UPHS – Marquette Heroes | Jennifer Fegan, R.T.(R)(CT)(AART)

What is your role at UPHS – Marquette?
I am a CT Technologist in Medical Imaging and am certified and registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) in Radiography and Computed Tomography (CT).

What was your inspiration for getting into healthcare?
Healthcare is actually my second career. For 10 years I worked in the mental health field, both as a crisis counselor and as a school counselor. I loved those roles but decided I needed a change.

Around that same time, my mom was diagnosed with leukemia. The care she received from her oncology team, as well as from the entire staff at UP Health System, was amazing. Every person involved in her care made an effort to make her feel important and valued, and I admired that. When I mentioned considering a career change, my mom encouraged me to go back to school to work in the medical field.

I have friends who started out as x-ray techs, then CT techs, and then transitioned to working in radiation oncology. After talking with them further, it seemed like this new direction would be the perfect fit for me.

What’s a typical day like for you? What is it like working in this field?
I work primarily night shifts, which can be difficult to predict. Sometimes my shifts are very busy, and other times there can be a little bit of downtime. While most of my patients come from the emergency room, I also have patients from the inpatient units or from the operating room for scans, so the busier those units are, the busier I am.

I tell people all the time that I have the coolest job. My images help answer all sorts of questions, from finding the causes of pain to determining if treatments are working. I help to be the providers' eyes, giving them glimpses into the inner workings of the body. The better my images are, the better we are able to help the patient. Part of my job is helping the patient understand the exam, and what they need to do to make sure the exam results in the best images possible.

How long have you been employed here? Have you always been in the same position?
I started working at UP Health System in July 2021. While I haven't been here long, I immediately felt like I was part of the team. Prior to starting here, I was driving over an hour each way to work, so I'm grateful for the shorter commute!

What are some of the big changes you have experienced in this position?
Probably the biggest change for me has been transitioning to night shifts. On the night shift, it's extremely important that everyone is communicating and helping each other.

What are some of your interests outside of work? What is your favorite local gem?
Outside of work, I love spending time with my family, being in nature, and I love my animals. We have two dogs, a cat, and a saltwater fish tank. My husband and I also love to travel and are always looking for suggestions for great places to visit! Locally, I can never get enough of Lake Superior and feel very lucky to be so close.

What do you enjoy most about working at UPHS – Marquette?
I am so fortunate to work with such an amazing group of people. I was a little anxious about changing jobs last year, but the first day I walked in the door I knew I had made the right choice. There are such talented, caring, supportive people here, and I love being part of that.