By Keri Forsythe-Stephens
To say that I was out of my element the first time I stepped into McCormick Place—the setting of the annual Radiological Society of North America (RNSA) conference—would be a vast understatement. The year was 2005, and I was 6 months out of college, equal parts nervous and excited about attending my first industry trade show. Talk about trial by fire!
Not only was RSNA much larger than I could ever imagine (I may or may not have gotten lost on more than one occasion.), the Chicago-based convention center literally pulsed with excitement. Displayed throughout the (three!) exhibit halls were all the “latest and great” imaging technologies, as well as the most cutting-edge research in radiology. For a novice like me, it was intense. But it was also thrilling.
I’ve been to many tradeshows since that conference, but my first RSNA experience will forever stand out in my mind. And this November, I will return to Chicago for the 102nd iteration of the RNSA scientific assembly and annual meeting. The theme of this year’s conference is “Beyond Imaging”—and it promises to be another one for the books. According to conference officials, “RSNA 2016 invites [radiology professionals] to think beyond imaging and explore new ways to collaborate.”
No doubt HTM professionals will play a key role in such collaboration moving forward—since you will be the ones tasked with maintaining and repairing these costly imaging systems. 24×7 also has exclusive sneak peaks at some of the technologies that will be displayed at radiology’s premier event—first in Chris Hayhurst’s cover story, “Innovations in Imaging,” and then in our dedicated RSNA Product Preview.
And I would be remiss not to mention what’s arguably one of the biggest events in HTM this month: the inauguration of Robert Jensen as AAMI’s third president and CEO. Handing the reigns to Jensen is Mary Logan, who is retiring at the end of 2016 after an 8-year tenure.
For Logan, Jensen’s induction marks the end of her illustrious career in the HTM field. In this month’s Soapbox, Logan shares her final thoughts with the biomedical community, encouraging readers to get out of their comfort zones and prove their worth to employers. “Learn something new each day, network, get involved with AAMI, and know how much we appreciate what you do,” she wrote. “Thank you again for the privilege of working with you, learning from you, challenging you, and being inspired by what you do. It has been a great ride.”
Wise parting words to carry into the future, indeed.
Keri Forsythe-Stephens is Chief Editor of 24×7. She can be reached at [email protected].