More than 30 representatives from radiologic science corporations and associations met at the American Society of Radiologic Technologists office in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Jan. 22 to develop ideas and strategies to address the current radiologic technology workforce shortage.
Hosted by the ASRT Foundation, the Corporate Roundtable Future of the Profession Corporate Working Group focused on two main strategies:
- How corporate partners can increase public awareness about the profession to younger people.
- How to create frameworks and tools with the aim of improving medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals’ engagement with their workplace, job satisfaction and recognition.
This and other workgroups were formed after the Consensus Committee on the Future of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy meeting, which was hosted by ASRT, American Registry of Radiologic Technology and Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology in February 2024. The committee's work resulted in the White Paper from the 2024 Consensus Committee on the Future of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, which focuses on six key areas to address the workforce shortage, strengthen the profession and build career pathways for professionals.
"The conversations at this meeting demonstrate how much our corporate partners are eager to work with us in finding successful and sustainable solutions for the future of the medical imaging and radiation therapy profession," said Steve Hardy, M.S., R.T.(R)(T)(CT), CMD, chief operating officer for the ASRT Foundation and executive vice president of development and corporate relations.
Corporate participants from Accuray, Carestream, Elekta, GE HealthCare, Hologic, Siemens Healthineers and Varian attended alongside association leaders from the ASRT, ARRT and JRCERT.
"I am absolutely thrilled that the Foundation brought together the Corporate Roundtable so that our corporate sponsors can also talk about ways that they can impact the future of the profession. It is so important that we bring think tanks together to not only brainstorm solutions, but also take action on those solutions," said ASRT CEO and Executive Director Melissa B. Pergola, Ed.D., R.T.(R)(M), FASRT, CAE.
The outcomes of this meeting will be presented at the 2025 ASRT Foundation Corporate Roundtable Summit, April 29-May 1, in Tucson, Arizona, where action items will be determined.