November 2011 Update from the President's Desk

“The time has come, the Walrus said………”

Over the last several years, the Australian Institute of Radiography has been blessed with a remarkably stable, and thus productive, Board of Directors.  However, this same Board recognises that such longevity and stability cannot remain so forever and that the times they are a-changing.  We are therefore in the process of strategically planning for a phased succession.

We need strong, experienced new talent, from both Diagnostic Imaging and Radiation Therapy, from every Australian state and possibly, in line with the new national registration environment, representatives from the wider Australian community, with specific useful accounting and/or legal expertise  and, possibly, New Zealand.

Of course, such people do not just ‘grow on trees’ but must be attracted to the idea of service to our profession and the Australian public and then exposed to a range of learning experiences – experiences that can establish a comprehensive background knowledge of the workings that underpin our organisation and our profession.

Even the most recent graduates to our professions should consider whether a degree of  involvement in our organisation, either at the simplest local level or advancing into such activities as Overseas Qualifications Assessment, can and/or should have a place in their longer term life plan.  Even if not, I would encourage you to read our publications and harvest from them as much knowledge as you can about the ongoing functions of all of our panels.  The information is out there, and to not know what is happening on your behalf is to place yourself at a considerable professional disadvantage.

So………..I hear you thinking, how should I begin?

• Start by having an opinion and sharing it…….at first with professional colleagues  who can be relied upon to gently coach your ‘political’ and academic reasoning.
• If something is bugging you, share it………write a letter to somebody, such as the Editor of Spectrum.
• Make contact with your State Branch Committee and seek an invitation to attend their committee meetings.  Before you know it, you will have a small but significant role within the organisation.
• Identify a role and/or panel function that interests you and watch the activities and regular reports that originate from that area.
• Seek nomination to a specific function or expert panel that interests you.  You will not be expected to immediately achieve full expertise and functionality on entry.
• Obtain a good yearly diary and record and manage your life commitments . You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how all of your activities can interact across the board.
• Be prepared to find the fun in everything you plan and do.  Relax and share.

Watching our evolution and wonderful history, current development and coming prospects, the future for the AIR is and has always been bright, but please accept this invitation to have a steering role, at whatever level you feel comfortable with, in that future.

I would be delighted to hear from any of our members who require further information or assistance to start planning their future involvement.  Please ask me a question and thank you for taking the time to read this letter to the members of the Australian Institute of Radiography and to all other subscribers and interested readers of our publications.

Bruce Harvey
President