Ultrasound 101 — Teaching a New Generation
The Corner Office
Wayne Moore
3/14/2025
One of the great joys in my work at Acertara is holding an introductory class in diagnostic ultrasound for all Acertara new hires: Ultrasound 101. I believe that, regardless of the position they may hold within the company, this class puts into context what their work brings to the healthcare community and to patients — and how very important their individual work contribution is toward ensuring the safety and efficacy of every device we service. The two-and-a-half-hour class starts with the history of ultrasound, how it is used in the clinical setting, FDA regulatory issues specific to ultrasound, and the physics of ultrasound; all followed by how probes are constructed, how they get damaged in the clinical setting, and how probes are cared for — cleaning, high-level disinfecting, transporting, and storage.
I encourage questions and usually get a lot of them, especially from either those who are new to the medical device field or from those whose high-school physics lessons are but a distant memory. I chose the two-and-a-half-hour class length because I have found that if it is any longer than that (especially the physics), students begin exhibiting several symptoms of brain death, including pupils being fixed and dilated. Other training is provided throughout tenure at Acertara: We consider ourselves a team, and as a team, we need to ensure that we engage in consistent, meaningful training. As a result, we are better at what we do. We owe it to the patients.
Until Next Month,
Wayne