Her Story
About Michele
My journey in radiology began in 2009 when I started as an x-ray technologist. My mom is a nurse and works at the hospital where I work now, and she encouraged me to start there in an entry-level position as a secretary. I watched everyone - the nurses, the doctors, the x-ray techs - and I found that radiology was what really interested me, so I went to x-ray school. I worked my way up to become a lead technologist, and then my supervisor asked if I would be interested in becoming an RA. I graduated from RA school in 2023 with my master's degree from Midwestern State University in Texas. As a Radiologist Assistant, I do basically anything and everything that a radiologist does - I'm a mid-level provider who performs procedures with patients daily, including upper GI studies, barium studies, and injections, and I also read x-rays. Radiology helps to diagnose patients all throughout the hospital. What I love most about my work is that I'm still learning - I learn something new every day, and every time I look at a new x-ray, there is something unusual or something interesting. It's never boring.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Michele
01What do you attribute your success to?
Honestly, it's my family. Every time I have considered trying something new or furthering my education, my husband has been very supportive. My kids, especially when they were little, and I was doing my online bachelor's degree, they would sit next to me with their little toy computers and pretend they were doing their homework along side of me. My journey would have definitely been a lot more difficult without familial support.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't expect to know what you want to do with your life when you're a teenager. If you do, that's great! Life changes, people grow, and it's okay to be undecided. You'll figure it out in your own time.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Keep going. Don't let any failure get you down if you try something and it's hard - keep trying. There are a lot of procedures we do, a lot of imaging that we see that it can be intimidating, but you have to push through, and you will not regret it. The work is challenging, but if you persevere through the difficult moments, it's absolutely worth it in the end.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
We are always looking for help! We have had a job opening for an additional RA in my hospital for over a year.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I pride myself on my work ethic and patient care. I work hard every single day.
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