OCTOBER 2013 • Vol. 2, Issue 4

ISMRM Outreach Program Invites the SMRT to Participate in Columbia

Vera Kimbrell, left, meets technologist Lucero Ruiz

The ISMRM has operated an Outreach Program for several years with the goal of providing education in areas of the world underserved by the society. The plan is to work with local organizers and provide speakers from the society to present at meetings which highlight MR education and promote the ISMRM.

For the first time, the SMRT was asked to participate by offering a technologist/radiographer component to the Congresso Colombiano De Radiologia meeting. The SMRT is very excited to join in this effort. I was honored to be able to attend the Latin Americas Radiology Congress in Cartagena, Columbia in August 2013 and give four lectures during the three-day session.

Technologists in Latin America work mostly in hospital positions although outpatient clinics are becoming more prevalent. Healthcare systems are very different from country to country but the technology is similar and the issues faced by MR technologists are familiar to everyone working in the field.

80-90 technologists participated in the lectures held at the convention center in the center of Cartagena. They were very knowledgeable and eager to learn. Although most of them worked in areas where MR was not their primary modality (they are crossed trained in several modalities) they perform many higher skilled exams.

Language was an issue as I speak only English and the audience mostly Spanish. They had headphones and an interpreter for each of my lectures and amazingly we communicated very well. The experience of being there and sharing knowledge with attendees was wonderful and educational for me as well.

Thanks to the hospitality of the organizing committee and the wonderful people of Columbia I was able to enjoy the city and did a bit of sightseeing.

The SMRT hopes to contribute again in these programs as we feel it is an excellent way to reach technologist/radiographers around the world who are not familiar with our organization. Our mission emphasizes education and the Outreach Program is an excellent way to connect with others in the world that may not be able to attend or participate in other ISMRM/SMRT educational events.