Simmons graduated in 2007 from the Post-baccalaureate Radiologist Assistant program and later in 2012 with a Master’s in Radiologic Science from the Division of Radiologic Science within the ������’s Department of Allied Health Sciences. His time in Chapel Hill was unique – he was a nontraditional student with more than a decade of work experience, four children and a full-time job after class.

“The knowledge I gained during my time at ������ was excellent,” says Simmons. “Even though I had been working in radiology for years, what I learned within the Radiologist Assistant program shifted the way I thought about approaching procedures and supported my career growth.”

Program Completion Spurs Creative Innovation On the Job

For 11 years Simmons worked as an Interventional Radiology Operations Manager at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston. When he returned after receiving his MRS from ������, his role shifted to Radiologist Assistant (RA) and he became consistently more involved in developing processes, protocols and ideas to improve patient and practitioner experiences.

“When I first started as an RA, I got right to work and followed the existing processes and protocols, for each patient and procedure,” says Simmons. “As I matured in the role, I began thinking more about ways to improve myself and my team. I developed three new protocols to help patients get in and out of the hospital quicker while increasing revenue, which were beneficial changes for all parties.”

Simmons’s critical thinking skills were cultivated during his time in the Division of Radiologic Science and have directly impacted his most recent endeavor, the launch of SealCath and a shift to full-time business owner.

“I was performing a pediatric procedure, a tough case, and I couldn’t keep air in the colon with the catheter I was using. I knew we needed a better product, but I couldn’t find one anywhere,” says Simmons. “I started drawing pictures of what we needed, discovered there was nothing like it on the market, and started working through the process of developing the Cephus Catheter.”

Changing Healthcare with the Cephus Catheter

The is a double balloon colorectal catheter intended to instill air or fluid into the colon. The catheter incorporates two inflatable balloons: one spherical and a secondary tapered balloon. The augmentation of the two balloons creates an airtight rectal seal.

Simmons did most of the research himself, developed a pilot study, created a prototype and then launched a study that was funded by the NIH. The successful study concluded in 2018, and the Cephus Catheter was cleared by the FDA and patented in the US in 2019 and in Canada in 2020.

During the research phase Simmons discovered additional uses for the product. This prompted a design that supports a range of medical providers including radiologists, pediatric surgeons, gastroenterologists, internists and family practitioners in their efforts to improve the efficiency, efficacy and productivity of various procedures. He continues to find new applications for the Cephus Catheter and is encouraged by the positive feedback he’s received from medical facilities across the country that have put it to use.

“I’m proud to offer a product that benefits both children and adults and can improve healthcare in general,” says Simmons. “The original procedure that prompted me to explore a catheter solution took me 40 minutes, and I recently performed the same procedure using the Cephus Catheter in just three minutes. It’s exciting and rewarding to see how far we’ve come.”

Simmons notes that the Cephus Catheter is currently in use at facilities in Florida, South Carolina, Maine, Arizona and Illinois, and he expects further growth as relevant medical procedures pick up.

Cephus Simmons, PHD, MRS (’07) is the founder of SealCath and Professor Emeritus at the Medical University of South Carolina.

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Amy Dela Cruz

The curriculum, which aims to launch its first cohort of students in summer 2021, will be a new option for undergraduate students as part of the existing bachelor’s degree program.

Dela Cruz has worked in the field of ultrasound for 21 years. She has spent 14 years as a sonographer at the University of Virginia Medical Center and at its outpatient imaging center. In 2014, she joined South Piedmont Community College in Monroe, North Carolina, as program director of its medical sonography program. During her time, students had a 100 percent pass rate on national registries, in addition to a 100 percent employment rate, with most students accepting employment near Charlotte. The program, accredited since 2004, was re-accredited for 10 years in 2019. The program was strengthened by close relationships with their clinical partners, Atrium Health System and Novant Health, with whom they shared 23 clinical sites.

The Division of Radiologic Science is housed in the Department of Allied Health Sciences. 

