The newly formed North Texas Chapter of Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics will host its inaugural symposium on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Tarrant County College Trinity River.
The organization originated in a conversation, which included TCC Nuclear Medicine Program Director Tonya Pigulski, at a conference this summer. “This is long overdue and very exciting for the profession,” she said, “and I’m so glad that TCC is involved with what we do best … educating the future of nuclear medicine technology.”
Nuclear medicine is similar to computerized tomography (CT) but with two important differences. Radioactive material is placed in a patient’s body, rather than in an external device. Also, some forms of cancer, once diagnosed, can be treated by placing another radioactive particle at the cancer’s site.
“The symposium is a great way to bring everyone together who is involved in nuclear medicine,” said Texas Health Harris Methodist’s Bobby Ortega, chair of the TCC program’s advisory committee. “Certainly, the CEUs (Continuing Education Units) that you get are a big plus, since they go towards the maintaining of our CNMT certification. But the knowledge and information that the individual speakers share is priceless.”
In addition to professionals from throughout the region, students in TCC’s program will hear from experts in the field, including John Fortner, Curium Pharma; Becca Segrest, Cardinal Health; Mi-Ae Park, UT Southwestern; Janna Laton, Siemens Healthineers; and Tammy Pritchett, PETNET Solutions.
“For TCC, the symposium brings awareness to the nuclear medicine program that I believe will help drive students to TCC and also to the clinical site participation that will be needed as class sizes grow,” said Jennifer Schmitt of Siemen/Cassling. “This awareness on the part of local hospitals will lead to more job opportunities for graduating students – something much needed with the current national shortage.
“From a vendor perspective, having a stage to educate end-users on the latest trends and technologies is an honor. Siemens values partnering with our clinical colleagues to help drive their abilities and successes,” she said.
In addition to the companies and organizations furnishing speakers, sponsors of the symposium include Radioscope Life Sciences, CDL Nuclear Technologies, GE Health Care, and Tarrant County College.