Lakeridge Health has expanded a career program designed to help hospital staff become fully qualified medical imaging technologists, a move aimed at addressing staffing shortages across its five-hospital network in the Durham Region.
The health system introduced a technical assistant role in 2025 to support patient care and create a training pathway for those working in diagnostic imaging, such as X-ray, CT, and ultrasound departments. The program provides hands-on experience and supports staff as they prepare for exams with the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists. Several employees have already used this training to transition into fully registered technologist positions.
This initiative is particularly relevant for residents in Whitby, where diagnostic imaging services currently have more limited availability than at other network sites. While hospitals in Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, Oshawa, and Port Perry offer 24-hour X-ray services year-round, the Whitby Hospital provides X-ray services only on an on-call basis during weekday afternoons.
By training more staff, the hospital network aims to better manage the demand for imaging services. Across Canada, wait times for diagnostic procedures like CT scans and MRIs have historically exceeded recommended timelines, while the profession has faced significant challenges with staff burnout and emotional exhaustion in recent years.
The program has also served as a bridge for internationally trained professionals to gain local clinical experience. Staff members like Noah Fakoya and Sandeep Kaur have utilized the technical assistant role to better understand Canadian hospital workflows while studying for their mandatory certification exams.
