I given my ambition, personality, and interest

I am very eager and grateful to finally be able to apply to Boise State University’s Diagnostic Radiology Program. Starting from my second semester at Boise State University, I have been interested in working in the medical field, with my initial focus being nursing.

I completed several semesters as a Pre-Nursing major and within that time I talked to many other classmates with the same major. Many of my classmates talked about nursing school and their futures with such excitement, but I never felt the same thrill for nursing. Being amongst them I felt lost because I knew I did not want to pursue nursing, but I did not know what other options were available. My initial interest in the Diagnostic Radiology Program piqued when I was talking to my mother and a family friend, both of whom are a Registered Nurses at Saint Alphonsus, about other options in the medical field besides nursing. They suggested that I should consider becoming a radiographer, given my ambition, personality, and interest in helping and caring for people.

To get a better insight on the values and expectations of a radiologic technologist, I decided to talk to a coworker who had switched from a Pre-Nursing major to a Pre-Radiologic Sciences major at Boise State University. Talking with her about applying to the Diagnostic Radiology Program and eventually becoming a radiographer gave me the thrill I was seeking. A career as a radiologic technologist means having a desire to help others, being able to problem-solve, and adapting to a wide range of situations. The occupational aspects of a radiologic technologist directly correlate to what I am looking for in my life and in a long-lasting career. The area of radiology that intrigues me the most is mammography, where patients would come in for mammograms to help detect and diagnose breast diseases. Mammography has a patient-technologist relationship that is more personal than other radiology careers, because the mammographer needs to be willing to comfort and reassure the patient. Becoming a mammography technologist is my professional radiology career goal because I strive to have a career where I can build relationships with my patients and have interactions that last more than just a few minutes.

I also want a career that is focused on giving the best standard of health care to all patients and improving their quality of life. To earn my certificate as a mammography technologist, I know I will need even more training along with many more examinations after graduating from Boise State University’s Diagnostic Radiology Program.  However, I welcome the chance to learn about new ideas and techniques within the field of diagnostic radiology and apply them to my career. My willingness to learn and leadership skills are the main personal strengths that I feel will help me succeed throughout the Diagnostic Radiology Program and my career. I take great pleasure in learning new information; I believe that knowledge is the key to living your life to the fullest. This past fall semester, my grades showed my willingness to learn and secured me a spot on Boise State University’s Dean List.

Within the Diagnostic Radiology Program, this skill will help me learn as much as possible so that I am well-educated for a career as a radiologic technologist. Being willing to learn new things is important in any health field, especially in radiology where technology and practices are always developing. My leadership skills are another personal strength that will lead me to educational and professional success.

This skill can be seen in my position as assistant manager at my current retail job and my position as supervisor at my previous coffee-shop job. I take great pride in being able to communicate well-enough to be a leader to my peers and coworkers. Even though I enjoy leading, it is important to know when to let go of the reins and work as a team, both in a classroom and hospital setting. With every personal strength, there is a personal limitation to accompany it. Overanalyzing and being nonconfrontational are the limitations that will most impact my success in the Diagnostic Radiology Program and in my career. Overanalyzing can be both a pro and a con, depending on the situation. In a learning situation, such as one I would face in the Diagnostic Radiology Program, it can be beneficial to be overly analytical about new material.

While it is important to analyze the little things in a health care setting, it can be even more important to focus on the overall ‘ big picture’ of a situation. Avoiding conflict is a personal limitation that I am actively working on, since I am in a managerial position that deals with conflict from time to time. If conflict arises in an educational situation, like receiving negative feedback from a presentation, I am more likely to stay silent than to speak up and question the reason for that feedback. In my career, it can cause me to avoid addressing a problem between a coworker and myself, which will just lead to a larger problem in the end. I am hoping that through the Diagnostic Radiology Program, I can address my limitations and turn them into personal strengths. As each day goes on, I become even more anxious to see where my ambition will lead me and to see how I will grow in all aspects of my life.

I no longer feel lost or undecided on what I will do with my life- I am eager to start on my career path as a radiologic technologist. I thank you all for taking the time to read this and for considering me for admission into the Diagnostic Radiology Program.