BSC’S Josh and Jake Siers “Team Up”
on Gridiron and in Rad Tech Program

( Bluefield)--As starting linemen on Bluefield High School’s 2004 state championship football team two years ago, Josh and Jake Siers delivered bone-jarring blocks. Now, they’re taking bone-focused pictures as they advance through the radiographic technology program at Bluefield State College. Their competitive spirit, honed on the football field, has proven valuable in classroom and clinical settings.

“We’re pretty evenly matched, and each of us wants to make the other one better,” explained Jake. “We always played sports together and we had some success, even though we weren’t the biggest linemen.”

“We could outhit bigger guys,” Josh added.

“We’ve always helped each other in the classroom,” Jake continued. “Josh is good in one subject and I’m good in another, so we try to help each other with our strengths.”

Initially, the twins had decided to enter different programs of study in college. However, Jake’s interest in the medical profession in general and the RadTech program at BSC, in particular, attracted Josh to consider it. “It’s an excellent program with a lot of ‘hands-on’ learning,” Jake said.

“The new technology interested me,” Josh added. “Things are moving toward digital. . . .and it’s a lot easier than the old way.

The twins were split up during their clinical experiences, with Josh at Bluefield Regional Medical Center while Jake performed his clinicals at Princeton Community Hospital, then they switched places.

Their experience in athletics has proven helpful. “Through our weight lifting and training, we learned the terminology of anatomy,” Jake stated, then Josh offered, “Athletics helps us have empathy for someone who comes in with an injury. It’s given us some insight.”

The 19-year old brothers are working toward the same goals. “We’ll graduate from the associate degree program in 2008, then we want to enter the bachelor’s program in radiologic sciences,” Josh said.

In the classroom, they’re also often on the same wave length. “There are a lot of times when we both answer a question at the same time, and with the same answer,” Jake said. We’ve talked about opening our own office after we graduate. I think we’d enjoy practicing together.”

January 31, 2007

School of Nursing and Radiologic Technology