The winner of the Fall 2020 Sonography Student Scholarship is Adrienne Hardy of Orlando, Florida. Adrienne is currently enrolled in the diagnostic medical sonography program at Valencia College in Orlando, where she is working towards her Associate in Science degree.
Applicants for this Fall’s scholarship were asked the question “Why did you select your particular college or university to earn your degree in medical imaging? Share a story about what sets your program apart”.
The Winning Essay from Adrienne Hardy
I chose to receive my Diagnostic Medical Ultrasonography degree from Valencia College in Orlando, Florida. Originally, I chose Valencia because of the accreditation as part of the prestigious Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). This means I am receiving an education that has been tested and approved to be of quality.
The other major benefit of the Valencia program was the vast number of clinical hours and various clinical rotations. During the program we rotate to a completely new site every five weeks. This means we get to try our hand at exams from thyroid, neck, abdomen, renal, pelvic, great vessels, obstetrics, pediatric exams, and even interventional procedures!
The best way to learn is performing (with helpful supervision and feedback of course). The more I’ve had the chance to work with the equipment and patients, the better equipped I will be to start a successful career performing at the best of my ability.
The unique power of ultrasound imaging over other modalities, is its heavily operator dependent nature. It is a chance to shine a “flashlight” of sound beams into the human body to see what’s happening inside without any danger to the patient or operator. The technologist may find a mass, make it look benign and the patient will go untreated with malignancy! Or there could be a normal anomolay in the anatomy that the sonographer may alert the radiologist to take aggressive treatment steps or surgery. All harming the patient instead of helping. The only way to combat these problems is with knowledge and experience. That is exactly what Valencia College offers. We have two years to become experts on pathologies’ appearances, and clinical manifestations as well as what organs should look and act like. It’s a huge responsibility!
The chance to rotate through so many clinical sites is an incredible opportunity because it has allowed me to take stock of what I need the most work on, as well as interact with diverse patient populations. It has taught me technical skills as well as meeting the needs and taking the best care of each and every unique patient.
Another quality I love about my program is my professors are truly caring, not only for the students but for teaching a quality education that will extend into a positive patient experience. They push us to be great sonographers so that we may serve the patients. It is strengthening our city for the healthcare our moms, grandpas, brothers, and friends all deserve. Every day they impress on us the importance of being competent while advocating for every person we examine. It is our duty to speak up on behalf of our patients and provide the ultimate patient care. The stronger the health care workers, the better our city will be taken care of. Strong students make strong professionals which will only bolster the healthcare of the ones we care about.
Valencia College has become more than a school, it has become a home to me. The experience of learning diagnostic medical ultrasound is rigorous. The learning curve is significant and the feeling of inadequacy creeps in often when you try over and over to get it right. The professors and clinical locations all beautifully balance a supportive love with the hardships. Home is where you feel loved and where you learn who you are. It is your foundation. Valencia College will be the best groundwork for me to be the best sonographer, patient advocate, and competent imager for a lengthy career of helping others.
🏫 Are you a current, or soon to be enrolled student in an accredited medical ultrasound program? 👩🎓 Find out if you qualify to apply for the Ultrasound Schools Info – Sonography Student Scholarship!
Keep Exploring! Find Other Articles & Interviews Below.
