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Sonographer Spotlight: “The hands-on instructors were very helpful.... with only two attendees per U/S machine and one instructor.”

Tell us a little about your background? How long have you been registered? Why did you decide to become double registered?

I am a graduate of HCC Sonography program in 1999. Registered in Abdomen and Ob/Gyn in 1999, RVT 2000. From HCC, I was employed full-time at a area hospital where all types of exams were performed and incentives were given for additional registries, that was the main motivation for taking as many registry exams as possible. In 2001, I left the hospital to work as the National Clinical Specialist for a medical device company whose product treats superficial venous disease and rely on U/S for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients. During my employment, I was also Program Director for two of the CME accredited educational programs the company offers.

Tell us why you chose Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute to expand your education?

GUI has an excellent reputation for providing quality educational programs and study materials for Ultrasound Professionals. With the close proximity to my home and thorough information about the program I was interested in on the website, I felt like the curriculum suited my need for a review course to brush up on areas that I have not scanned regularly since leaving the hospital.

Give us some of the highlights of the recent Abdominal class you attended? What was the most effective part of the program?

I was very impressed with the amount and quality of ultrasound images/video clips that were incorporated into the lectures for both normal anatomy and pathology. The excellent image representation and well thought out lectures (their progression and order made it easy to build upon the information) kept the course interesting and informative.

In your course evaluation you stated that the “…additional scanning time in room 207 was helpful”. Please expand on this. How was it helpful?

The challenge with learning something new is limited time to practice what you have learned. The regular scan lab was very well run; the hands-on instructors were very helpful and made sure the attendees scanned all anatomy that had been focused on in the lectures. The hands-on instructors were also very helpful to the attendees who needed to focus on specific areas as it pertains to their job requirements; with that attention and only two attendees per U/S machine and instructor, Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute does an excellent job of making sure the attendees get as much scanning experience as possible. Every course I have been to (and directed on my own) has a limited amount of time for scanning, which is just something that can’t be overcome. The real bonus in this course was having the additional scan time in room 207 where the attendees could scan a model or scan other attendees of the course allowing more hands-on time to adopt the skills necessary to become proficient as a sonographer. Having the additional 2.5 hours each day for practical experience is invaluable.

What would you say to someone who was considering attending GUI for their ultrasound training?

Gulfcoast Ultrasound Institute provides quality ultrasound training programs, with well-written, informative and engaging lectures, excellent image representation and very personalized hands-on instruction. They have many additional educational products to enhance the learning experience and the staff are very friendly and eager to assist in the training process.