V. Richard Ledoux, R.T. (R)(MR) (CT)
Radiology
I lived in Kansas City, Mo for a short time before moving to Columbia. I went to Rock Bridge High school before attending the University of Missouri where I met my wife, Amber. We had our son and then moved to St. Louis where I attended Forest Park Community College for Radiological Sciences. I worked for SSM Health at Saint Mary’s hospital as an X-ray technologist before moving back to Columbia so we could be closer to our families. I have a large extended family in South America and all over the U.S.
Why did you get into the health care field? I’ve always had an interest in science because my father was a research scientist. My grandmother and three of my aunts were nurses. My grandmother provided in-home hospice care for her mother and her aunt at their end of life and the dignity and care she provided for them really left an impression on me. I would hear stories of how they had cared for people in their time of need which I believe helps me in my job today.
What interested you in your particular specialty? I remember the quality of the imaging in MRI was beyond X-ray. I liked the challenge of imaging a more specialized modality and became part of a great team. MRI offers physicians and other medical professions the necessary answers needed prior to organizing the plan of care for a wide range of patients.
What is the most rewarding part of your job? Interacting with the patients, gaining their trust, letting them know they are valued here at Boone Health and that we are here to try and get answers for them to help aid them in their recovery.
What is the most challenging aspect of your job? Adapting to the personal requirements of each patient can be challenging. If a patient has claustrophobia, needle anxiety, a recent stroke, or a new negative diagnosis, it can be hard to provide the best experience for them while attaining the highest quality imaging.
What has changed in your field since you started practicing? To me, the technology has had the biggest change in my field. When I started in radiology, we processed film in a dark room. Now, everything is digital imaging in X-ray. When I started imaging in CT, it was on a 16-slice scanner and now, we image on a 128 slice Siemen’s scanner which provides a vast array of complex cardiac, vascular, and trauma imaging. In MRI, we now have the ability to scan more patients with implanted devices which in the past we could not do.
What do you see changing in the next 5 to 10 years? I believe there will be new technology that could combine modalities into a single scan — to increase the diagnostic accuracy for patients while lessening the anxiety that can come with multiple procedures.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I enjoy going to the gym to keep myself fit. I also enjoy gardening, reading, watching movies, and am an avid gamer.
What advice would you give someone looking to become a radiologic technologist? This is a great field to get into with a lot of flexibility to move into multiple areas of practice. Be open to advice from those who are already in the field because nothing beats experience. Be willing to think outside the box as our field is always changing; what works for one patient today may not work for the next. Always be willing to be a team player and show patients compassion and treat them with dignity.