Planning for the future
Starting a new year often brings with it the hope and anticipation of a productive 12 months. 2022 is no exception, as we forge on from the past two years of disruption, taking the lessons we learned and apply them to all aspects of the coming year. I have seen our members performing their work to the highest standards during the pandemic and know you have the skills to navigate what this year brings and made the medical radiation professions proud. As always, your Society continues to be a support for members, as we too progress with new ideas and ways of creating a better profession for all MRPs.
Key to this progression is our annual Branch Executives meeting. Held on Saturday 19 February, each state came together for wide ranging discussions around events (both educational and social), Branch operational procedures and how each state Branch is planning for the year ahead. Each year we also take the opportunity to review the Strategic Plan and ensure that we are on track to achieve our goals. Whilst Branch members again participated in this meeting via Zoom, we do hope to return to a face-to-face gathering very soon. I am so grateful to the Branch Executive and Committees for their dedication, and work they undertake for the Society and for the profession as a whole.
Our CPD team have been working hard behind the scenes and recently created a totally online platform for all our exams. As registrations for exams continues to grow, we have worked to remove barriers to attendance with the online platform, and exams are now being running inhouse. The impetus for this change came from the restrictions Covid-19 presented, including issues with closed exams sites and the lengthy lead times for exam preparations when using a third party. Being able to provide exams online means more reliability and greater flexibility, as they can now be held in your workplace. The team has also improved the exam syllabus and support for candidates is now ASMIRT staffed and readily available. Excitingly we hope to take these changes further; currently exams are being held three times a year, however we are working towards them being available on-demand all year round. Watch this space, get enthused and apply.
Talk of vaccinations is regularly at the forefront of conversations in allied health. I have been asked what the Society is doing to assist MRPs who do not wish to get vaccinated and are at risk of losing their jobs as a result. The answer is that, like all other peak bodies and organisations, ASMIRT can do very little as we are all obliged to abide by the dictates of our federal, state and facility regulations. The Society trusts that each state is working for benefit of all staff and patients in medical settings and that members follow the rulings mandated in each state.
One area we can certainly direct our excitement in 2022 is the annual conference in Cairns in May, where planning is progressing at a terrific rate. It really looks as if this event will be a great success, and the first opportunity for members and others to network face-to-face in a national forum for over two years. I highly recommend booking your flights and accommodation now before early bird registration closes at the end of the month.
Please continue to be vigilant about health and safety as we navigate another year of battling existing COVID strains and dealing with potential new ones. As my term as President will come to a close in May, I am already able to look back and say am very proud of all that the Society and you have achieved – the care and dedication you to show for your fellow colleagues and patients continues to shine through.
Bronwyn Hilder
ASMIRT President