Wendy Ross

“I was really looking for some way to do something, and I felt it was very nice to have such an organized, ‘you just step and do the work’ opportunity rather than having for us to figure it out ourselves,” Ross said.

So far, Ross has assembled more than 200 PPE kits. The BeAM space has contributed tens of thousands of face shields to health care organizations, including to ������ Health.

“I hope and I believe that it will help health caregivers feel safe and cared for and make them able to do their jobs more easily,” Ross said.

Ross said she heard about the volunteer opportunity thanks to a desire to learn more about the BeAM makerspace. During radiologic science students’ senior year, they have the opportunity to use the BeAM space, which includes a 3D printer, to model organs or other body parts as part of a capstone project. Previously, a student used the BeAM space to create a model of the heart to better illustrate how imaging equipment might best be used.

“I think the more that we talk about it and expose the students to what’s available, the more creative they can be with what they’re trying to do.”

Ross said the level of organization and attention to keep BeAM volunteers safe and healthy while assembling PPE impressed her.

“It’s just amazing to think a few people stepped up and said, ‘we can do this,’” Ross said. “They had to do a lot of planning and organizing to get this off the ground.”

The Division of Radiologic Science is housed in the Department of Allied Health Sciences.

Following a 60-hour training, Bollapragada completed her first text conversation as a crisis counselor at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rigorous training included learning from mental health professionals, engaging in simulated conversations, and learning about resources offered by the Crisis Text Line.

During her time at ������-Chapel Hill, Bollapragada served with ������ Student Government as part of a mental health committee. Both experiences have influenced her interest in psychology, neuroscience, and potentially medical school.

As a student, Bollapragada specialized in MRI and has an interest in functional MRI, or fMRI, which helps providers learn more about a patient’s brain activity, such as emotion.

“I’m so grateful that I found this opportunity to volunteer. I think it’s a perfect way during COVID to give back when we can’t be able to physically be with people,” Bollapragada said.

During a typical four-hour shift, she texts with clients around the world and averages two to three conversations, which typically last 45 minutes or longer. Since the pandemic began, Bollapragada said the Crisis Text Line has experienced an uptick in working with people who face anxiety, depression, and even suicide.

“We focus on identifying their goal and on collaborative problem solving,” she said. “We want to empower them and make sure they are able to handle this and make them feel supported.” In the event of an emergency, Bollapragada is able to contact emergency services, an experience she first had two weeks ago.

While crisis counselors do not know the outcomes of their text conversations with clients, they are able to share resources with them, such as options for long-term counseling. They also discuss coping mechanisms and can orchestrate referrals.

Several of her conversations have also focused on feelings of isolation and domestic violence. According to Crisis Text Line, 75 percent of its clients report isolation, a figure which is up 70 percent from three weeks ago. Similarly, 67 percent feel more anxious than they did prior to the pandemic.

Bollapragada, who is from Cary, North Carolina, hopes to move Atlanta, Georgia, to work at a spine center as a radiologic technologist.

As a future health care provider, Bollapragada said she has learned communication and listening skills, which have instilled empathy.

“It’s given me a more holistic perspective to health care,” Bollapragada said. “Of course, as radiologic science students, we are empathetic and compassionate toward the patients we interact with, but I think this has given me that much more of an understanding of how much else can be going on in a patient’s life.”

Bollapragada said she Crisis Text Line community supports its crisis counselors well; for instance, several counselors reached out to message her well wishes before her first shift. She said the organization also emphasizes self care and gives counselors the opportunity to debrief if they have a tougher conversation with a client.

To reach out to the Crisis Text Line, text HOME to 741741.

The Division of Radiologic Science is housed in the Department of Allied Health Sciences.

RAD-AID is a nonprofit that brings radiology to low-resource areas by delivering education, promoting local procurement of equipment, strengthening local economies, and supporting human capacity development.

Melissa Culp

“Radiology services are not accessible everywhere to the same extent,” Culp explained. “RAD-AID seeks to promote health equity and to increase access to medical imaging globally.”

