FEBRUARY 2013 • Vol. 2, Issue 1

MESSAGE FROM THE SMRT PRESIDENT

As healthcare around the world continues to exhibit uncertainty, the SMRT is working to provide more on-line education and communication via social media. We realize that more MR technologists and radiographers are struggling with economical challenges and experiencing difficulties obtaining funding for education. I’d like to take this opportunity to outline the options the SMRT has available for you.

SMRT Educational Seminars:
‘Educational Seminars’ printed home studies

These publications contain one or more articles sharing a common theme or topic. You simply read the article and complete a quiz. The length of the quiz varies depending on the number of CE units awarded to that particular publication. A score of 75% or above must be achieved to receive credit for the session. There are several ways to undertake this effort. Read the home study either in the printed version or on-line. Then the quiz may be taken either on-line or in the printed version. The printed version of the quiz would be required to be sent to the ISMRM/SMRT home office. You will receive your certificate by e-mail when your test has been scored.

Of important note, an archive exists of all the home studies done since 1998. This is an incredibly rich source of MR information. Please check the catalog of back issues still accredited and available at the SMRT website or through the list provided in each of the printed home studies.

Electronic-Only Home Studies:

These are articles written to convey information and allow the reader to receive 1 or more hours of CE credit after passing the post-quiz on-line. In an effort to reduce expenses but provide additional CE opportunities, beginning in 2013, all text home studies will appear at the website as electronic-only. The cost of printing and mailing has become excessive especially for a worldwide membership section as the SMRT. With this reduction in costs, we hope to offer additional member benefits.

Video Home Studies:

Home studies in a video format are also available at the SMRT website. Many of these recorded home studies are from presentations made at SMRT annual meetings. Some have been recorded specifically for use on our website. To provide CEUs, each video is accredited through the accompanying quiz that is completed on-line. In the future, please check for additions that will include presentations from ISMRM workshops and SMRT regional educational seminars.

Non-member offering:

This is our contribution to the education of technologists worldwide. Please pass this along to all technologists and radiographers among your peers and at your site. We’d love to share these articles as we feel the content is important to the MR community.

The SMRT is a RCEEM (Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism) of the ARRT. This allows us to both accredit our own material for CE credit and also review and approve material for others. SMRT members provide these valuable services through their participation in the RCEEM committee chaired by Heidi Berns, M.S., R.T. (R) (MR), FSMRT. Many hours of their time is spent to ensure the SMRT provides quality, accredited education.

I’d like to recognize just a few of those individuals and the hard work they have put in to bring us this high quality educational material.

And of course Julie Peay who has compiled and edited the various forms of Signals for 11 years.

We would not have these educational resources available without these dedicated people, and those who have served on their committees over the years. Please take a few moments to visit our website and review the educational opportunities. If you are a SMRT member there is not an additional charge for any of this information or credits. If you are not an SMRT member, visit the web site and take advantage of the non-member CEUs as well as access to the Signals Newsletters publications.

The SMRT is also indebted to Invivo, the company who contributes funding, for our Home Studies allowing the continuation of this publication.

In November, I attended the 2012 RSNA Conference in Chicago, along with the vendor booths and networking opportunities there were many great educational sessions. Amongst the sessions were lectures organized by the RSNA Associated Science Consortium. This is a group of Healthcare societies that join forces every year to provide education directed towards technologists, managers and allied health professionals. If you make it to 2013 RSNA please check the Associated Sciences Consortium sessions out. They are free with your RSNA registration and happen throughout the week.