Lead Radiologic Technologist Jon spent the first half of his adult life in the music industry. “When someone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d always tell them I was either going to work in music or healthcare. Turns out, I decided to do both.” Here’s why Jon loves his second career in diagnostic imaging at Providence Swedish First Hill in Seattle.

A path from soundwaves to X-rays: Jon’s career transition

Classically trained on piano, Jon grew up in East Berlin, Germany, while his dad served in the U.S. military. After returning to the U.S. and spending a few years in Virginia, Jon moved to Seattle in his teens, bringing his guitar, keyboard and drums along. He played in bands, rubbing elbows with the founders of grunge, hearing his music on the radio and performing to sold-out Lilith Fair crowds in the 90s. Jon then built a successful recording studio that thrived in Seattle for decades.

But when his mom had a stroke and Jon began having more first-hand involvement with her care, he was reminded of his love of healthcare. Five years ago, he went back to school to become a radiologic technologist—and after a student clinical rotation at Providence Swedish First Hill, he was hired on full time.

Exposure to a wide variety of cases and technologies

Jon says one of the reasons he loves working at First Hill is that, like his work in music, “X-ray at First Hill is never boring.” Many imaging techs focus on a specific type of X-ray, such as endoscopy, trauma, surgery, outpatient, inpatient or fluoroscopy. But according to Jon, “In the course of a given day, we don’t just do one thing—we get to do all those things. We’re a busy hospital and we don’t have rotations, so the job is very dynamic.”

Jon’s career in music relied heavily on technology and physics to get the right sound for clients. He says it’s the same with imaging—and he enjoys that his team gets the opportunity to work on a variety of different equipment. First Hill imaging techs spend their days bouncing between fixed and mobile c-arms, and equipment from different manufacturers including Ziehm, Philips, GE Healthcare OEC 3D, Siemens and Shimadzu.

A truly collaborative work environment

At Providence Swedish, teamwork is a cornerstone of patient care—and Jon says he feels that every day at First Hill. “Some complicated surgeries may have as many as ten people in a small operating room at a time.” Jon and his team are tasked with directing the room so that everyone can do their jobs and is protected from unnecessary radiation.

Jon explains the need for a high level of collaboration and coordination with an example. “Pediatric fluoroscopy procedures are a highly coordinated event. You can have a NICU surgeon, anesthesiologist, radiologist, imaging tech and therapist, as well as nurses and parents, all in the room at the same time. We need to ensure everyone’s safety and talk parents through the procedure since often, we need their help.” 

This collaborative environment fosters a sense of community and shared purpose, making the workday more engaging and rewarding. Being part of a supportive team also means caregivers can learn from others, share knowledge and continuously improve their practice.

“In my three years here, I’ve personally collaborated numerous times with surgeons, doctors and cohorts to come up with creative solutions or alternative tests that will serve our patients better,” says Jon. “And I had the opportunity to work with our radiologists to develop new X-ray protocols that the hospital uses now, which made our department much more efficient. It’s nice to work somewhere where everyone is encouraged to bring up new ways of doing things better.”

Teaching and learning are everyday occurrences

Jon says that even though First Hill isn’t an academic medical center, he’s found that there’s a teaching and learning mindset among his colleagues and all of the caregivers they regularly work with. “You can hang out with a surgeon, and they’ll teach you. You can go as deep as you want.”

Jon adds, “We always have radiology students full time since we’re a student clinical site. Our full-time staff is constantly helping students to get off on the right foot as they begin their careers in X-ray.”

Sometimes, as in Jon’s case, that career starts at First Hill. He cites as another example a fantastic tech who did her student clinical rotation then expressed interest in specializing in interventional radiology (IR). Jon says he and several colleagues were so impressed with her work as a student that they walked to the IR department and delivered recommendations in person to the hiring manager. “Now, that technologist is getting free, on-the-job training for IR,” Jon says. “Her manager just told me the other day, ‘Thank goodness you recommended her, she’s great!’”

Other times, the teaching and learning mindset begins even before a caregiver gets accepted to an X-ray program. Jon shares, “A caregiver came to us after he wasn’t selected for school. The school suggested he do some job shadowing to bolster his application for the next application timeframe. He already worked in nutrition at First Hill, and after he shadowed with us for a day, our team suggested he apply to transfer into radiology transport. He did and was able to gain a lot of first-hand observational time where he could ask questions and get to know the department and hospital. He was able to get accepted to school and he’s about halfway through the program now, still in transport as he works toward his certification.”

Excellent compensation and benefits

Providence Swedish offers competitive compensation packages and a comprehensive benefits plan that Jon calls the “best ever.” He says, “The entire benefits package is great. I like my health plan choices, pay rates and 401(k).” Jon also says he appreciates his health savings account, which is pre-tax dollars he can set aside and use later for medical expenses that aren’t covered by insurance. He says he recently used thousands of dollars from his HSA on a dental procedure.

A close relationship with the community

Providence Swedish has a long-standing reputation for making a positive impact on the communities it serves throughout Western Washington. Jon says as the largest hospital in Washington State, and one of the busiest trauma hospitals in downtown Seattle, First Hill serves a diverse patient population—and many times, that means caregivers are tasked with ensuring compassionate interactions with people in distress due to homelessness, drug abuse or other issues. Jon feels this part of his role is sacred.

“During my time at First Hill, I’ve advanced to Lead, which requires me to incorporate more administrative duties into my day,” he says. “I enjoy it, but I never want to give up the patient-facing part of my job. Our hospital cares for people from all walks of life, and it’s fulfilling to leave at the end of the day knowing I’ve made a real difference in someone’s life. Sometimes, that’s just giving someone who feels forgotten or overlooked a little attention. It’s my honor to be able to give that to them.”

Ready to explore your own career journey with us? View roles at First Hill or view all diagnostic imaging jobs at Providence Swedish.