MedWrench Guru of the Month - Gary Lee

December 2017 Guru of the Month: Gary Lee

This week's edition of the MedWrench blog will feature Gary Lee as our December 2017 Guru of the Month! 

Gary is an active member on the MedWrench forums, and is a big help to our community. You may have seen him answering questions under the username “old x-ray guy" so if he has ever helped resolve any of your equipment issues be sure to thank him! MedWrench is thankful for all of our users and we appreciate the extra mile you are all willing to go in order to help one another troubleshoot errors on your equipment. Thank you for everything that you do to help our MedWrench users Gary!

How long have you been a member of MedWrench?

I've been using MedWrench routinely for over 2 years.

What aspect of MedWrench do you utilize the most?

My main stop on MedWrench is the Question/Answer forum. Even when I don't have an immediate need for help myself, or trying to assist others, I browse discussions about equipment I'm servicing and frequently save old conversations. My second stop is researching service documentation.

Are you aware that MedWrench now has a mobile site? If so, do you use it from your smart phone or tablet?

No I don't. I'm old school and use my company issued smart phone as little as possible. Plus, I spend a great deal of time driving, and trying to read my phone in Atlanta traffic is suicide.

What do you like most about MedWrench?

Getting responses to the forum on my smart phone (that I usually read at dinner) and e-mail. I'm always interested in what's going on with other folks. 

What do you think about the new version of MedWrench for your desktop?

It's great. Easy to navigate.

Where are you currently employed? What is your position there?

Jannx Medical Systems. Imaging Specialist/Field Engineer. I work mainly in Georgia and Alabama, but travel as needed for the company.

What type of equipment do you work on the most?

R&F, Mammo, Bone Density, Ultrasound: GE/OEC, Hologic. Friends have encouraged me to get in to CT and MRI, but I don't like the idea of being on-call again, lol.

In your current position do you purchase parts?

No. Our parts purchasing is centralized out of St. Louis.

What is your role in the process?

None other than providing part numbers and occasional tech support.

What are your hobbies?

Vintage stereo equipment. Refurbishing old, wood furniture. Genealogy research. Converting photos/negatives/LPs and audio tapes to CD.

What is one word that describes you best?

Confident.

What advice do you have to anyone just graduating and entering in the HTM field?

As a rookie I was fortunate enough to work with a group of unselfish, talented field engineers at GE in Louisville in the early 80s. With little formal training I relied on them to be my instructors.

We work in an industry where the very lives of folks can be affected by our individual success or failure. My work has taken me to 41 states, Russia, Ecuador, Mexico, Bosnia and Jamaica. My travels have taught me that no matter whom we are, where we are from, or what we look like, we are fundamentally not all that different. And having access to healthcare is one of the most important concerns everywhere I've been.

The greatest compliment I've ever received was from the director of Hospital Vozandes in Quito, Ecuador. In 2002 on a follow-up visit several months after installing a cath lab he told me that six lives were saved and many more improved because of the ability to perform heart cath exams for the first time since the hospital opened in 1955.

Horde information. Never stop learning. Embrace the talents and experience of those around you. Don't be afraid to take chances. Enjoy your work; it's too big a part of your life to not embrace. Try not to burn bridges; ours is a small community and you will find yourself bumping into folks you know now many years down the road. Know that what you do is important.

To show your appreciation for Gary share this blog to your social media accounts!