Weekly Blog
Week #1: During my first week at Shields MRI, I spent my time learning about and working with two parts of the office. The first being the MRI technicians. I observed patient screenings before the MRI, insertion of IVs, if needed for contrast, and the MRI itself. It was fascinating to view the images that the MRI produced. I was able to see the three types of pictures taken, a sagittal view, a coronal view, and an axial view. The majority of patients received MRIs for their back or neck, but I also observed a brain and shoulder MRI.
I later spent some time with the check-in desk. I learned how to use the computer software which checks patients in and sends images to the referring doctor's office. After some instruction I began checking in patients myself. I really enjoyed observing the whole process of a patient visit from their entry, to their scan, to sending images once the visit is over.
Week #2: My second week was very similar to my first. I first spent some time with the MRI technicians. I assisted on patient interviews, and I observed MRI scans. I was most interested by some of the brain scans and angiograms that I observed. I learned about the Circle of Willis, which is an area in the center of the brain where all the brain's arteries are.
I also spent some time at the front desk checking patients in. I learned some more about the software that the office uses. I made some phone calls to hospitals and doctor's offices to get patient records from lab work or previous scans. I also sent some faxes of MRI reports to referring doctor's offices.
Week #3: During my third week at Shields MRI I spent most of my time at the front desk. As in previous weeks, I continued to check in patients for MRI scans, angiograms, and arthrograms. I also spent some time calling hospitals and doctors offices to get physician's orders, previous scans, such as x-rays, CTs, and ultrasounds, and blood work reports. In addition, I learned more about what a patient care representative does. They are the person who answers any questions a patient may have before or after their scan, and they strive to always make the patient comfortable during their appointment.
Week #4: For the beginning of my fourth week at Shields, I spent more time learning about patient care. I did some of the same, checking in patients, calling doctor's offices and hospitals for previous scans and blood work, and I learned how to schedule and confirm patients.
For the end of the week I was able to stand in on a few arthrograms. An arthrogram is a procedure that is done for some patients preceding their MRI. An x-ray takes a few pictures of the joint, then a fluoroscopy needle is guided by x-ray into the joint and contrast is injected. This procedure helps to highlight any ligament or tendon tears on MRI that may not show up as clearly without the injected contrast. This was one of my favorite things I have done at my internship so far! It was very interesting to watch the x-ray of the joint as it filled with the contrast. I am looking forward to observing more arthrograms in the future.
Week #5: During my fifth week at Shields I built upon some of my previously learned skills. I worked at the front desk for the whole week. I checked in patients and answered many of their questions. I learned more about the computer software program that Shields uses. On the software program I worked on patient charts, and every time a patient receives a disk with images from their MRI, it is my job to check the images on the disk. I made patient phone calls to confirm appointments and ask screening questions, such as history of surgeries, metal body implants, and previous allergic reactions. I subsequently have learned that the contrast used for some patients is water based and not a nuclear substance. I answered patient phone calls and scheduled appointments.
Sometimes myself and the practice have to get more involved in a patient's social and family situations. This has helped me to better think on my feet and find solutions to some difficult problems. I find it interesting that every patient's situation is very different, and I have an individualized experience with each patient. Over these past five weeks I have enjoyed learning about the workings of this office and finding my place in this type of a medical environment.
Week #6: My sixth week interning at Shields was very exciting, because I was officially welcomed on as a staff member! Soon I will start tech aide training, aside from my internship hours! I have really been enjoying my time at Shields, and I feel like I am a part of their close knit work family!
My favorite thing that I did this week was observe more arthrograms! I shadowed Dr. Patel as he performed one shoulder and one hip arthrogram. I was able to stand right next to the table as he explained the needle placement to me. It was very interesting to see the contrast be injected into the joint, and then to look at the x-Ray screen and see the contrast fill the joint. After the patient had the contrast injected into their shoulder, I sat with one of the MRI technicians during their MRI, and he taught me some shoulder anatomy and pointed out a likely labral tear. It has been a great learning experience for me to be able to closely observe procedures and have the radiologist explain some of the workings to me.
