By John Jackson
Back in January, The Dr. Oz Show contacted the radiological program at Manhattan College to invite radiology students and faculty to two tapings of the show. The members of the Radiologic Science Society (RSS) ended up going on Thursday, March 23.
“We were invited by The Dr. Oz Show,” said Kayla Valentino, Program Coordinator for Radiation Therapy Technology. “It appears that they look for schools with Allied Health programs that they call and they say ‘Is your program interested? If so, send us a date that you can come.’ And then we picked a date and then we were there.”
The Dr. Oz Show has been on television since September 14, 2009 and is hosted by cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz. The show is currently taped in the ABC Television Center which is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
The show paid for a bus to take around 50 Manhattan College students and faculty to and from the studio. It pick them up around 8:15 am and dropped them off around 6:30 pm.
The RSS is opened up to all students majoring in the Radiological and Health Professions. The society is a professional club. They discuss professional issues such as health and public health issues. They also strive to give students a little bit extra information and knowledge in areas outside the classroom.
This invitation came at a good time as the club wasn’t active and there was a push to change that.
“Our club had not been active,” said Kenneth Martinucci, Program Coordinator for Radiologic Technology. “And we were looking to resurrect our radiologic society club so we thought an event or a trip like this would be a good idea.”
Martinucci also praised The Dr. Oz show for the buses that were sent and the accessibility of the staff.
“It was very easy to get through to the staff and they were very accommodating,” said Martinucci.
The students and faculty who went got to see two tapings of the show. While neither show was about radiology, there were still topics that were within the health profession.
The first show was taped in the morning and was about the Bill Cosby case along with how fast food wrappers can contain harmful chemicals which can be transferred to food when heated. The second show was taped in the afternoon and dealt with the Michael Jackson case as well as signs and symptoms of cervical cancer.
Conrad Murray, the personal physician for Michael Jackson, was present for an interview. Murray was convicted with involuntary manslaughter in November 2011 after Jackson overdosed on propofol in June 2009. He was sentenced to four years in jail and got out after serving two years.
Lorraine Bishop, a junior and Radiation Therapy Technology major who went on the trip, mentioned that Murray tried to defend his actions which led to Jackson’s death.
“His excuse was the propofol has a half-life and he said he observed him for the half-life period,” said Bishop. “So after he left, nothing could’ve happened because it already went through the system. So I think that is what he was talking about.”
Junior Brandon Burgos is a Radiologic Technology major and another one of the students who went on the trip. He is also the Vice President of the RSS. He enjoyed the trip and thought it was a good way to spend time with his fellow club members in an off-campus setting.
One of the segments that Burgos was interested in was the one on cervical cancer. During that segment, four different women were present to discuss testing, signs, and how to stay healthy
“It’s actually kind of dear to me,” said Burgos regarding cervical cancer. “Because one of my friends, she’s young, she’s in her thirties, and she actually got diagnosed with cervical cancer.”
Jessica Reddick, a certificate student and Radiation Therapy Technology major, echoed that sentiment.
“I think that was probably one of the most interesting topics for us because it was in our scope of practice,” said Reddick about cervical cancer.
It is also a topic that Valentino discusses a lot in class with her Radiation Therapy Technology students like Reddick and Bishop.
Valentino, Reddick, Bishop, Burgos, and Martinucci all agree that this type of trip is one they would go on again in the future.
“I think the opportunity to do this on a regular kind of basis,” said Valentino. “I think it’s definitely something that we can do.”