My Radiology career at Northwell Health

Written by: Jennifer Lillibridge

Initially, it never occurred to me to consider Tech School.  I was going to school to become an accountant and during that time I worked in a small radiology facility.  I worked with John, the director of an Ultrasound program.  My desk faced the wall and our desks were caddy corner. One day, John approached me and said, “Consider Ultrasound school and forget accounting”.  In so many words, I told him to leave me alone. He responded, “OK, sit in the corner for the rest of your life”.  I will never forget how I felt in that moment.  I started to pay more attention to the Tech’s and each modality.  Ultrasound interested me because there is an art to it; the probe is your camera.  I was hooked and I knew I wanted to pursue a career in Ultrasound.

I began my career at Huntington Hospital in 2008.  I worked with esteemed Radiologist Dr. Wank and he recruited me to go to Great South Bay Imaging in late 2010 when the practice wasn’t even open yet  (I literally wore a hard hat while I interviewed with Bill Brostek).  It may sound cliché, but I do believe that everything happens for a reason.  Just like with John, Bill saw something in me that day.   He hired me as a staff Technologist and then I was promoted to Ultrasound Supervisor and not long after that, I was promoted to Practice Manager of the facility.  Over the course of 7 years, I have seen many changes and growth within our facility.  From the earliest moments of my career, the team that I have worked with has solidified the reasons I was drawn to this field in the first place.  Technologists graduate with a foundation of knowledge in patient care.  It is not until this knowledge is put into practice that a Technologist begins to realize that patient care is the most important part of our job.  Even though a majority of my day is no longer spent scanning patients, patient care remains my utmost priority.

I often look ahead to the future. Just as I have evolved and grown within my career, the field of radiology will continue to evolve and grow. Northwell Health continuously provides opportunities that break down barriers so that there are no limitations to the level of success we can all achieve.  This fosters an environment in which patients can be part of a health system that is a step above the rest.  Northwell Health has afforded me opportunities in my career that I never deemed possible, especially when I look back at myself sitting in the corner all of those years ago.

Many people have not only believed in me but instilled a drive that I didn’t know existed within myself.  The moment I wake up each morning, I have a mantra I often repeat – I am part of something greater and I am going to make a difference today.  I often reiterate this mantra to my team so that we don’t lose sight of our common goal.  Simply put, we all entered this field to help people.  Patient care is our #1 priority.  No matter what an individual’s role is within the health system, that mantra, along with prioritizing patient care, will only enhance the overall success of our Health System.  I wear my Northwell Health hat proudly each and every day.

 Explore our opportunities today.