Week #7: The seventh week of my internship was a little shorter, because I returned to school for CAPS classes. Each day that I was at my internship I spent with the MRI technicians and the radiologist's assistant. I saw an angiogram of a thoracic spine. This was quite interesting to view, because it shows a 3-D image of the thoracic spine on a computer.
In addition to observing MRIs, I watched a few arthrogram procedures. Previously, I have only seen shoulders, hips, and wrists, which are some of the more commonly done joints. This week I observed an elbow arthrogram. There is different positioning of the patient for an elbow, and I was able to learn about another joint's anatomy.
Week #8: This was the second to last week of my internship, which is quite sad since I have really be enjoying working in a medical facility! A few times this week I sat with Dr. Patel, the main radiologist for Shields' Framingham branch. I listened to him dictate cases. Afterwards, he would explain a lot of the anatomy to me. I leaned about how all of the ligaments in the knee keep it stable, how important a heathy rotator cuff is for one's shoulder, and how a small, few millimeter tear can affect motion and stability in one's joint.
I was especially interested with a double study case of a patient's brain and thoracic spine. Since I'm hoping to go into neuroscience, Dr. Patel spent some time showing me images of the different planes of this brain. He would point out an abnormality on a part of the brain in a sagittal view, than show me the same abnormality in the coronal and axial views. It was very interesting to compare the different cuts of the brain in each of the three planes. When viewing an image of the thoracic spine, Dr. Patel pointed out a clearly visible idiopathic spinal cord herniation. He was able to identify this, because the spinal cord appeared to be touching one of the vertebrae, which is abnormal. It is interesting to think about how quickly an injury can be diagnosed by a radiologist after viewing a patient's images.
Week #9: This was the last week of my internship at Shields MRI. This week I sat with the MRI technicians and observed arthrograms. From sitting with the MRI technicians I learned how to identify an osteochondroma. This is when a new portion of bone grows off of an existing joint. I observed this on images of a patient's elbow.
This week I observed one shoulder and a few hip arthrograms. Watching arthrograms has been one of my favorite experiences during my internship. It's fascinating to watch the injection go through the patient's skin and then look at the X-ray screen and see the dye fill up the joint cavity. It's amazing to think how advanced technology is that we can physically see the inside of a patient's joint in real time as it fills up with dye. I am very interested to learn more about the science of arthrograms in my future studies!
I later spent some time with the check-in desk. I learned how to use the computer software which checks patients in and sends images to the referring doctor's office. After some instruction I began checking in patients myself. I really enjoyed observing the whole process of a patient visit from their entry, to their scan, to sending images once the visit is over.
Week #2: My second week was very similar to my first. I first spent some time with the MRI technicians. I assisted on patient interviews, and I observed MRI scans. I was most interested by some of the brain scans and angiograms that I observed. I learned about the Circle of Willis, which is an area in the center of the brain where all the brain's arteries are.
I also spent some time at the front desk checking patients in. I learned some more about the software that the office uses. I made some phone calls to hospitals and doctor's offices to get patient records from lab work or previous scans. I also sent some faxes of MRI reports to referring doctor's offices.
Week #3: During my third week at Shields MRI I spent most of my time at the front desk. As in previous weeks, I continued to check in patients for MRI scans, angiograms, and arthrograms. I also spent some time calling hospitals and doctors offices to get physician's orders, previous scans, such as x-rays, CTs, and ultrasounds, and blood work reports. In addition, I learned more about what a patient care representative does. They are the person who answers any questions a patient may have before or after their scan, and they strive to always make the patient comfortable during their appointment.
Week #4: For the beginning of my fourth week at Shields, I spent more time learning about patient care. I did some of the same, checking in patients, calling doctor's offices and hospitals for previous scans and blood work, and I learned how to schedule and confirm patients.
For the end of the week I was able to stand in on a few arthrograms. An arthrogram is a procedure that is done for some patients preceding their MRI. An x-ray takes a few pictures of the joint, then a fluoroscopy needle is guided by x-ray into the joint and contrast is injected. This procedure helps to highlight any ligament or tendon tears on MRI that may not show up as clearly without the injected contrast. This was one of my favorite things I have done at my internship so far! It was very interesting to watch the x-ray of the joint as it filled with the contrast. I am looking forward to observing more arthrograms in the future.
