In this edition of Behind the Desk, we would like to introduce to you Alana L., who works at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Grande Prairie as an MRI Lead in Diagnostic Imaging.

How did you decide MRI as career path for you?

During my radiography training, I had a mentor in MRI scanning who encouraged me to consider MRI as a modality in the future. At the time, MRI was a new emerging technology and it looked really exciting.

What made you decide to work in Northern Alberta?

A permanent full time position was available. I had never been to Alberta, let alone Northern Alberta, and the opportunity to work here appealed to me.

What does your best working day look like?

My best work day is when I am able to provide a quality healthcare experience for my patient. Being able to make clinical decisions and provide a scan that is beneficial to the patient is rewarding.

What other professions do you interact with on a daily basis?

I work with a multi-disciplinary team of technologists, physicians, radiologists and clerical support. Clinically, in order for the patient to have a positive MRI experience, it is important to have good, relevant clinical history. With that, I am able to perform scans that will allow the radiologist to make an accurate diagnosis. Safety is an integral part of my daily job and it is important that the clinicians describe the patient’s surgical history in detail.

Do you think that artificial intelligence (AI) will impact your profession and/or daily work life positively and or negatively?

AI is an emerging process in MRI scanning. I can see its benefits in creating algorithms for protocol choices, clinical decisions, and sequence allocation. Perhaps it will make my job easier and more streamlined.

If you were creating a job ad for your profession in Northern Alberta, what would look like?

If you are considering a position in the north, specifically in MRI, you need to be able to multi-task well, make good clinical decisions, and be able to work independently. We offer a diverse scanning opportunity, and work closely with our clinicians and radiologists. Our environment is supportive and will provide you the opportunity to grow.

Hybrid technologists are currently employed in numerous roles in DI; for example, a mammographer that is qualified to perform breast ultrasound. Do you think there is a role for a hybrid technologist in MRI?

Perhaps one of the hybrid roles would be radiation therapy or nuclear medicine — new PET/MRI scanners are emerging and perhaps might move us towards a dual trained technologist. In the future, an interventional/MRI technologist might be emerging if healthcare leans towards performing more intervention inside a suite.