Students attending ultrasound school consistently report that ultrasound physics is one of the most difficult courses in their program. It’s a required course and one that is important to master. Below you will find study tips and tools available to students to help them focus and hone in on the skills necessary to successfully navigate this challenging course.
Understanding Ultrasound Physics
Key Concepts
- Take Good Notes
- Create Visuals
- Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
Mastering Ultrasound Physics is just one of the key concepts that ultrasound students need to master. Most programs require Conceptual Physics as a prerequisite for acceptance into Ultrasound School. However, Ultrasound Physics is totally different from the Conceptual Physics that one must complete prior to the ultrasound program. Conceptual Physics gives a much broader view to the world of physics in general, whereas Ultrasound Physics is totally specific to the concepts of physics related to sound. There are so many challenging key principles and concepts that a Sonographer student must understand in order to know how to operate the equipment and how images are produced.
How I Mastered Ultrasound Physics
Whew! I must say Ultrasound Physics was my most challenging subject initially. I thought it was going to be a breeze to master because I understood Conceptual Physics very well. However, I was surprised at the difference between Ultrasound Physics and Conceptual Physics. I truly had to switch my brain to think and process a different way in order to master these new concepts.
In the beginning of my journey in ultrasound school I struggled so much in my physics class. I failed my first few exams terribly! (I will save that experience and its details for another time). However, I finally developed some great methods that helped me to excel during my Ultrasound Physics course. The methods that I used were making sure that I took good notes, creating visuals, and not being afraid to ask questions.
Take Good Notes!
Note taking is one of the best ways to absorb new information. Ultrasound physics has foundational concepts such as formulas and relational information. Learning the principles of frequency, the speed of sound through soft tissues, angle of incidence, and attenuation are just a few topics that student sonographers have to master.
Therefore, creating excellent note taking will help you as a student to sort out this wealth of information. It was very helpful for me to write my notes in different ink colors. In addition, using highlighters to create emphasis on particular key concepts made it easier to recall the information later. Another great note taking tip is to create headings and subheadings to better organize your content.
There are many ways to take notes. Some students prefer to write out their notes, and others may choose to create digital notes. Whichever method a student decides to create does not matter. It’s simply a personal choice that you have to make that works best for you.
Create Visuals!
Creating Visuals sort of ties in with having good note taking skills. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, ultrasound physics will address key principles that can be demonstrated visually.
One of the main concepts is knowing how one parameter will affect another when there is an increase or decrease between the two. This relational information can be placed in a chart format. Creating charts was one my favorite visuals to make. It allowed me the opportunity to write out the relationships as well as be creative! Being creative made my note taking a little bit more interesting and fun! This helped to alleviate a little stress while studying. If you are more of a tech-savvy person, then there are many software programs that can be used to create any type of visuals that you like.
Don ’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions!
Yes! The heading says it all! After you have created your visual aides and notes you may still be confused about a few topics. Do not hesitate to ask questions about anything while you are navigating through ultrasound physics. There is a wealth of information to absorb and process. Even the smartest students will be challenged greatly in this course!
In general, when you are accustomed to quickly grasping new information it is one of the most humbling experiences ever to have to ask questions about topics that you do not understand. However, fret not my friend! Presenting your concerns and questions to your instructors, tudors, or fellow classmates will help bring clarity to your confusion. Oftentimes I have found that there is usually one little thing or step that I have missed which causes the confusion. Therefore, asking for help can also minimize your stress.
Other Resources You May Find Helpful
- How to Ace Anatomy and Physiology
- Expectation vs Reality – What it’s Really Like to Be a Sonographer
Summary
The journey to becoming a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer is one of the most challenging experiences! Create your own methods of grasping the many concepts that will be covered in Ultrasound Physics that you can recall to memory. Remember that there are many ways to learn new information. Just find those that work best for you and that help to decrease your overall stress. You are not alone on this journey to becoming an excellent Diagnostic Medical Sonographer!
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