Thoughts from the Other Side of the CE Table

As you are aware, ADVANCE News Magazines holds job fairs and career events in venues all over the country. Free continuing education courses are offered as a part of the event and the company likes to have some of the editorial staff participate in these events, generally hosting the various speakers and acting as a room monitor to validate CE participation. This gives us a way to have personal contact with those of our readers who are attending the event. It also fulfills the requirements of the certifying agencies that the participants did attend the entire lecture.

At the end of the session, it is our duty to stamp forms to verify this attendance. For popular sessions, the line for the stamping can sometimes get rather long as people rush to get to the exhibit hall or to the next session.

Yesterday, I worked the CE table at the King of Prussia Job Fair. At the end of the day it was my duty to hand out certificates for each of the sessions that participants had attended. At the end of the day, it seemed to me like there were a dozens of hands simultaneously presenting their stamped forms and requesting their certificates. Luckily, I had help, and things went smoothly. It got me to thinking, however, about all the times that I, as a technologist, was on the other side of the table when attending CT events, such as local SNM meetings. Sometimes, when you are hurrying to the next event, it can seem like it is taking forever to get your attendance sheet stamped or to have your card scanned.

Now that I am on the other side, performing the accreditation tasks, I appreciate the work of my fellow technologists who have generously volunteered their time to perform these monitoring duties during SNM local and regional educational sessions.  

For many years, the NMTCB did not require CE credits, and the ASRT accepted self-reported attendance at some of the SNM meetings. Now, both certifying agencies require monitoring and attendance verification of all CE activities.

If it were not for volunteers helping with this attendance verification, CE education at local or national society meetings would certainly cost more, and fewer sessions might be available.

With the SNM annual meeting coming up this June, have you considered offering your services to help with introducing speakers or monitoring sessions? You might not have the time to work on a committee or to take an office in your local or national society, but there are always opportunities to help.

The next time you attend a local, regional or national meeting, consider letting the organizers know that you will be willing to help for a few hours, if needed. For instance, there is always a need for people to judge the posters or papers at the SNM annual meeting. Of course, the officers of the societies do many of these jobs; however, they also have sessions to direct and other duties to perform.

If it seems to you that the same people are always doing all the work in the organization, consider helping them out. Who knows, you might just find you enjoy the opportunity.

When I was talking to David Gilmore, MS, CNMT, NCT, RT(R)(N) the current president of the SNMTS, he told me that he got his start by helping with at local meetings, doing whatever was needed. This eventually led to advancements within his professional life, as well as within the society. You too may find friendships and opportunities by volunteering to help your societies. Why not contact a local representative and volunteer today?