Tell us a little about yourself.
Born and raised in the small town of Proctorville, Ohio, I never imagined I would attend the University of Cincinnati upon high school graduation and later find Cincinnati as my home. I am a full-time faculty member in the University of Cincinnati College of Allied Health Sciences Advanced Medical Imaging Technology Program. My primary duty here is Clinical Coordinator to both the Nuclear Medicine and Magnetic Resonance Imaging students. Working with students and watching them grow into amazing imaging technologist is such a joy. In September 2016, I was elected President-elect to a local medical imaging organization, the Society to Advance Radiologic Technology (START), and look forward to continuing my role in this organization for many years to come. In my spare time, I enjoy refinishing antique furniture, supporting Bearcats basketball and football teams and spending time with my husband and our two dogs.
How is the program helping you professionally?
The Medical Education program has helped tremendously with my professional development. The program has not only allowed me to increase my knowledge of curriculum principles but also the application of those principles which has allowed me to add incremental value in the work environment. All of this has played a significant role in my transition from my previous staff position to my current full-time faculty role. This new role has given me the opportunity to begin teaching many courses in the College of Allied Health Sciences. Each program course provided me with information and tools to shape my personal experience of emerging into education at a new level. I look forward to continuing to grow as an educator, perfecting my teaching skills, and expanding my course load.
What educational and research projects are you working on?
Currently I am completing a project to research best practices to assign students to their medical imaging clinical rotations. I foresee most of my future research being directly related to student experiences, curriculum improvements and medical education. I am so thankful the program has given me the knowledge and tools to complete my current and future research endeavors.
What do you see as a challenge for medical education today?
One challenge I see in medical imaging education is ensuring that each student is making the most of their experiences and seeing the value in each clinical rotation experience. Younger generations of students tend to want to do the bare minimum at times and it can be very difficult for faculty to ensure these students are fully engaged in their learning and development.
