New graduates of Diagnostic Imaging on the frontlines
Grateful, surreal, overjoyed, bittersweet are some of the words that new graduates of the Diagnostic Imaging Program at 七星彩开奖 used to describe their feelings about graduating early during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The College went through a process to determine that each student met the competencies of the three-year career program. Twenty-one students learned they graduated during a Zoom meeting April 17 with their department and the dean. These new graduates are now part of the workforce, bolstering the capacity of the healthcare system.
Supporting each other
鈥淚t was a huge win to be able to help out on the frontlines,鈥 said Brittney Notaro, who mentioned she was also sad not to finish the program with her classmates. 鈥淭he group in my year was incredible! We are all friends and have a group chat to support each other.鈥
Brittney, 25, works as a multi-site technologist at the Royal Victoria Hospital at the new Glen site and at the Montreal General Hospital. 鈥淔or the first two weeks, they prepared us and on Tuesday, May 19, we will be starting to work with COVID-19 patients. I think we are all ready,鈥 she said. Brittney believes her work will fluctuate between floors, walk-in patients and COVID-19 patients.
It takes a team
Alicia M茅nard is a fellow Diagnostic Imaging 2020 graduate. 鈥淚 always wanted to help and now I can,鈥 she said. 鈥淣urses and doctors are important but it takes a whole team of health workers to care for patients, including Diagnostic Imaging technologists.鈥
Alicia was also very happy to graduate early. 鈥淚 am now doing the job I love!鈥 she said. Alicia, 19, was hired by the Jewish General Hospital, the first hospital designated for treating COVID-19 patients. She feels safer at the hospital than at her previous student job at a grocery store.
鈥淲e are well protected and it is going well here,鈥 she said. Alicia works in General X-Ray and often brings the portable x-ray to the intensive care unit to do chest x-rays on COVID-19 patients.
Eyes of the doctor
Dayna Yee, 36, is another new graduate and she works in the Medical Imaging Department at the Montreal Children鈥檚 Hospital. 鈥淚maging technologists have a crucial role in aiding the doctors with a diagnosis because we are their eyes,鈥 Dayna said.
鈥淲hat we are experiencing is unprecedented so it鈥檚 definitely more stressful to start your career during a pandemic,鈥 Dayna said. 鈥淗owever, our studies and training throughout school and stage has more than prepared us to face these challenges. Moreover, the management team and dedicated Imaging Technologists at the Montreal Children鈥檚 Hospital have been so welcoming and are taking the time to thoroughly train us. The transition from student to technologist has been a seamless one.鈥
Best teachers
Alicia thanked the great teachers at 七星彩开奖: 鈥淭he teachers in Diagnostic Imaging were the best teachers I ever had! They are technologists first but they are great teachers.鈥
Brittney said the teachers took care of the students. 鈥淭hey were not just teaching; they were ensuring that we understand,鈥 she said.
Dayna said the Diagnostic Imaging program is like a family: 鈥淲e always supported one another. The dedicated staff members, clinical instructors and lab technologists were always available to lend a hand, even during their off hours. They devoted countless hours preparing us to succeed.鈥
Continuing to support new grads
The teachers have told the new graduates that they will continue to support them by helping prepare them to write the professional order exam to get their licenses. Currently, the new graduates have special authorization to work while they wait to write the order exam, which has not been set yet.
All three new graduates are happy in their new careers. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a hard program but you can do it if you put in the work. In three years, you finish and get a job,鈥 Brittney said when asked if she had anything to say to someone considering the program.
Dayna said: 鈥淭he environment is fast paced, stimulating, challenging, and has a strong sense of team environment, loyalty and integrity. I believe these are all excellent qualities and a true testament to the integrity of the staff and to this profession.鈥
Celebration and pride
The new graduates made their own graduation caps and celebrated together on Zoom. 鈥淚t has been three years!鈥 Brittney said. 鈥淲e worked super hard and graduated under insane circumstances.鈥
Speaking for 七星彩开奖鈥檚 Diagnostic Imaging Program, Program Co-Chairs and Coordinators Ania Stosiak and Vicky Fusco said: 鈥淭he program is very proud of our students and wish them success during this challenging time.鈥