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By Kimlyn Queen-Weis
Thirty-three years ago, if someone had told me that I would one day go from being an x-ray student in a hospital-based radiology program, to being a Certified Radiology Administrator (CRA) and President of the AHRA, I would have asked them if I was on candid camera (now I am really showing my age…lol). However, I was very fortunate that a colleague recommended, as part of my professional development, that I join the AHRA and become a CRA.
Throughout my career, I have been blessed with the opportunity to engage with countless exceptional imaging professionals to help support the needs of the patients and communities that we serve. Before becoming an Imaging Director and CRA, I spent the first ten years of my healthcare career as a frontline technologist, which provided me with an understanding of the benefits and importance of developing future imaging leaders. Developing others is a true passion and priority for me in my day-to-day life. I am always seeking opportunities, through formal and informal education, to support and engage with others in a meaningful way to assist them in achieving their personal and professional goals, and the AHRA is a major contributor of valuable leadership development resources for current and future imaging and healthcare leaders.
An exciting example of AHRA’s leadership development programs includes our event that starts this THURSDAY, 3/24! – AHRA CLIMB Online, the AHRA Conference for Leadership in Imaging Management and Business.
Here’s a perfect example of a professional development event that’s taken a sharp detour from where it started. The same can happen in our careers, and a good thing to realize is that even if you hit a detour, or need to switch gears, if you have the right people and resources behind you, you’ll still end up someplace good, maybe even great, even if it’s not what you originally set out for.
Like CLIMB — we were originally disappointed to have to pivot from an in-person event, but now we’re proud to deliver a great interactive, online educational experience that is affordable and accessible to so many imaging professionals, at all levels. There will be some new features too—like facilitated networking to keep conversations lively & thought-provoking, plus a barista to kick things off, and a mixologist to help wrap things up. You can register right up until Thursday. I hope you can make it.
My Personal Ask: Tell us in the comments how the AHRA has helped you Navigate through your leadership development & career journeys or detours 😊
Kimlyn Queen-Weis, CRA, FAHRA, MS, MBA is the 2021-2022 President of the AHRA Board of Directors. She is Director, System Imaging, at Ohio Health. She can be reached at kimlyn.queen-weis@ohiohealth.com
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The AHRA has provided a platform for me to expand my professional goals in networking, education, and speaking in front of crowds. The first AHRA conference I attended was probably in 2006 (ish) as a new leader. The basic leadership track provided insight into basic leadership skills I still hold with me today.
The AHRA has provided an exceptional venue to network with amazing and wonderfully talented leaders throughout the world. It allowed for me to learn from others and their best practices as well as attend meetings and listen to top-notch speakers. The AHRA has encouraged opportunities to volunteer and I’ve been blessed with many friends within the AHRA community that I now call my family.
All of our experience makes us who we are today especially the ones we don’t expect.