From left to right: Professor Alan H. Matsumoto, MD; former program directors Martha Lubarsky-Theissen, Stephen Haug, and Marcella Wroblewski; program graduate Matt Henry; program co-creator Lloyd Bittinger; Professor J. Fritz Angle, MD; and program co-creator Bucky Thacker.
A portrait of Charles J. Tegtmeyer, MD.
In 1973, University of Virginia interventional radiologist and faculty member Charles J. Tegtmeyer, MD, had a vision for his field. Interventional radiology (IR) – the practice of using medical imaging to guide minimally invasive procedures – was evolving and expanding, and Dr. Tegtmeyer believed the discipline would see an increasing need for specialized team members. So he established a first-of-its-kind program to train radiology technologists specifically in IR.
On Saturday, August 3, over 100 graduates and their family members returned to Charlottesville to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this program, now named the Charles J. Tegtmeyer Program of Interventional Radiology. The celebrations, which included an afternoon picnic and evening reception, were attended by enthusiastic guests who showed a fondness for the program, their colleagues, and the past and present leaders.
The reunion also featured a presentation detailing the program’s history and accomplishments. Since its inception, the Tegtmeyer Program has trained 263 IR technologists. And while more than a third of the graduates remained at UVA for some or all of their career, those who wanted other opportunities were always in high demand after graduating from the esteemed program.
“Every year, I would get calls from past fellows, or institutions who knew our program, asking to hire our graduates,” shared Anita Bell, who served as program director from 1996 to 2007. “The calls would start in January. The callers knew that our graduates didn’t finish until August.”
During the presentation, Bell recognized Lloyd Bittinger and Bucky Thacker, two technologists who were Dr. Tegtmeyer’s collaborators in planning and nurturing the novel program from scratch.
None of them could have predicted how much the program would change IR – not just at UVA, but on a national scale. The Tegtmeyer Program was initially the only one of its kind, but its success has since encouraged institutions across the country to replicate the program.
“I am so happy to have been a pioneer in this field of medicine,” wrote Bucky Thacker in a message to the program graduates and staff members at the celebration. Thacker served as program director in 1973 during the program’s first year, and again from 1993 to 1994; today, he works at UVA’s Specialty Clinic in Augusta.
In 1996, Dr. Tegtmeyer passed away unexpectedly at the age of 57. He was an innovator in IR techniques and a leader for national radiological societies such as the Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology. He was deeply committed to education: in addition to the Tegtmeyer Program of Interventional Radiology, he founded UVA’s IR Fellowship program and developed a radiographic anatomy course for 1st year medical students. Former colleagues describe Dr. Tegtmeyer as a superb clinician, a charismatic teacher, and a trusted friend.
Dr. Tegtmeyer believed, above all, in putting the patient first – he was known to stay at the hospital overnight to monitor his patients’ care. Bell thinks that the programs founded by Dr. Tegtmeyer serve as a testament and continuation to his values that are upheld today by those who work in UVA IR.
“There is a cadre of people committed to carrying forth his legacy, approach to interventional radiology, and his memory,” said Bell.
For more photos of the event, click here.
Over 100 graduates and their family members returned to Charlottesville to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Charles J. Tegtmeyer Program of Interventional Radiology.
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