{"id":6774,"date":"2023-05-17T10:03:55","date_gmt":"2023-05-17T15:03:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dunwoody.edu\/news\/?p=6774"},"modified":"2023-06-15T16:22:52","modified_gmt":"2023-06-15T21:22:52","slug":"blending-compassion-and-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dunwoody.edu\/news\/2023\/blending-compassion-and-career\/","title":{"rendered":"Blending compassion and career"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Academic Excellence Award \u2014 Michael McGaffey, Radiologic Technology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At Dunwoody, starting a career in Radiologic Technology<\/a> involves extensive classroom, lab, and on-site clinical training. As an integral part of a medical team, technologists must be prepared to safely operate highly specialized equipment, perform medical diagnostic procedures, and understand human anatomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael McGaffey, the 2023 Academic Excellence Award winner for Health Sciences & Technology, has proven to have a solid grasp on the technical skills needed to succeed in the program. But his intrinsic concern for the well-being of his patients is at the root of his passion.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPersonally, I watched Michael grow in his knowledge of radiology over the past two years,\u201d said Craig Regan, Clinical Instructor of Radiologic Technology. \u201cHe is a focused, self-starting individual, a true team-player who demonstrates leadership and compassion. If I or one of my family members needed medical attention, I would not hesitate to place them in Michael\u2019s care.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Thomas Finnegan, Director of Math and Science and one of McGaffey\u2019s instructors, was pleased that McGaffey won the award this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMichael\u2019s demeanor and personality are remarkably genuine. He is an excellent ambassador of Dunwoody and the Rad Tech program,\u201d Finnegan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2018 graduate of Kennedy High School in Bloomington, Minnesota, McGaffey studied kinesiology for two years prior to coming to Dunwoody. Interested in the health care field, but unsure of what path to follow, he took a year off from college to consider his options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His father was a 1989 graduate of Dunwoody\u2019s Architectural Drafting & Estimating Technology program and spoke highly of the College. Learning that Dunwoody had a Radiologic Technology program caught his attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt matched my interests, and I had confidence that attending Dunwoody would prepare me for my career,\u201d McGaffey said. \u201cI believed that my background in anatomy would transfer well to medical imaging.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instructors in the Radiologic Technology program<\/a> are professionals who have worked in the field, and students are quickly immersed in clinical, on-site training through Dunwoody\u2019s partnership with hospitals and clinics in the Twin Cities. McGaffey believes this hands-on approach offered invaluable learning experiences with equipment, procedures, and in understanding patient care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGaining insight from people who have years of experience as X-ray techs has been very valuable,\u201d McGaffey said. \u201cIn this field, we may be working with patients who are in great amounts of pain or simply not in a good mood, which is understandable. Learning how to handle moments like this is very important, and Dunwoody offered the opportunity to experience real situations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working under pressure is part of the job, and the training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe aspect of clinical training I\u2019ve enjoyed the most is learning how to work the X-ray machines in the operating room,\u201d McGaffey said. \u201cIt was a challenge for me to get used to working with surgical teams, but I think that is what makes it satisfying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another one of the perks of clinical training is moving around. \u201cI just feel good when I\u2019m active. Working in radiology departments has been surprisingly physical,\u201d McGaffey said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sense of humor doesn\u2019t hurt either \u2014 and it helps build camaraderie and relieve stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAside from the valuable experience we get at multiple clinic sites, I\u2019ve really enjoyed being around my classmates and instructors,\u201d McGaffey said. \u201cEveryone takes their education seriously, but it feels like there\u2019s not a class that goes by that I don\u2019t laugh at least once.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMichael is a great guy, super quiet until you get to know him and then he\u2019s very funny,\u201d said Austin Sunde, a classmate in the program. \u201cHe\u2019s actually a very good artist and sometimes during class I\u2019ll see a piece of paper slide into my field of view and it\u2019s usually a really well-drawn character from SpongeBob. He is a very funny guy and well-liked by everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of class, McGaffey enjoys country music, working out, and fishing, when he has time. He credits his parents and siblings for being supportive and inspiring him to do his best. \u201cMy faith in Jesus is also an inspiration,\u201d he said. \u201cI want my behavior to reflect my beliefs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently employed at ACR Homes, McGaffey works in a home with people who have disabilities. He plans to continue working there until finding a position in X-Ray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For McGaffey, the end goal is about helping people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hope to have a positive impact in my future workplace among the patients I see, and my coworkers. While making a decent living for myself, I want to do my job well.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Academic Excellence Award \u2014 Michael McGaffey, Radiologic Technology At Dunwoody, starting a career in Radiologic Technology involves extensive classroom, lab, and on-site clinical training. As an integral part of a medical team, technologists must be prepared to safely operate highly specialized equipment, perform medical diagnostic procedures, and understand human anatomy. Michael McGaffey, the 2023 Academic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6773,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[363],"tags":[314,40],"class_list":["post-6774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-excellence-award","tag-dunwoody-college-of-technology","tag-radiologic-technology"],"yoast_head":"\nBlending compassion and career - Dunwoody College News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dunwoody.edu\/news\/2023\/blending-compassion-and-career\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Blending compassion and career - Dunwoody College News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Academic Excellence Award \u2014 Michael McGaffey, Radiologic Technology At Dunwoody, starting a career in Radiologic Technology involves extensive classroom, lab, and on-site clinical training. 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