Clinical rotations are extremely demanding, but yet an incredibly rewarding experience for students. We work alongside experienced sonographers and have the opportunity to observe, participate, and see first-hand what the world of vascular technology is like beyond the classroom. This is honestly a once in a lifetime experience, the knowledge that we absorb from clinical rotations will impact how we scan and who we are as sonographers. It’s scary to think about, but it is a vital piece of information for students and mentors to keep in mind. One year of clinical experience seems like a long time, but I’ve already been in my clinical rotations for over a month and feels like it’s been about a week. In, the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
One caveat of the time we are granted in clinical rotations is that what you put into the experience is what you get out of it. Especially if a student is in low volume lab, it can be easy to just wait for another patient, virtually wasting clinical hours by doing nothing. There is ALWAYS something to do, whether it’s making the beds, refilling gel bottles or even learning to perform an exam in a different language. These tasks may seem trivial, but becoming efficient at them can not only enhance patient experience, but also decrease the amount of turnover time between patients. I am a strong believer in the notion that you can learn something new every day, and I make sure that a priority during my day. The life of a student in clinical rotations can be stressful, with added responsibilities on top of completing clinical hours, but it’s 100% worth it!