I would like to share a recent visit to an amazing clinic (I mean it goes without saying that every clinic I visit is amazing!) for ultrasound training. The Pets R Family Veterinary Hospital is in St. Johns, Florida where Drs. Deckard, McDivitt,. Motycka and Hashey depend on their Samsung HS 40 https://choicemedical.com/samsung-veterinary-ultrasound/hs40/ to strengthen their commitment to quality veterinary care for their patients. What an amazing group of veterinarians that are passionate to provide exemplary patient care and fortify the human-animal bond. As I was driving home and ruminating I realized that it was yet another amazing day of learning and fellowship! So, that got me to thinking. Maybe I should share what happens on training days.
Once the date is set I get excited about the day I get to travel and share some knowledge! For the veterinary ultrasound training, whether you have a Samsung or a different system, each person usually spends about two hours performing a full abdominal scan. Why so long you ask? Well, this gives time to pause and have discussions and talk about techniques and allows for breaks to rest your hand and brain!
We usually need 3-5 dog volunteers (hopefully a cat or two) with the possibility that we may not scan all of them but, it is better to have too many than not enough. Each session is unique and you can never predict how fast or how slow the exams will be since everyone learns at their own pace. Preferably, but not necessary, I like to have volunteers that we can sedate. This is best because it is hard to learn on a moving target and some awake patients tend to have abs of steel and it is more difficult to scan a tense abdomen! Not excluded are clinical patients that may need to be scanned as part of the ultrasound training and this is great because it gives a chance to find the abnormal (although a lot of these patients tend to be normal!)
Vet ultrasound is definitely a modality that takes some skill and practice to become proficient. Not only handling the transducer but recognizing organs and structures. Then once identified, determining whether those structures are normal or abnormal. When I was learning ultrasound I had the amazing opportunity to sit, watch, and learn everything about ultrasound. Not everyone has that opportunity and because of that fact, I make it my mission to share the knowledge given to me with anyone who wants to become more knowledgeable and more practiced at using ultrasounds!
I have had the opportunity to go to many great clinics, make new friends, and catch up with alums. I impart some knowledge, learn something new (always!), and leave with a sense of accomplishment.