March 2007 | Vol. 25, No. 3

SVU Member Profile

Shirley Ann Mary Wagner-Sevy, RDCS, RVT (APS), RCS, RVS

Technical Director, Vascular Laboratory
Progressive Physician Associates
Easton, Pennsylvania

When did you start this position?

I started at Progressive Physician Associates in March 1992.

Where and when did you get your vascular training?

I trained as corpsman with the U.S. Navy; served 1969 through 1972; then did cardiac ultrasound training with Richard Kerber, MD, at the University of Iowa, 1972 through 1974; then vascular coursework at the University of Iowa, 1982; and finally vascular technology mentoring from Frank West and Michael Rush while at AMIC, 1985 through 1992.

How long have you been in the vascular technology profession?

I have been in the vascular technology profession since 1982 - eons!

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

I was the director of noninvasive cardiac lab at Humana Hospital in Orange Park, FL, when I was asked to add vascular ultrasound to the lab's capabilities. I haven't looked back.

What and where was your first job in vascular technology?

My first vascular position was at Humana Hospital in Orange Park, FL, in 1982.

When did you join SVU?

I joined SVU, then SVT, in 1983.

What do you like best about your current position?

What I like best is the opportunity to care for patients, mentor students, and work closely with colleagues.

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

Yes; the CME Committee from 2005 through present.

Are you a member of a SVU Affiliated Chapter?

Yes, I am a member of the Northeast Pennsylvania Vascular Chapter (NEPVC). 

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

I have served as NEPVC President, Vice President and (currently) Secretary.

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

SVU should provide online resources to help members, chapters and the national office communicate better.

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

The changing regulatory climate and its impact on technologists' workloads, and the need for more registered technologists.

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

Always challenge yourself - volunteer for the studies that you feel you're weakest in, and never hesitate to ask for help and advice from other technologists. And, of course, join SVU and your local SVU Affiliated Chapter, and attend their meetings! Become involved.

How can SVU better serve its members in the future?

SVU needs to keep providing quality educational opportunities and continue effective communications between the Society and its members.

Any other comments you would like to add about your membership in SVU since 1983?

I've seen continuous improvement in the Society, and feel it's currently the best it's been since I joined almost 25 years ago.

Any Spouse or Children? (If so what are their names and ages)

Spouse, Jonathan Sevy, age unknown

Any Pets?

No; I have six brothers and sisters, and when we asked for a pet while growing up my mother would tell us to go play with one of our siblings. This lesson has stuck with me to the present (though now I play with my husband instead).

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

Not working...? Can you elaborate on that? ;-) Actually, we love bicycling, hiking, cross-country skiing, and traveling; also lurking on Flownet.