDEF)—Norman E. Bolus, MSPH, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, Co-Chair; Dori L. Nelson, BS, CNMT, NCT, FSNMMI-TS, Co-Chair

Professional Development Committee—Matthew C. McMahon, MS, CNMT, RT(CT), Chair

Program Committee—Kathleen M. Krisak, BS, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, Chair

Publications Committee—Jessica Williams, CNMT, RT(N), FSNMMI-TS, Chair

Quality Committee—Paul S. Riley, Jr., MPH, CNMT, Chair

Scope of Practice Task Force—Jeremy L. Iman, CNMT, PET, CRA, CT, Chair

State TAG Team—Cheryl L. Rickley, CNMT, FSNMMI-TS, Chair; Melissa Snody, BS, CNMT, Vice-Chair

Student and Graduate Task Force—Leila Alsarag, Chair

Women in Nuclear Medicine Working Group—Sarah A. Frye, MBA, CNMT, PET, CCRP, Chair

Workforce Pipeline Task Force—Dmitry D. Beyder, MPA, CNMT, Co-Chair; Kelli Schlarbaum, MBA, CNMT, PET, NMTCB(CT), Co-Chair