Jacqueline Nel and Janior Perez
Imaging Specialists in different corners of the world
Antaros Medical has its head quarter and image analysis CoreLab in Sweden, and a recently established subsidiary in the US. Yet, the business is worldwide, so the company works with imaging sites globally. This requires the presence of our Imaging Specialists in all corners of the world so that they can train and manage our global imaging site network. Here, we meet two of them: Jacqueline Nel and Janior Perez.
An experienced biker and MRI specialist
Imaging Specialist Jacqueline Nel is now based in near Durban, although her time in South Africa started earlier than planned due to the Covid-19 pandemic – and her passion for cycling.
– I was on my way from Cairo to Cape Town by bike. But halfway there in Tanzania, the pandemic broke out so I couldn’t finish the tour. Since then, I’ve been working from South Africa, in close contact to imaging sites down here, explains Jacqueline.
Jacqueline has cycled throughout all the continents, her longest tour being China to Turkey over the Himalayas! When not riding a bicycle, she is a very experienced Imaging Specialist.
– I worked for almost 20 years as an Image Application Specialist for a large manufacturer of MRI scanners, says Jacqueline. Then I ran into Antaros Medical’s Senior Imaging Director, Paul Hockings. We found that we shared a mutual interest in outdoor adventures – and imaging! He encouraged me to apply for a job at Antaros Medical.
An MRI natural
Fellow Imaging Specialist Janior Perez is located in Miami, USA. He began his career as an X-Ray Technician, but realised that he had a natural talent for managing an MRI scanner.
– I was really interested in the technique. I got my first MRI job back in 2004 even before I had finished my training, and found that I was able to do things with the MRI scanner that I wasn’t really trained to do. So I guess I’m a natural, says Janior.
He got in contact with Antaros Medical through a local CRO as he wanted to work for a company dedicated to MRI scanning. Janior was the first one representing Antaros Medical based in the US.
– Antaros Medical is establishing contact with more and more imaging sites in both North and South America. I’m from Cuba originally, and I guess it’s also an advantage to have such language and cultural skills as we’re expanding even further south, says Janior.
What does an Imaging Specialist do?
Many of Antaros Medical’s job descriptions include the term “imaging”, but how does the role of Imaging Specialist differ from that of an Imaging Director or an Image Analyst?
– Our job as imaging specialists is to help the imaging sites take the right scans for a specific study. The way images are taken for clinical trials differs a lot compared to those diagnosing patients in a healthcare setting, explains Janior. What we do is to supervise a series of test scans until we get the right image quality and ensure that images are taken in the same way at all study visits. So besides a deep knowledge in MRI scanning, this also involves teaching skills.
– You quickly discover that imaging sites around the world are different both culturally and in how their processes are set up for imaging different organs. There are subtle, cultural differences even among the Scandinavian countries so you learn to adapt your teaching style accordingly, says Jacqueline.
– In our role, we don’t decide what kind of scans we’re after in the study – that’s a job for the Imaging Director. Our job is to make it happen so we really need to know first-hand what can be achieved with each specific MRI scanner, says Janior.
Alone yet not lonely
So what’s it like for our remote Imaging Specialists to represent Antaros Medical – and do they ever feel lonely working so far away from their colleagues?
– No, I don’t feel lonely, says Janior. I get really good support and really enjoy working at Antaros Medical. I feel that people listen to my ideas and I also like how everybody is really helpful and supportive of each other.
– I love it! It’s a young and dynamic company, and the whole atmosphere is very nice, concludes Jacqueline.