Michael John Benzaia, an actor known for portraying medical professionals on an array of television shows, including “How to Get Away With Murder,” “General Hospital,” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” is on a mission to reform the health care industry.
The New York native, who began working as a licensed radiologic and computed tomography technologist long before he decided to pursue an acting career, recently partnered with the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) on its new “Be Seen” campaign to raise awareness for the unsung heroes of patient care: medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals.
“We’re all over the place; we’re in every aspect of the hospital,” Mr. Benzaia told The Epoch Times.
“Medical imaging and radiation therapists are the connective tissue of the medical field. People don’t know that we do so much because a lot of times, sadly, we take the back burner,” he said.
“And this is no discredit to nurses and doctors because they are amazing. They are so knowledgeable, and they really are the backbone of the field, but we take the backseat a great deal of time.
Improving Patient Safety
In addition to getting people interested in the field, Mr. Benzaia, who holds an MBA and ARRT certification in radiological sciences from Nyack College and Manhattan College, respectively, said he is also working to make changes throughout his industry.
Since becoming a member of the ASRT in 2008, Mr. Benzaia has joined the organization in its efforts to promote progress in medical imaging and radiation therapy.
“When I started to get into television about nine years ago, we started a relationship where we would speak about different things that were going on because a lot of my [acting] jobs are medically based,” he said.
“What I discovered through working with the ASRT, which was news to me, is that there are a few states that still don’t have regulations in regards to radiation therapy and the technologists who can perform the CTs and the X-rays and those types of exams,” Mr. Benzaia said.
He noted some states, including Alabama, Idaho, Missouri, and Tennessee, currently lack regulations, including board exam requirements, for practicing as a radiologic technologist.
“But in a place like New York or Vermont, they make sure that their techs and their therapists are accredited by the state,” the actor said.
After the November election, Mr. Benzaia plans to join the ASRT in speaking before Congress to urge lawmakers to address the disparity.
“At the end of the day, no matter who’s in office, we still have to work together. We all want the same things—we love our families, we want to make sure they’re getting the best patient care, and that’s why I want to speak on [Capitol] Hill, and that’s why the ASRT is giving me that opportunity,” he said.
‘A Heart for All People’
The actor, who has since branched out from his medical roles, most recently portraying a weatherman in Amazon MGM Studios’ television series “Fallout,” credited his mother, Edythe, for inspiring him to pursue a career as a radiologic technologist.“I went into the medical field because my mom had breast cancer, and I was younger, and I wanted to be her advocate because she didn’t understand what was kind of going on in the process,” Mr. Benzaia shared.
“So if my mom was going for her radiation therapy or to go have an exam where radiation was given—I wanted to make sure that that technologist was board certified, that they understood the safety protocols to the extent required in these other states, and that we were privy to all the options available in the United States for cancer care,” he said.
Mr. Benzaia was only 12 years old when his mother was diagnosed with breast carcinoma. Although she ultimately succumbed to the disease six years later, Mr. Benzaia said she has still managed to play a pivotal role in his life, helping him to flourish not only as a health care professional but as an actor, too.
“My mom has guided my journey since. I surrender to something bigger than me, and my mom is in that plan. She’s given me the depths of empathy that I have, which are not just used in the medical field with my patients—it’s used when I take on a character on screen,” he said.
“I wouldn’t have those depths of empathy, and I wouldn’t understand the human condition if I didn’t have this relationship with my mom and then her passing,” Mr. Benzaia said.
“It’s deepened my empathy. I really have a heart for people—a heart for all people—so I want to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard and that everyone’s at the table.”
