Why I’m Made for an ultrasound technologist career at Northwell

Written by: Gennifer Albaum

Working at the front desk for a radiologist at a young age, I quickly realized I had a passion for interacting with patients. With the encouragement of my team, I decided to became an ultrasound technologist and have worked at Northwell Health for nearly two years.

People assume radiology is just someone taking pictures and that’s all. It’s much more than that. It’s scanning a women who just had an abnormal mammogram and is getting a second look. It’s having a patient come in with stroke like symptoms who just a few hours ago could walk and talk but now has no motor function. It’s the parents of a child who is sick with a cold. It’s scanning a cancer survivor to see if their cancer has come back. It’s dealing with the patient’s pain, worry and sadness, and still providing care that helps make them forget about their fears for a moment. Because as an ultrasound technologist, we’re taking images that will help patients get the answers.

Knowing a visit to an Imaging Center can be a stressful time for patients, I try to ease their anxiety and keep them calm during their visit especially when they are looking to me for results and I have to politely explain that their images need to be interpreted by a radiologist. As a radiology professional I know that can be trying for the patient but we want to ensure we have reviewed all images thoroughly before providing results.

I was introduced to women’s imaging, especially breast imagining early in my career and quickly found that I had a passion for early diagnosis of breast cancer. Some of my fondest memories as an ultrasound technologist are when breast cancer survivors returned to visit us at the practice. To see her smile when she saw her face and knowing I was part of delivering her care was so rewarding. I know that what I do made a difference in not just her life but her kids and her family. It makes me feel so proud of my hard work and dedication.

Early detection saves lives and knowing that I can play a part in helping to save a life, is why I chose to become an ultrasound technologist. Working for Northwell has been a life-changing experience, I have met so many amazing technologists, radiologists and administrators. I truly feel like this is where I was meant to be.

Are you Made for a radiology career like Gennifer’s? Apply to an open position today!