Stefania Santana, RT(R), is an ARRT certified and Texas Medical Board licensed radiography technologist at Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center Houston Rockets OPID. She was recently nominated as a Rising Star in the imaging community.
“While Stefania has only been a tech for 4 years, she has taken on responsibilities of a lead in her area. She is very skillful and knowledgeable and has helped us with our imaging program. At our facility, we image professional athletes including the NBA Rockets, NFL Texans, and MLS Dynamo and Dash as well as the collegiate athletes for University of Texas and University of Houston. These players often require special protocols and processes. Stefania has helped build this program and trains our staff to ensure a smooth process. Whatever is needed, Stefania is on it – eager to learn and grow with an amazing attitude!” Memorial Hermann Health System Director Operations-Outpatients Traci Foster wrote in the nomination.
ICE Magazine found out more about this up-and-coming imaging professional, including why she decided to enter the imaging field and why she loves her job.
Q: Where are you from?
A: I am from Venezuela and came to the United States at the age of 3 and have lived in Houston, Texas ever since.
Q: Where did you receive your imaging
training/education?
A: I went to Pima Medical Institute here in Houston, Texas to receive my associate in science to be able to perform X-rays/special procedures. Once I graduated, I took my state exam and received my ARRT and my Texas Medical Board license.
Q: How did you first decide to start working in imaging?
A: I first decided to work in imaging when I was 21 or 22 years old. I had been working in a nursing home as a certified nurse aide for a more than a year or two and realized that my passion wasn’t in nursing. While working in the nursing home, I came across a mobile X-ray tech and asked him what it was like to work in radiology. I fell in love with it instantly! Within a couple of weeks, I did my research and signed up at Pima as soon as they told me they had an opening. After two years of schooling and now a little over three years working in the field, I am more in love with it now than when I first started.
Q: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
A: I love helping patients in getting the proper care they need so that the radiologist and their doctors can better assess what is going on and help the patient get the care they deserve.
Q: What do you like most about your position?
A: What I like most about my position is getting the opportunity to work with some amazing people. It always amazes me how well we work together and how we are able to anticipate our needs in a heartbeat. It makes the workday go by a lot smoother. It also helps that one of the techs that I work with was my tech when I was a student. The other tech I work with was also in the class below mine for the same school. It was predestined that I would end up working with individuals with the same work ethic as mine.
Q: What interests you the most about the imaging field?
A: The process of imaging the human anatomy no matter the modality has always been fascinating to me.
Q: What has been your greatest accomplishment in your field thus far?
A: My greatest endeavor has been getting the opportunity to work with the professional athletic teams of Houston in a medical standpoint.
Q: What goals do you have for yourself in the next 5 years?
A: I do see myself eventually moving on to a different modality in the next couple of years, that way I can continue to contribute to the health care system.
Fun Facts
Favorite hobby:
ReadingFavorite show:
“The Office”Favorite food:
Anything savory, but mainly French friesFavorite vacation spot:
So far it has been Hawaii1 thing on your bucket list:
Go back to Disney to make another personalized light saber.Something your coworkers don’t know about you:
I’m an open book, there’s really nothing they do not know about me!
