As the holidays get closer, it is natural to look back on the past year. For AHEC and MEDRelief Staffing, 2025 has been one of the most memorable years in our history.
Our education division marked 37 years in October. Our staffing division reached 30 years. We have provided classes or staffing support in every state and have worked with customers from more than 60 countries. This legacy continues to motivate our work every day.
Major Additions in 2025
Two major developments shaped our year:
The Radiology Round Up Podcast
We launched the first season of our podcast, Radiology Round Up. It quickly became one of the fastest growing education-focused podcasts and reached the top 200 at a record pace.
The AHEC Foundation
We also introduced the AHEC Foundation, a not-for-profit focused on strengthening healthcare education, workforce development, and community well-being. The Foundation provides scholarships, funds innovative programs, builds partnerships, and supports the training and retention of healthcare professionals.
Through the Growing Radiology Opportunities for Women (GROW) foundation, nine new mammographers have been trained so far and are now working in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. We plan to expand this support to other advanced training courses in 2026.
Recognitions and Achievements
Our organization received renewed recognition from both the ACCME and the Joint Commission.
Our founder and President, Marilyn Sackett, was honored by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists for 60 consecutive years of membership and was featured in the October issue of the ASRT Scanner.
Our CEO, Jence Garza, received the Dr. James Johnston Administrator Award from the Texas Society of Radiologic Technologists at the annual meeting.
Connecting With the Community
We enjoyed meeting customers at conferences including ASRT, ACERT, and AEIRS. We also supported or participated in many state society meetings across the country through lectures, virtual sessions, sponsorships, and donations.
Remembering Sharon Kitchen
A difficult moment this year was the sudden passing of our Business Services Team Lead, Sharon Kitchen, in October. Sharon worked with MEDRelief Staffing for nearly eleven years and was a key part of our team. She is deeply missed.
Looking Ahead to 2026
We are moving into the new year with strong momentum and several expansions planned.
- We are adding more on-demand products for technologists who need flexible CE options.
- We are expanding ultrasound training to include Breast Sonography.
- We are returning to on-site facility education partnerships to bring CE directly to teams.
- We are growing our mammography consulting services for accreditation preparation and survey support.
- Our DXA and Bone Densitometry training continues to grow rapidly.
- We are expanding our advanced modality training to include 40-hour initial training in CT, MRI, and IR, in addition to Mammography and DXA.
- We are offering certification reviews for Diagnostic Radiology, Mammography, CT, and MRI.
- MEDRelief Staffing continues to add new assignments. Staff working through MEDRelief earn tuition credits that can be used for CE and advanced training at AHEC.
- The AHEC Foundation will offer more scholarships thanks to generous contributions. Details are available at www.ahecfoundation.org
Closing Thoughts
We are grateful for everything 2025 brought and even more excited for the year ahead. Thank you for your continued trust and support. We wish you a peaceful holiday season and a successful start to 2026.
