First Week

This week was the first real week of my sonography program. Needless to say, I won't have much time for blogging. I might try to write once a week. My brain is so tired from the intense concentration I must exert everyday, and it would be so hard to explain all that I have absorbed, but I will try to share about the experience (maybe so I can look back and appreciate it).....

I am scanning my classmates already.

I found a liver, kidney, aorta, gallbladder, and inferior vena cava all by myself.

I haven't done anything or lacked to do anything that has resulted in me being terminated from the program (a daily fear of all of the students).

I have five classes, two of them labs. One lab is over four hours long.

I found out that there were 50 people who applied to the program. 18 of us got in.

Our class is all women.

I am the 2nd oldest. The oldest is almost 40. The youngest is 21.

I have amazing, excellent instructors.

A HUGE challenge so far is learning the direction of what you're scanning, and how it translates to the screen. We go over and over and over and over and over and over it........

I have learned that while sonographers are not technically supposed to "diagnose," it is the sonographer who directs the radiologist toward the diagnosis, and in some cases, the radiologist makes their diagnosis based solely on what the sonographer says or the pictures they show them. Sonographers have a HUGE responsibility, and thus, must really know their stuff.

I am feeling good so far, because I have not lost any points on any homework or labs.

The last couple of days, I have driven home and cried due to the intense concentration I have to exert in class. Because this is going to be my future job, and I don't want to fail the program, I have to make sure that nothing gets by that I don't fully comprehend. It's tiring. On the other hand, it's incredibly fulfilling.

The program chair just got word that they have been accredited by the ARDMS (sonography organization), which means our class of students can take our registry exams immediately after graduation. Without accreditation, we would have had to work for one year before we could sit for the exams. This is HUGE for our future employment, and for the program.

I am going to love this job someday. It fits me. I thank God for opening this door for me and empowering my success. All credit to Him!