RAD-AID, which is designated as a non-state actor in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), has a mission that promotes the WHO’s global health targets.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, RAD-AID is assisting with the WHO country support goals of promoting the appropriate use of radiology in COVID-19 clinical management, of providing guidance on safe management of patients—including infection control and prevention, and of sharing guidance on radiological equipment procurement and best practice donation processes.

Culp noted that COVID-19 should be diagnosed with a clinical laboratory test. Medical imaging is not recommended to screen for the disease.

Culp said radiology is part of the clinical management for patients with many health conditions so it is important to ensure that correct and accurate information is shared globally.

Lauren teaching in Tanzania

During February 2020, ������ Health MRI technologist, Lauren Fuller, traveled with RAD-AID International to Tanzania. At present, RAD-AID is supporting its global radiology community through distance education via tele-teaching/tele-consult and by continuing IT infrastructure development within partnerships. This interview features Lauren’s volunteering and how she continues to help!

What global health objectives did complete in Tanzania? Where did you go? With whom did you work?
I traveled to Moshi, Tanzania to work with MRI technologists at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC). I provided lectures and hands on clinical instruction in MRI physics, safety, and protocols.

How does your trip fit into the overall progression of the RAD-AID Tanzania partnership?
My trip fits into the overarching progression of RAD-AID Tanzania because it provided education. This education improves utilization of equipment, safety of and access to examinations. As MRI technologist education is increased, citizens of Tanzania receive higher quality health care, resulting in improved global health.

Mount Kilimanjaro

How did your time as a ������ Division of Radiologic Science student prepare you for this experience?
My time as a student in the division prepared me by instilling confidence and an ability to adapt to challenging situations. Professors and clinical instructors supported both my personal and educational growth. They inspired me to step outside of my comfort zone and give back by passing along clinical knowledge which they passed to me.

What did you learn from your experience as a ?
I am grateful for the RAD-AID ASRT Foundation Outreach for providing this exceptional opportunity. This experience taught me many things–the value of a structured and formal education, the importance of cultural competency and etiquette, how fortunate we are to have reasonable access to quality healthcare in the US, and how to better explain magnetic resonance imaging concepts.

What’s next for you?
I plan to continue to support MRI technologist education in Tanzania. I am already communicating regularly with the KCMC technologists via WhatsApp! For example, we recently messaged about how to perform an MR Urogram. Soon, I will be working to make MRI lectures and educational material accessible to MRI technologists across all RAD-AID Tanzania institutions through RAD-AID’s online Learning Management System.

������ Global Radiology, a , was founded in 2012 by the ������’s Division of Radiologic Science and the Department of Radiology. In support of , ������ Global Radiology seeks to create a global radiology community through education, collaboration, and innovation. Lauren’s visit to Tanzania was part of a between RAD-AID International and KCMC in Moshi, Tanzania.

– Submitted by Lauren Fuller, MHA, RT(R)(MR), MRSO of ������ Health

Latonya Brown-Puryear ’93

Name:

Latonya Brown-Puryear

Program:

Division of Radiologic Science

Graduation Year:

1993

Current Employer and Job Title:

Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine Physician with St. Elizabeth Physicians

Tell us about your job:

I have the unique opportunity as an ICU doctor to see people at their worst and in many instances see them rebound. I have been fortunate enough to be a place of solace when people have loved ones who are transitioning. I am an advocate for those who feel they have lost their voices in my ICU. While physically and mentally exhausting, I can’t really imagine any job that would be more rewarding or fulfilling!

How did your education with the Division of Radiologic Science benefit you?:

������-CH was a springboard that motivated and helped propel me into my future endeavors. It gave me a supportive base and a tribe of people that I knew would always support me and have my back!

Drew Webster is a senior in the Division of Radiologic Science who had a non-traditional path to ������-Chapel Hill. As a community college student at Alamance Community College, Webster found that the transition to the University opened a pathway to higher education for him.

“I actually got married right before I entered the program that summer,” Webster said. “I’ve commuted in every single day since then. So, it’s definitely been a non-traditional route.”

Webster described community college as an intermediate step that prepared him before going to a larger institution.

