By Erin Register
Aletha Ewing, 36, was raised in Varna, Illinois, where the population is 200 residents. She attended college at Illinois Central College in Peoria, Illinois and graduated with an associate degree in applied science in radiology. Right after her college graduation, Ewing moved across the country to Phoenix, Arizona, where she began her career in X-ray and quickly cross-trained into DEXA. Shortly after that, she cross-trained into CT and worked as a CT technologist for 10 years before being awarded a promotion into leadership. For the last five years, Ewing has worked as a medical imaging manager and as the DXA modality lead for Banner Imaging.
ICE learned more about Ewing in a question-and-answer interview.
Q: Why did you choose to get into this field?
A: I always knew I wanted to be in the medical field, but I was not sure what route to take. During my senior year of high school, I had some minor medical issues. This opened my eyes to the radiology world, and it was so fascinating to me. I loved how it was constantly changing and offered so many areas of advancement.
Q: What do you like most about your position?
A: I love the camaraderie of the leadership team. I honestly have the best support system. Each member of the leadership team has different strengths. We all come together to accomplish one goal. I also enjoy mentoring staff and encouraging them to grow in their career. I will always do whatever I can to help them flourish and succeed. I am currently a leader in our engagement team for Banner Imaging. I take pride in encouraging employees to be engaged in their career and love to see employees grow and stay involved in their work.
Q: What interests you the most about the imaging field?
A: There is always more to learn! Whether we like it or not, this field is constantly changing, and it keeps my interest. There is always something new to learn, whether it is new upgrades or entirely new systems all together. The medical imaging field is constantly developing and growing. In the 15 years I have been in the medical imaging field, it amazes me what has changed and how much it has improved!
Q: What has been your greatest accomplishment in your field thus far?
A: I would have to say being involved in the implementation of our current company. There were many details. So much had to be prepared and planned out precisely in order to succeed on our go live date. This was a big accomplishment for many people, and we all had a specific role in order to succeed. I, along with many others, were pushed to our limits to get everything up and going. We closed on a Friday and opened the following Monday, full force. Were there issues to fix along the way? Absolutely! Did we succeed? Absolutely! I learned more than I ever thought possible. This really opened my eyes to all the moving parts of the company and gave me more appreciation for all members of the team.
Q: What goals do you have for yourself in the next five years?
A: I have recently started studying for the CRA exam. I would love to continue to grow as a leader and continue to mentor others like I have been mentored over the years. My mentor continues to challenge me and always pushes me to do more than I thought possible. With each assignment, I continue to learn and grow into a better leader.
