MacDill invests in our future Airmen

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jenay Randolph
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, is home to one of 11 Digital Imaging Phase II Technical Schools in the Air Force due to the major retirement population in the community, and the active-duty personnel and their dependents.

The Digital Imaging Phase II technical school is an eight-month long training that includes taking X-rays and classroom sessions along with block tests. The students learn anatomy, physiology, physics, special procedures, patient care, positioning of patients, use of equipment and technology, quality assurance, administrative procedures, and public speaking.

"We want to make sure that after each student graduates from the 6th Medical Group's Diagnostic Imaging Phase II and they can perform and achieve any required task at hand as a radiology technologist no matter where their next assignment takes them," stated Jeffrey Marchaesi, 6th Medical Support Squadron Digital Imaging Phase II technical school instructor.

The members and personnel of the 6th MDSS Digital Imaging section work closely with the students and assist in training along with mentoring the students to ensure that they are able to obtain the necessary knowledge and experience.

Although MacDill does not offer surgery, emergency room, intensive care unit and ward services, a training affiliation agreement is established with the Veterans Administration Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Therefore, the students are able to visit the VA Hospital and learn about radiology in trauma, surgery, portable fluoroscopy, routine portables in the wards, patient care with geriatric war veterans, amputee veterans and veterans as a whole.

"This VA Hospital training is vital for students that graduate and go to major medical facilities like Travis AFB, California, Keesler AFB, Mississippi, Wright- Patterson AFB, Ohio and even overseas assignments, where they are expected to be trained and perform these procedures," said Marchaesi.

Phase I of the Digital Imaging Technical School is located at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. There the students are learning the material more through classroom sessions than hands-on training. Unlike phase I, the students work with real patients during phase II at MacDill, which allows them to have more interaction and develop their skills more proficiently.

"The students are really a part of Team MacDill and the mission here at the 6th Medical Group," expressed Marchaesi. "It's nice to give back for those who sacrificed so much for our country today and ensure that bright future for our Air Force. The students are the future, and the 6th Medical Group's  Diagnostic Imaging department invests in them."