“Knowing that ������ has such a prestigious name in the medical field, and just in general, that just adds to the great experience that you get through this program,” Webster said.

Drew Webster, Division of Radiologic Science

Webster said he was drawn to the field of radiologic science because of the versatility of the degree and variety of jobs available to graduates. The potential of job security means a lot to Webster because he said his family has experienced past hardships.

“With radiologic science, you have so many different fields that you can go into,” Webster said. “It, honestly, just means the world to me that I, more than likely, won’t have to follow in that same situation that my family and I did growing up.”

Webster said he has particularly enjoyed the program’s rotations through clinical sites. He appreciates the experience and the advice from professionals that the rotations offer.

“It creates opportunities for me to gain knowledge in all those different areas,” Webster said. “Say I go to a site out of state—they can ask me a question about a different piece of equipment—and I can tell them I’ve had experience with it because I’ve gone through all these different sites.”

Webster is a recipient of the 2019-2020 Buddy Clark Loyalty Fund Radiologic Science scholarship. He said his scholarship has allowed him to focus on his grades and assignments without added pressure of having to work a part-time job.

“I always had to work on the weekends, typically, in landscaping,” Webster said. “That scholarship has meant that I don’t have to do that every single weekend […] I greatly appreciate it. You have no clue how much that meant to me.”

The Division of Radiologic Science is one of seven housed in the Department of Allied Health Sciences in the ������.

–Brooke Love, Communications Intern

Kenya Haugen, DM, RT(R), FAEIRS

I learned that people are always eager to learn more and explore ways to improve practices. Unfortunately, resources are limited, and the health care providers and staff do what they can with the resources they are provided. My specific lecture was titled Mapping Research and Evidence-Based Practice. We discussed how questions arise about the process or best practice throughout the workday and what we can do to satisfy the need to answer those questions. We discussed one method of defining the issue by creating a PICO table. P (Patient, Problem), I (Intervention), C (Context/Comparison), O (Outcomes). We talked about methods for researching. They didn’t have access to databases, but we did discuss Google Scholar as an option. Ethics and consent were also part of the discussion. I broadly discussed the differences between research design methods.

At the end of the lecture, participants teamed up, each person sharing their interests and questions, any challenges anticipated, list people who could help with the research, and then we came back together as a group and discussed the interests, challenges, and the people they selected. Everyone was involved in the process and could see how making a plan, follow-through, and accountability is part of the research process.

I would not have had the opportunity to share knowledge with the Grenadian people if I had not received the . The fellowship allowed me to travel to a place I had never been and was able to exchange meaningful dialogue that was beneficial for everyone I met. I am forever humbled and grateful for the experience.

������ Global Radiology, a , was founded in 2012 by the ������’s Division of Radiologic Science and the Department of Radiology. In support of , ������ Global Radiology seeks to create a global radiology community through education, collaboration, and innovation. Dr. Haugen’s visit to Grenada was part of a between RAD-AID International and the Ministry of Health in Grenada.

– Submitted by Kenya Haugen, DM, RT(R), FAEIRS, Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Radiologic Science

Ewing and Winton in Malawi

During spring break 2020, Fiets and Gates will visit and shadow at the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland. This bilateral exchange has goals of understanding radiology services in different health systems and of incorporating positive takeaways into future practice. The students will gain experience with radiology in an area with different cultures and languages. Additionally, they will observe cutting-edge equipment in a Siemens trial center hospital.

In July, Ewing and Winton visited Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi with division faculty member, Wendy Ross, MS, RT(R)(CT). Additionally, Winton received a to support her travel. This visit is part of an established partnership that seeks to strengthen existing radiology services via education for clinicians and radiographers.

������ Global Radiology, a chapter of , aims to create a global radiology community through education, collaboration, and innovation. The was founded in 2012 by the division with the ������’s Department of Radiology.

The division offers two global health opportunities for student technologists in Malawi and Switzerland. Global Student Ambassadors participate in learning opportunities that contribute within established partnerships for a sustainable impact and receive mentorship on best practices within global health pathways.

Inception-to-Date Snapshot of Global Health Travel (2013 – 2019)