September 2016
ARRT’s Board of Trustees has two new members: a Registered Radiologist Assistant (R.R.A.) and a radiation oncologist.
Travis Prowant, M.S.H.S., R.R.A., R.T.(R)(CV)(CT)(ARRT), is a radiologist assistant at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health System. He has wide-ranging experience in medical imaging. “I have a strong drive to see the continual advancement of the radiologic technology profession,” Prowant says. “In particular, I’ll work toward legislative, or Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, recognition of the radiologist assistant profession.”
Albert L. Blumberg, M.D., FACR, is a radiation oncologist with Radiation Oncology HealthCare PA, a physician group providing radiation therapy cancer care at Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC) and St. Agnes Hospital Cancer Center. “I bring to the board a long history of legislative and lobbying activities on behalf of radiology,” Blumberg says, “which I hope will add to ARRT’s ongoing legislative efforts.”
The two have been appointed to four-year terms.
Prowant spent 20 years as Chief Hospital Corpsman in the U.S. Navy before joining VCU. In the Navy, he earned two Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals, and a Military Outstanding Volunteerism Service Medal. He served as a board member and as parliamentarian of the Virginia Society of Radiologic Technologists. In addition, he has contributed to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) by serving as a subcommittee chair of the Committee on R.T. Advocacy, R.R.A. Chapter Delegate, Military Chapter Delegate, and Virginia Affiliate Delegate to the ASRT House of Delegates. Prowant served two consecutive years as Commission Chair. He joined ARRT’s R.R.A. Essay Examination Committee in 2015.
“I hope to see better recognition of medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals as a critical component of the health care team,” Prowant adds. “And I’d like to ensure that mechanisms are in place to assist all military graduates who wish to become R.T.s.”
Blumberg has been vice chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at GBMC since the department’s creation in 1981. He has been a member of ARRT’s Radiation Therapy Practice Analysis Committee since 2014 and is a Diplomate of The American Board of Radiology and a Fellow of the American College of Radiology (ACR).
Blumberg served on the boards of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the ACR; he recently served as president of the latter organization. In addition, he has served on numerous boards and committees, including terms as president of the Baltimore County Medical Association, the Maryland State Medical Society, the Maryland Radiological Society, the Maryland Medical Breast Society, and Smoke Free Maryland. He serves on the board of the Medical Mutual Liability Insurance Society of Maryland and is chair of its Claims Committee.
“My service on an ARRT practice analysis committee provided me the opportunity to appreciate the important role ARRT plays in patient care,” Blumberg says. “I hope to follow in the footsteps of my predecessors in providing a real-world community practice perspective to the Board’s deliberations.”
Prowant and Blumberg fill positions vacated by Jeffrey L. Crowley, B.S., R.R.A., R.T.(R)(VI)(ARRT), and Gary S. Gustafson, M.D., FACR, who each completed two four-year terms on the Board, the maximum allowed by ARRT bylaws.