Sonograms Find The Darndest Things

It’s Friday and we thought it would be interesting to learn how sonograms are used to help solve unusual cases:

In 2006, a sonogram was used to uncover the route of pain between the back and upper abdomen of a patient. Upon reviewing the sonogram, the sonographer discovered the patient had swallowed a toothpick which launched into his liver. Upon a follow-up visit two years later, the toothpick still remained launched in the liver.
Read more…
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112604374/ABSTRACT

Two women show signs of pregnancy, even though doctors cannot find a heartbeat. Sonograms are used to determine two sacs have indeed formed in the women, but upon further observation the sacs turn out are determined to be molar pregnancies: which according to St. Jude’s, is a “rare cancer in women of childbearing age in which cancer cells grow in the tissues that are formed in the uterus after conception.”
Read more…
http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/reprint/160/1/137.pdf

To learn more about unusual ultrasound features and how they helped with pancreatic pseudocysts findings, read more…
http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/reprint/130/2/265.pdf

While the above mentioned scenarios aren’t typical for the average sonographer, they do give you an idea of what you have to look forward to. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a diagnostic medical sonographer, check out our webpage at http://iamp.edu/programs/diagnosticmedicalsonography/

Come back on Monday as we discuss entrance interviews.

3 Reasons You Know It’s The Right School For You

When considering colleges do you only look at price and final outcome, or do you dig deeper? While it is important to find a college that offers the degree you want at the price you can afford, it’s vitally important to choose a college that feels right. After all, if you show up to class every day dreading it, you won’t get the best education.

How do you know if you’ve picked the right college for you?

Ask yourself the following questions. If after answering them your college of choice matches up, you have yourself a winner!

1. Will I be comfortable on campus and in class?
   In other words, if you’re an introvert by nature, will a big campus hinder your learning because you feel out-of-place or self-conscious? If you’re an extrovert, will a small campus make you feel caged in and unable to concentrate? Is the campus in a bad area of town, causing you to feel frightened every time you leave for school—making attendance an issue?
   
   
2. Does the college provide student support?
   If you discover a class to be too difficult, does the college have some type of program in place to help you succeed—like tutoring? Or are you left to your own demise?
   
   
3. Other than completion of a degree, what can this college do for me?
   In other words,
   
   
   
   • Are there hands-on training or internship programs in place?
     
   • Is there a job placement program once you graduate?
     
   
   
   
   

If you’re considering IAMP, let us leave you with this bit of advice from a past graduate…
“I hope to encourage aspiring applicants to apply to IAMP….My earnest desire is that they should have the wisdom to choose a school like IAMP that is rooted firmly and is committed to promoting academic and clinical experience in the allied health field.” —Ravikumar Johnson, PET Technologist

Come back on Friday as we discuess how sonograms find the darndest things.

8 Reasons Why You Know You’re Ready For A Career Change

1. Every morning you wake up thinking, “Just X more days until the week-end.”
   
   
2. On the way to work you have to “psyche” yourself into wanting to go to work.
   
   
3. Once you get to work, you begin to feel pressured and squeezed for time and you haven’t even clocked in yet.
   
   
4. As you begin to perform your tasks, your mind wanders, wondering if there’s something better, more exciting, or more fulfilling out there.
   
   
5. When you leave work, you’re already telling yourself the reasons why you must return tomorrow.
   
   
6. When you arrive home and your spouse asks, “How was your day?” You grunt and say, “Same old stuff. Let’s talk about something else.”
   
   
7. Friday’s paycheck arrives and as you read the dollar amount you instantly think, “This job is so not worth this!”
   
   
8. As you begin to pay your bills, you discover that once again you’re robbing Peter to pay Paul, which in terms causes a bit of depression and you “snap” on the closest person to you, even though there’s no reason to do so.
   

Yes, those are all true scenarios for people who desperately need to change careers. But change doesn’t come easy. In fact, it’s pretty darn hard. It means stepping out of one’s comfort zone, learning a new task, and asking your spouse to trust your decision. But it’s not impossible.

The best way to handle a career change is to take your time. In other words, don’t quit your day job as soon as you realize it’s making you miserable; after all, you need that paycheck!

Take a step back to figure out why you’re unhappy, and then take the steps necessary to figure out what would make you happy.

Once you know what will make you happy, take inventory of your skills, talents, and education. Can you start a new career doing what you love with what you currently possess or must you return to school?

If you must return to school, don’t go with the first school that comes to mind; take the time to meet with an administrations counselor to learn more about the school, payment options, and job placement programs.

Come back on Wednesday> to learn why you picked the right college for you.