What's New
As the semester winds down and we prepare for the next, most educators are struggling to juggle all the responsibilities inherent in the job. We have responsibilities for our families and in our communities as well. So how can we find time to volunteer for professional organizations like AEIRS? Well, I guess the answer is; how can we not? There are just too many crucial issues facing the medical imaging community, for us not to help. One of my favorite authors and philosophers, Dr. Seuss, said "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not."
Luckily, the membership of AEIRS does care a whole lot. The past few months have been busy and productive. Our liaisons and committees have been reformed, recharged and hard at work. AEIRS collaborated with Associated Sciences Consortium on the educational sessions at the RSNA in Chicago in November. Special thanks to Steve Vogt, AEIRS liaison to the consortium. We are in support of the CARE bill and had Laura Vasquez as our liaison to the Alliance for Quality Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy which also met during the RSNA. AEIRS has pledged its support for House Bill 3052 which is an effort to gain reimbursement and recognition for the Radiologist Assistant.
The mentoring committee is up and running and have started populating the web page with resources for our members to share. Consider adding something you created to our resource page. Whether you are on the committee or not, you can contribute to their efforts.
Our membership committee has been active in their charge. They ask that each AEIRS member do an outreach to a potential new member. Tell them why AEIRS is valuable to you and to our profession. We need grass roots efforts to raise membership numbers in the face of major changes in the medical imaging community. Only with a unified voice can we initiate change.
Keeping the Strategic Plan in mind, in an effort to reach more educators, two workshops are planned for early 2012. Join us in Atlanta, February 24th or Cleveland on April 19th. Both workshops have an excellent line up of speakers and give AEIRS an opportunity for outreach to new members. Several of your AEIRS board of directors will be at both events looking to hear from educators so we can better meet your needs.
This year’s midyear board meeting will be held January 14 – 15, 2012 in New Orleans at the Chateau Bourbon, the same venue as the 2012 Annual Meeting in July. This will give the board members the opportunity to meet with the hotel staff and really prepare for a fabulous annual meeting. John Eichinger, annual meeting chair and Carole South-Winter, meeting planner, have already spent many hours planning the event. At the midyear meeting we review our progress for the year, look at our financial status, and plan for the future. The board of directors share responsibilities for upcoming workshops, publications, and events.
As I reflect on my years on the AEIRS Board, I realize that I have gained so much more than I have given. Working with colleagues who share the same passions and problems you do is an incredible gift. The board consists of educators from different geographic areas and different program types, but it is amazing how similar our issues are and how well we work together. Consider responding to the call for nominations. We have three open positions coming up for next year; President-elect, Director at Large and Secretary Treasurer. James Murrell is the Chair of the Nominations Committee and he would be happy to discuss the requirements and/or the process with you. More information can also be found on the website. Talk to your colleagues, consider self nominating, and get involved! We need the help of our members to move this organization forward. Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.
Paula Pate-Schloder, MS, RT(R)(CV)(CT)(VI)
AEIRS President