August 2006 | Vol. 24, No. 8

SVU Member Profile

Paula M. Walsh, MM RVT RDMS RDCS

Cardiovascular Supervisor
Cambridge Health Alliance
Cambridge, MA

What is your current title and employer?

Cardiovascular Supervisor for the Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, MA. We are a three hospital alliance and my office is located just outside Harvard Square near Harvard University.

When did you start this position?

This is a new position for me; I started at Cambridge Health Alliance in February of this year.

What degrees and credentials do you have?

I have my RVT, RDMS, and RDCS credentials from ARDMS, and I completed a Masters in Management with a certificate in Health Care Administration in 2005 from Cambridge College in Cambridge, MA.

Where and when did you get your vascular training?

In San Antonio, TX, in the mid 1980's I worked with a gentleman named Fred Cox who introduced me to carotid imaging. The vast majority of my work has been in general imaging departments, but I decided to concentrate on cardiovascular imaging in the mid 1990's, predominantly vascular imaging.

What made you decide to enter vascular technology as a career?

I love puzzles and searching for answers, vascular technology is very much like that. There is more involvement with finding answers in vascular technology than I have experienced in other ultrasound modalities.

What and where was your first job in vascular technology?

My first dedicated job in vascular technology was the Vascular Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in 1997.

When did you join SVU?

I joined SVU in 2002.

What do you like best about your current position?

My current position involves preparing the cardiovascular departments at all three Cambridge Health Alliance sites to work as one department. The merging of three distinct cultures and creating uniformity has been a challenge which I have enjoyed thoroughly. I am fortunate to have a wonderful staff and management supporting the efforts as we prepare for accreditation.

Have you served on an SVU Committee, if so, which one(s) and when?

I am currently serving on the Chapters Committee as Co-Chair with Chair Shelly Burns.

Are you a member of an SVU Affiliated Chapter?

Yes, I belong to the Greater Boston Vascular Technologists (GBVT) affiliated chapter.

If yes, what positions have you served in that chapter, if any, and when?

In years past, I have served as the President and the Vice-President of the GBVT chapter.

How do you think SVU and its Chapters can work better together in the future?

There are a number of initiatives which are currently being implemented that I believe will positively impact and strengthen this relationship, including the re-establishment of a SVU Speakers Bureau and the Chapters Listserv to name just two.

What do you feel are the biggest issues facing vascular technologists today?

Apathy! Vascular Technologists who believe that someone else will do the work; we need everyone's involvement. Everyone brings something unique to the table.

What tips would you give to today's ultrasound students about their career in the vascular ultrasound profession?

Never assume you have learned all you need to know, keep searching, stay stimulated, and stay involved with your professional societies, locally and nationally.

How can SVU better serve its members in the future?

Education and Communications have been the key components of why I belong to SVU and I would like to see these continue to be a focus.

Any other comments you would like to add about your membership in SVU?

Of all the societies I have belonged to over the years, I believe that SVU has better informed the membership of legislative changes impacting the field. I think we owe those who have worked so strongly in our behalf a great deal of thanks and our support.

Do you have any children? If so, what are their names and ages? Any Pets?

My college age son, Scott, is still living at home along with a very vocal cat named Tiger, and a hyperactive ferret named Yumi.

What do you do for fun and relaxation when not working?

In addition to knitting and gardening, I am a news junkie (the more obscure/outrageous the better).