In this excerpt from her book “Diagnostic Medical Sonography – The Definitive Guide to Planning Your Career”, author Samantha Callis will help you understand “clinicals” – the hands-on portion of your education that is part of every CAAHEP accredited ultrasound program.
Clinical experiences (commonly called clinical) are courses that take place in the clinical environment. This could include hospitals, outpatient imaging departments, and standalone imaging centers. Instead of being seated in a classroom, you will be actively involved with clinical staff and patients. Clinical instructors or preceptors are two terms often used to describe someone who is in charge of student teaching for clinical assignments.
This person also serves as the liaison between you and the clinical coordinator. The clinical coordinator is a faculty member in your sonography program that carries out administrative tasks related to the clinical experiences of students. It is important to note, you will likely work with several different sonographers and other healthcare professionals. Your education will benefit from a diverse range of sonographers. Everybody has something to offer!
The Sonography Lab
The sonography lab is an exciting place for new students. You finally get to see the ultrasound machines, begin to learn the many controls on the console, and start scanning. Laboratory courses are comprised of specific skills to be successful in the clinical setting. You may take laboratory coursework before or during your clinical experiences. A grade will be assigned that is reflective of your degree of success in demonstrating mastery of the course objectives. A common method of assessment is a skill check off or competency.
For example, in an abdominal sonography lab, you may need to demonstrate skills or competency in imaging the adult liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, urinary bladder, aorta, and inferior vena cava. You will demonstrate competency by learning the scanning protocol, practicing the required views, preparing a scan volunteer for the exam, and obtaining images that would be considered of diagnostic quality in “the real world”.
Remember, the radiologist who interprets ultrasound exams only sees the information you give them. This is an operator-dependent profession. The quality of the exam is largely dependent on your ability to think critically, obtain images of normal anatomy and atypical findings, and document the information in a way that aids providers in establishing a diagnosis or change in the plan of care.
Here Are Five Tips For A Great Laboratory Experience:
- Take care of the equipment. Ultrasound machines are a big expense for the program. They are not like textbooks that you can take home and study later.
- Constantly seek feedback. Consistent instructor and peer feedback, plus self-evaluation, will help you improve.
- Establish a scanning routine. There are many things about working in diagnostic imaging that cannot be automated. Every patient’s body is somewhat different. We all have a liver, but how to get the best images differs from person to person. Automate the habits you can control.
- Focus on you! Try your best not to compare yourself to others. Everybody learns at a different pace.
- Ask for help. If something doesn’t make sense or you are struggling, narrow down what that is and tell your instructor so they can best help you. They will be supervising several students. Alerting them to your needs early on is ideal.
Learn From the Best!
Candice Sellers, B.S., RDMS, was awarded top clinical student in her class.
“There are many objectives that a student should master during their clinical rotations. The three key things that helped me to have an exceptional clinical experience were being proactive, having a team player mindset, and an eagerness to learn.”
Remember, the radiologist who interprets ultrasound exams only sees the information you give them. This is an operator-dependent profession. The quality of the exam is largely dependent on your ability to think critically, obtain images of normal anatomy and atypical findings, and document the information in a way that aids providers in establishing a diagnosis or change in the plan of care. Does that sound like a big responsibility? You’re right…. It is! Learning to scan takes dedication and lots of practice. It can be intimidating, but it is a fun challenge.