Here we talk with 2 PARCA Members who were among the first to obtain a PARCA Certification. Bill Gregg is a PACS Administrator at Louisiana State University. Miranda Wolfe, Support Manager at OpenMed Technologies Corporation.

How did you first hear of PARCA?
Bill: "I had been active in some other groups looking at certifications, but they still had a lot of work to do to actually achieve that goal. I noticed the PARCA Certification link on the OTech web site when looking at training options. Subsequently, I was present at the PARCA meeting during the PACS 2005 Conference in San Antonio this spring."
Miranda: "I first heard of PARCA from an OTech e-Newsletter."

What was your motivation for joining PARCA and taking the PARCA Certification Exams?
Miranda: "I wanted to be one of the first to receive the PACS Certification. From an IT standpoint, not many people really know PACS and how it works, I felt this would give me an edge to advance my career in Medical IT."
Bill: "My primary motivation was to enhance my education in the areas in which I knew the least. PACS Administration is a broad topic at best ... this was an opportunity for me to assess the gaps in my knowledge to try to broaden my understanding. At the same time I could validate my understanding of the areas I felt I knew."

How challenging did you find the Certification questions - do you feel that all applicable aspects of a PACS Administrators role were covered?
Bill: "I feel that it was an adequate tool to evaluate my understanding of the PACS Administrator role and functions. The ease of the questions related to my knowledge of the subject ... It was a very valuable tool for me."
Miranda: "I found the questions very challenging! All aspects were covered in detail."

What benefits has passing the PARCA Certification had in your daily work and do you anticipate it having any impact on your future career?
Miranda: "The certification has given me more confidence to act as a PACS Administrator. I greatly anticipate the certification having an impact on my future. Its along the lines of any certification - Microsoft, Cisco, etc. Any certification you can obtain reinforces to your employer that you have the skills and motivation to ensure a successful environment."
Bill: "The certification process has opened my eyes to many things that I was not cognizant of before. I want to be able to do the best job that I can, and this part of my educational process has been highly beneficial. As far as being certified goes, I believe it should help anyone moving around, or into, this career setting ... The world of the PACS Administrator is relatively new, and the fact that an individual has taken the effort to look at the role(s) in a structured manner would have to reflect positively upon them."

What has been the reaction of management to your Certification?
Miranda: "My managers are in awe! Especially since I wasted no time and was one of the first to obtain the certification. I feel it really makes them proud to employ me."
Bill: "Because I work for an educational institution, they were supportive of my efforts from the start. Although I can't speak for them personally, I believe they are happy about the outcome as they can feel a higher degree of confidence in my abilities."

Would you like to see the PARCA Certification influencing the way your company hires future employees, or as a performance tool for existing colleagues?
Bill: "Yes, I believe certification has a place in helping to evaluate potential employees and it will come into play in future hiring decisions. It can also help as a performance tool. For me, the biggest strength in being certified is a validation that I have the knowledge to perform the functions demanded by my position."
Miranda: "Yes, I would. In a lot of positions certain certifications are required. I feel that if one is going to be a PACS Admin, or work with PACS in any detail that all PARCA Exams should be a requirement."

Did you find you needed to study for any part of the exams?
Miranda: "I had to study quite a bit for the CPSA Certification. It was greatly detailed and not an exam you could just 'fake' your way through."
Bill: "Absolutely. My 5 years as a PACS Administrator has provided me with a fairly solid foundation. However, there were areas in which I needed a better understanding and others which needed some solid effort to get a handle on."

Do you have any additional comments that you would like to make regarding the PARCA Certification process?
Bill: "I would like to commend the PARCA Board on the effort it must have taken to bring all this together, and well before any of the PACS related bodies could decide on whether to do it or not. The roles, processes and fundamentals embodied in this certification will be basically the same as those any other certification would require, and will be able to hold its own as other bodies generate certification processes. Overall I highly recommend going through the process to achieve any of the certifications offered through PARCA."
Miranda: "I think its wonderful that there are finally certifications!"