Just because you are a new ultrasound technologist doesn’t mean you should remove yourself from “student” mode. Being a sonography student is a continual thing. The desire to learn, take notes, attempt to scan, and to gain knowledge in the ultrasound specialty that you are employed in are all just as important as if you were still a student. I remember as a new grad/new employee I would take all of my ultrasound sound books to work. Some of the reason may be because I covered the night shift alone. Nonetheless, I was also eager to learn as much of ultrasound and ultrasonic pathology as I could. I understood that ultrasound was user dependent and that radiologist relied on me to provide optimum images and understand how organs of the body work independently and together.
In the beginning of my careerĀ I would make little check marks in my ultrasound textbooks to indicate that I had seen that pathology or phenomenon. I would look for replica images while I was scanning, make note of the finalized radiologist report, and write a littleĀ note to myself in what I called my little book of ultrasound. This little book was just a spiral pocketĀ memo that I used as a reference.Ā
Ultrasound is a “see it and never forget it” profession. Keep notes of pathology that youĀ discover while imaging, attending ultrasound conferences, orĀ reading ultrasound related articles is vitalĀ in expanding your knowledge base.Ā I enjoy reading articles from the SDMS‘s Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. For a small membership fee you will receive journals full of articles with post-test that are eligible for CME credits. The SDMS andĀ AIUM both offer ultrasound conferences that you can attend that are full of valuable information presented as booths or seminars.
I say to my fellow sonographers: keep reading, scanning, studying, and sharing tips and tidbits to our community of sonographers because we are all students!
Yonella
“Think beyond the waves”