Newlyweds Follow Same Career Path

Getting up together for work is nothing new for Dwayne and Norma Kirk, so doing the same for school was easy enough. Both work for the Harris County Hospital District and graduated from the district’s school of medical radiography this spring.

"It feels so good to finally graduate," said Dwayne, a security officer for seven years at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital. "It’s been a long, hard climb, and I’m glad we made it."

Norma, an LBJ Hospital eligibility employee for eight years, wanted a career change and saw great opportunity in the radiology field. She heard about the two-year program and its flexibility, which would allow her to study while working. She learned how to qualify for the hospital district’s tuition reimbursement program, which required her to work for at least a year in a Harris County district hospital.

Dwayne developed a fascination with radiology after making security rounds through the hospital. With a little help from his new wife Norma, he enrolled in the radiology program.

Attending class and doing homework was not easy for the two full-time employees. They spent long nights studying, while juggling the needs of Dwayne’s 12-year-old son.

"Dwayne was always there for me and I was always there for him," Norma said. "We helped each other and made sure we tried our best."

The couple’s hard work paid off recently as they joined the 18 members of the hospital district’s 10th graduating medical radiography class. The school operates in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine.

As radiographers, Dwayne and Norma will administer dynamic and static patient X-rays. They’ll also help patients with routine procedures such as chest and extremity X-rays, as well as fluoroscopic procedures and barium enemas.

"Starting my new job is exciting because all patients are different and each person is a different chapter in my life," Dwayne said.

Norma and Dwayne intend to continue working for the hospital district. Dwayne wants to eventually specialize in magnetic resonance imaging, while Norma wants to specialize in computed tomography scans and mammography.

"We both have a lot of time invested in the Harris County Hospital District. This is a great place to work," Dwayne said. "It’s stable and it’s challenging."

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