Week #5: During my fifth week at Shields I built upon some of my previously learned skills. I worked at the front desk for the whole week. I checked in patients and answered many of their questions. I learned more about the computer software program that Shields uses. On the software program I worked on patient charts, and every time a patient receives a disk with images from their MRI, it is my job to check the images on the disk. I made patient phone calls to confirm appointments and ask screening questions, such as history of surgeries, metal body implants, and previous allergic reactions. I subsequently have learned that the contrast used for some patients is water based and not a nuclear substance. I answered patient phone calls and scheduled appointments.
Sometimes myself and the practice have to get more involved in a patient's social and family situations. This has helped me to better think on my feet and find solutions to some difficult problems. I find it interesting that every patient's situation is very different, and I have an individualized experience with each patient. Over these past five weeks I have enjoyed learning about the workings of this office and finding my place in this type of a medical environment.
Week #6: My sixth week interning at Shields was very exciting, because I was officially welcomed on as a staff member! Soon I will start tech aide training, aside from my internship hours! I have really been enjoying my time at Shields, and I feel like I am a part of their close knit work family!
My favorite thing that I did this week was observe more arthrograms! I shadowed Dr. Patel as he performed one shoulder and one hip arthrogram. I was able to stand right next to the table as he explained the needle placement to me. It was very interesting to see the contrast be injected into the joint, and then to look at the x-Ray screen and see the contrast fill the joint. After the patient had the contrast injected into their shoulder, I sat with one of the MRI technicians during their MRI, and he taught me some shoulder anatomy and pointed out a likely labral tear. It has been a great learning experience for me to be able to closely observe procedures and have the radiologist explain some of the workings to me.
Week #7: The seventh week of my internship was a little shorter, because I returned to school for CAPS classes. Each day that I was at my internship I spent with the MRI technicians and the radiologist's assistant. I saw an angiogram of a thoracic spine. This was quite interesting to view, because it shows a 3-D image of the thoracic spine on a computer.
In addition to observing MRIs, I watched a few arthrogram procedures. Previously, I have only seen shoulders, hips, and wrists, which are some of the more commonly done joints. This week I observed an elbow arthrogram. There is different positioning of the patient for an elbow, and I was able to learn about another joint's anatomy.
Week #8: This was the second to last week of my internship, which is quite sad since I have really be enjoying working in a medical facility! A few times this week I sat with Dr. Patel, the main radiologist for Shields' Framingham branch. I listened to him dictate cases. Afterwards, he would explain a lot of the anatomy to me. I leaned about how all of the ligaments in the knee keep it stable, how important a heathy rotator cuff is for one's shoulder, and how a small, few millimeter tear can affect motion and stability in one's joint.
I was especially interested with a double study case of a patient's brain and thoracic spine. Since I'm hoping to go into neuroscience, Dr. Patel spent some time showing me images of the different planes of this brain. He would point out an abnormality on a part of the brain in a sagittal view, than show me the same abnormality in the coronal and axial views. It was very interesting to compare the different cuts of the brain in each of the three planes. When viewing an image of the thoracic spine, Dr. Patel pointed out a clearly visible idiopathic spinal cord herniation. He was able to identify this, because the spinal cord appeared to be touching one of the vertebrae, which is abnormal. It is interesting to think about how quickly an injury can be diagnosed by a radiologist after viewing a patient's images.
Week #9: This was the last week of my internship at Shields MRI. This week I sat with the MRI technicians and observed arthrograms. From sitting with the MRI technicians I learned how to identify an osteochondroma. This is when a new portion of bone grows off of an existing joint. I observed this on images of a patient's elbow.
This week I observed one shoulder and a few hip arthrograms. Watching arthrograms has been one of my favorite experiences during my internship. It's fascinating to watch the injection go through the patient's skin and then look at the X-ray screen and see the dye fill up the joint cavity. It's amazing to think how advanced technology is that we can physically see the inside of a patient's joint in real time as it fills up with dye. I am very interested to learn more about the science of arthrograms in my future studies!