SALT LAKE CITY - Joan Elliott wanted to get involved, and have a once-in-a-lifetime experience while she was at it. So she offered her technical expertise at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.
"I volunteered over the Internet to be a tech at the Olympic Village Polyclinic," said the Utah x-ray technologist. "When I found out that I’d been selected and had been put on the schedule, I was absolutely thrilled to death."
Elliott, whose 12 years in medical imaging includes work as a mammography technologist, is now employed as an x-ray and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) technologist at the Granger Clinic in West Valley City, UT. Such is her dedication to the Olympics that she didn't hesitate to trade in her vacation time in order to work at the Polyclinic.
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| X-ray technologist Joan Elliott reviews images after conducting a PA chest exam at the Olympic Polyclinic. |
"I’m working 7 shifts at the Polyclinic, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and I look forward to coming in each day. I’d like to be able to work at the upcoming Paralympics, but I really can’t afford to take any more time off from work," she said.
Overall, working with the athletes has been easier than she thought it would be.
"Almost all of them speak excellent English, and they act as though they’ve been x-rayed a lot. Most of them have themselves positioned correctly before I even have to tell them what I’m going to do," she chuckled.
Most of the exams here have been of the extremities, ankles, knees, and the occasional posteroanterior (PA) chest x-ray. Standard protocols are being used for the studies, and she says that working with the Kodak digital x-ray system has been easy.
"I was pleasantly surprised at how relaxed the atmosphere has been here," she said. "No matter how busy it’s gotten, everyone is very cooperative and sharing. It’s been great to be part of this team of professionals."
By Jonathan S. BatchelorAuntMinnie.com staff writer
February 20, 2002
Copyright © 2002 AuntMinnie.com
