Nov. 5, 2009 | Recent UAMS graduate Joanne Huck became the first radiologist assistant licensed by the Arkansas State Medical Board – illustrating the increase in stature of the profession, said the UAMS program’s director.

Huck works at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, where she performs patient imaging procedures, including lumbar punctures, bone marrow biopsies and preparing patients for imaging using the chemical, barium sulfate. Working under the supervision of a radiologist, it’s more advanced work than she could have done as a radiologic technologist.

A relatively new profession, radiologist assistants were previously licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health, said Rebecca Ludwig, Ph.D., director of the graduate radiologist assistant program and chairman of the Department of Imaging and Radiation Sciences in the UAMS College of Health Related Professions. UAMS established the RA program in 2006 to meet a rising demand for imaging services compounded by a shortage of radiologists.

“At this level, these RAs are functioning as advanced technologists in the capacity of radiologist extenders,” Ludwig said. “This allows the physician to focus on more complex cases and spend more time in image interpretation.”

The radiologist assistant learns more advanced skills and can provide initial observations of images for the radiologist and performs patient assessment, management and education duties.

Allied Health Professions Week, Nov. 1-7, is a time to highlight these and other vital members of the modern health care team. Today an estimated 6 million people, or roughly 50 percent of the health care work force, are in an allied health profession.

The nuclear medicine program at UAMS, another imaging program in the College of Health Related Professions, recently added a first-of-its-kind master’s level degree program. The nuclear medicine advanced associate will help meet the growing demand for advanced imaging practitioners as new procedures are developed – not unlike the goal of the radiologist assistant program.

The program is offered through a consortium of three universities: UAMS, Saint Louis University and the University of Missouri–Columbia. It is designed for distance learning and is delivered using a combination of online instruction and clinical instruction at facilities affiliated with UAMS and the consortium partners.

College of Health Related Professions Dean Ronald Winters, Ph.D., said the allied health professions are expanding their skills to take on responsibilities once handled exclusively by physicians.

“Allied health professionals already make up about half of the modern health care work force,” Winters said. “As the demand for medical care increases, combined with shortages of physicians and nurses, the contributions of the allied health professions become more critical.”

More than half of those working in health care in the United States today are in a profession other than doctor or nurse. They are sonographers, respiratory therapists, dental hygienists, paramedics, genetics counselors or one of more than 60 other allied health professions. The UAMS College of Health Related Professions includes 24 programs in 17 allied health professions.

As for Huck, the Jonesboro radiologist assistant said she loves her work. She initially planned to pursue a career in physical therapy and entered radiologic technology as a something she could do part time while earning her physical therapy degree.

But she enjoyed the work – seeing patients and helping with the imaging work, she said. Upon hearing about the radiologist assistant program, she changed her career plans.

“I’ve enjoyed learning the science behind the imaging,” Huck said. “Every procedure is a challenge.”