Aug. 1, 2017
No one who knows Bart Pierce, B.S., R.T.(R)(MR), FASRT, MRSO(MRSC), would ever dream of asking him to do more for the R.T. community than he already has. No one, that is, except Bart himself.
Bart has contributed more than his fair share of time and energy to the profession. He works as a magnetic resonance imaging technologist II and MR safety officer at the Corvallis Clinic in Oregon and spends many hours throughout the year tutoring MR students, giving lectures and writing content for radiology textbooks.
“I am passionate about MRI,” Bart says. “I love teaching and seeing the students ‘get it,’ especially since it is so different from radiography. I love taking care of my patients and producing the perfect image each and every time.”
A Life-changing Experience
It’s Bart’s passion for teaching students and caring for patients that fueled his decision to apply for a spot in RAD-AID’s international outreach program.
He was awarded an outreach fellowship through the ASRT Foundation in early 2016, and within a couple of months, joined colleagues from around the world at Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The hospital had just installed its first MRI system, and the staff needed in-depth training.
“The ability to […] get involved in an outreach program halfway around the world was literally a life-changing experience for me,” says Bart. “We are so blessed in this country — from what we have, to what we can experience, and to what we can attain — we sometimes forget that there are parts of the world out there that simply have nothing.”
Working 12-hour days, Bart helped train the staff at Black Lion Hospital as they worked on patients. During the three weeks he was there, Bart says they scanned approximately 300 patients.
Planting Seeds and Giving Back
After returning from his stint in Ethiopia, Bart came back to the States with an even greater sense of commitment, purpose and gratitude.
“I would never have been able to travel to Ethiopia to be able to help those in need without the financial support of the Foundation,” says Bart. “My goal now is to not forget what I saw, but to spread the story and hopefully plant the seed for others to experience what I have experienced.”
Bart’s recent donation to the ASRT Foundation, given on behalf of his company (Voxel MR Resources), will go a long way toward facilitating that goal. His gift is helping to ensure that the Foundation can continue to offer international outreach fellowships to R.T.s.
“The opportunity to give back, not only to the profession but to society in general, moved me deep inside,” he says.
Not Slowing Down
This year, Bart celebrates 30 years as an R.T., and he shows no sign of slowing down. Through his consulting business, he offers live lectures, seminars and private tutoring for radiologic technology students. In addition, he’s working as a contributing author on two radiology books.
“MRI has given me a great career where I can learn, teach and help people all at the same time,” he says.
Throughout his career, Bart has dedicated himself to lifting up and supporting other R.T.s — a goal the Foundation also embraces.
“Elevating the profession requires a tireless commitment to giving back — reaching out to equip those who are less fortunate, not just to take radiographs, but to give them a path to a better life,” says Bart. “I am so pleased with the work the Foundation is doing […] and its ability to empower technologists to follow their passion and do their best work, at home and abroad.”