Interview with Kevin Seisler

1. What is your current position?

My current position is Education Coordinator for the Department of Radiology. I am in

charge of continuing education for the technologists. This includes general imaging, CT,

MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and breast imaging technologists. I provide online

education modules for the technologists, put on two symposiums per year, recruit, and

teach a class in the radiography program.

2. What is your educational background?

I have a four-year degree in music education from Augustana College. When I finished

that, I went to the radiography program at the Mayo Clinic and got a two-year

radiography degree.

3. Do you have any special skills or experience relating to medical imaging?

When I started out in the field, I worked as a technologist. I rotated between working at

Methodist Hospital and Mayo. I worked evenings, weekends, and days in general

radiology. I worked up in surgery, doing images during surgical procedures. I worked in

the emergency room, scanning patients that came in from trauma. After a couple of years,

I started teaching one of the classes in the radiography program. A year after that, I

appointed the first Clinical Instructor for our program and did that for a number of years.

I then became the Assistant Director of the program and did that for many years as well. I

think that having the education degree in college, plus the radiology training, helped me

get to where I am today.

4. What does a day on the job look like for you?

Most of my days are spent creating online education modules. Daily, I send out many

certificates to technologists who have completed the online modules. This includes tech

from Rochester, Scottsdale, Jacksonville, and the Mayo Health System. I also work on

course work and planning recruiting activities.

5. What did you major in and did you ever go back to school?

I majored in music. I got my four-year degree and then went back to the radiology

program after that.

6. What is your favorite part of your job?

In my career, my favorite part was when I was working in the field, taking X-rays, and

meeting patients from all around the world. Still, I enjoy talking to patients that I see in

the hallways. Currently, I enjoy teaching the new radiography students.

7. Is there anything that you dislike about your job?

Right now, my job is a little sedentary. I don’t get to move around very much. I work at a

computer all day and don’t get to go out and meet as many people as I would like to.

8. What advice would you have for someone who is unsure what type of medical imaging

field they would like to work in?

Definitely get involved and do some job shadowing in different areas. Do some research

on the fields, talk to somebody who is in the field, and find a mentor to guide you.

9. Have you worked at a clinic or hospital other than the Mayo Clinic?
 No, I have been here for 35 years.

10. Have you ever done a similar project with another student before?

I have never done anything this involved. I have students who come for job shadows, so I

just see them for smaller amounts of time.