In 1974, Arthur Mitchell just graduated from Merritt College in Oakland and interviewed with the radiology team at the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center.
He was hired as a radiology technologist, and the rest is history.
On Aug. 29, Mitchell is retiring on the very date he was hired 51 years ago.
“Kaiser met my needs for things I wanted,” he said. “No need to go anywhere else.”
Kaiser Permanente marked 80 years this summer, shedding light on its many longtime employees and physicians. Only 8 people, including Mitchell, can claim working here for half a century. The longest employee in the Northern California Region has worked here since 1969 – 56 years.
Early in his career, Mitchell had his sights on other career opportunities. In 1980, he went back to get his bachelor’s degree while working on call or part time at the medical center. Then in 1985, he went to law school. He worked the hard-to-fill weekend nights during that time.
“We helped each other,” he said, referring to the organization and himself.
After he graduated from law school and started his practice in criminal defense, he remained at Kaiser Permanente. At first, he thought he would just keep his job until he could get established in law. But he never left Kaiser Permanente, continuing to work weekends while practicing law for more than 3 decades.
Career highlight: the people
“I like radiology,” he reflected. “You get an instant result. It’s very straightforward.”
The people part of the job — his colleagues and patients — has been the most rewarding part of his time.
“There are a lot of laughs,” Mitchell said. “I’ve watched my co-workers’ kids grow up. They are parents now.”
His boss, Solomon Anderson, area assistant director of Imaging, said Mitchell will be missed.
“Art contributes to the team by offering thoughtful guidance and insight on how processes can be improved, often reminding us of the importance of working smarter rather than harder,” Anderson said. “His steady presence, collaborative spirit, and commitment to excellence make him an invaluable colleague and a role model within the department.”
Because of his longevity, Mitchell has witnessed dramatic changes in the industry.
“There have been so many advancements in 50 years. It’s phenomenal and exciting,” said Mitchell, who turns 77 in a few months. “We used to process film, and now we push a button and an exam shows up. It allowed me to have a long career. If I had to do the exams as I did when I first got hired, I would not have been able to physically keep up.”
While he doesn’t have set plans for his retirement, Mitchell realizes it’s time to move on from this very long chapter in his life.
“It’s been a good run. I appreciate everything that KP has offered me,” he said. “It’s come to the point where it’s time to retire.”
