Knowing that she wanted to enter the medical field by the time she was 5 years old, Margaret Rigsby Hall came to a career in nuclear medicine entirely by accident when she visited her friend in the intensive care department at Vanderbilt University. Subsequently, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University in 1972, following that up with an associate degree in nuclear medicine from Vanderbilt in 1974. Ms. Hall embarked on her career with Coliseum Medical Centers two days after she graduated and remained with the medical center for 28 years until it became part of Piedmont Healthcare in 2021.
Attributing much of her success to her love of her profession and her patients, Ms. Hall concluded her career as the nuclear medicine supervisor of the Coliseum Medical Centers. In this role she was responsible for doing scans, patient preparation, transporting patients, and all of the quality control that was required for the department. As the nuclear medicine department grew, she was able to hire another tech and a transporter. Furthermore, she has always stood out in her field for her dedication to providing the best care possible to her patients. The man who hired her, Dr. Rex Tidwell, has told her on multiple occasions that she has left a truly incredible legacy at the medical center.
Ms. Hall’s legacy speaks for itself. Her conscientiousness, care and excellent rapport with her patients always left an impact, and she has been frequently praised by her colleagues. A man she worked with for roughly a decade, Allen O’Bryant, called her not too long ago to thank her for teaching him how to treat and work with patients, and one of the surgeons she worked with frequently said that if people wanted things done correctly in the radiology department they should go to Ms. Hall. With a great love of patients and the field of medicine as a whole, Ms. Hall also spent time as the president of the Georgia Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologists, and, notably, has used her estate to establish a scholarship in her parents’ names for the School of Nursing at Middle Tennessee State University.
Remaining involved in her community in her retirement, Ms. Hall is very active in her local church, and serves as the director of the Sunday school and the senior ministry director. She is also a regular volunteer for various groups and is a member of a book club and several community clubs, including the Eagleville FCE Club and the Rockvale FCE Club. In addition, she is affiliated with the Colonel Hardy Murfree Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which has a heavy focus on community service, and continued to maintain her nuclear medicine registration and certification for 10 years following her retirement.
For excellence in her career, Ms. Hall has been the recipient of a number of honors and accolades. She considers the highlights of her career to be being named Radiology Employee of the Month by Coliseum Medical Centers as well as being presented with the Dr. Frist Humanitarian Award in 1987. In 2016, she was inducted into the Behavioral and Health Sciences Hall of Fame at Middle Tennessee State University for her achievements as an alumnus. Above all these accolades, Ms. Hall’s favorite part of her job was always interacting with her patients and the enjoyment she found in every part of her career.
Ms. Hall was born to father Jacob William Rigsby and mother Lorene Russell Rigsby, and spent many years happily married to her late husband. Her family also includes her sister, Michelle Davis; her brother, David, who has passed away; and an assortment of nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. In her free time, Ms. Hall enjoys reading, and she previously spent 23 years playing softball.
