Zhang named 2022 Max and Glenna Bermann Radiology Employee of the Year

The Max and Glenna Bermann Radiology Employee of the Year Award is given annually as part of National Radiologic Technology Week celebrations to one individual in the Radiology Department at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital who best exemplifies the qualities of professionalism, patient-centeredness, teamwork, selflessness and self-initiative that are so important to achieving optimal patient care. This year’s recipient is Interventional Radiology Technologist Yingbo Zhang.

At a special presentation hosted by Chief of Radiology Dylan C. Kwait, MD, and Director of Radiology Brian McIntosh, BS, RT(R) CRA, Interventional Radiology Supervisor Jeff Elwood presented Zhang with her award.

Elwood read from his nomination letter, saying:

Yingbo has been here for several years, and each year is better than the previous. There are so many examples of her deserving this award that is next to impossible to narrow them down!

Starting with professionalism, Yingbo is the standard of being a professional as not much gets her off track. She approaches each situation the same regardless of what she encounters and is never unprepared. Yingbo routinely assigns herself to difficult procedures and isn’t afraid of a challenge and actually enjoys the challenge!

When it comes to teamwork and selflessness, Yingbo shines even brighter here! Yingbo lives close by, actually within walking distance of the hospital. In the event of any snow emergencies and a reduced staffing schedule, Yingbo will routinely reach out to her co-workers and offer her services to work to prevent staff from having to travel far distances to get to work. In addition to this, because Yingbo has family that lives in New York City and they come home very infrequently, Yingbo will routinely pick up weekend shifts so that her co-workers can spend time with their families on the weekends! Whenever it is someone’s birthday or someone is returning from an extended absence, Yingbo will cook the previous night and come in with incredible dishes for her co-workers to enjoy! Nothing makes Yingbo happier at work than seeing her teammates enjoy themselves!

The nature and culture of the Interventional Radiology workflow is centered around being able to anticipate and self-motivate for the next exam. Quite often you are working independently when preparing for the next exam and need to plan accordingly. Yingbo has flourished in this realm and that added piece of her personality of her being able to anticipate and self-motivate could not be a better fit for an IR Technologist!

Want another example of Yingbo being self-motivated? Our institution is on the verge of an exciting expansion, and IR is going to be a large part of that expansion. We are starting a new service line and Yingbo has already gotten her Vascular Interventional License in anticipation of the new service line headed our way!

We are beyond lucky to have Yingbo here and there is not a week that goes by that I don’t remind her of that fact. I can’t think of a better way to let her know how valued she is than to be able to present her with this award!

For Zhang, receiving the Max and Glenna Bermann Radiology Employee of the Year Award was a huge surprise. “Jeff did a great job keeping the secret. I already felt very honored to be nominated, even more so to actually get the award,” she says. “I would like to thank everyone that I work with every day in IR. Without them, I would not be able to make it. I am grateful and happy on my walk to BWFH knowing that I will be working with a great team to help patients feel better. Nothing is more rewarding than a smile and a thank you from a patient. This award is also a big recognition and encourages me to be a better technologist.”

The Max and Glenna Bermann Radiology Employee of the Year Award is named in honor of Dr. Max Bermann and Glenna Bermann, who started working at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in 1972. He was a staff radiologist and she was a radiologic technologist. Over the course of their combined 80 plus years in the Radiology Department, they demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their patients.

Published 11/16/22