Last Sheppard-trained sonographers carry on the mission

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Adawn Kelsey
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Team Sheppard said a final farewell as the last four students graduated from the Diagnostic Ultrasound Apprentice course July 23.

These Airmen are the last Sheppard-trained sonographers to carry the 882nd Training Group mission and vision into their career field before the course makes the move to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, starting July 28.

This group has exemplifies the caliber of today's Airmen, technically superior and highly-motivated warrior Airmen.

The selection process for the Diagnostic Ultrasound course begins on day one of an Airman's career in the diagnostic imaging career field.

Master Sgt. Michael Jaworsky, 382nd Training Squadron Diagnostic Medical sonography program director, said the selection is very competitive and the requirements to attend the course are very strict.

"Any student who has or will attend this course is required to be a senior airman, must have a five level in diagnostic imaging career field and then apply for retraining," he said. "Once they are selected they attend the six-month, very exclusive and very challenging course."

Sergeant Jaworsky said the course saves the Air Force a substantial amount of money and is the only formal sonography course in the Department of Defense.

"A student trained through a civilian training program would cost the Air Force about $50,000 for the 18-month program, with the additional costs of living during the temporary duty assignment as well as, their salary," he said. "The Air Force spends approximately $25,000 per student per course phase in 1/3 of the time, and produces the same result."

Sergeant Jaworsky said students from this course work with top-of-the line equipment and are trained extensively.

"Students in this course are self motivated and highly intelligent," he said. "The passing rate for the physics review for the national registry is 85 percent compared to the 65 percent for civilian courses."

Tech. Sgt. Gloria Winings, 382nd TRS Ultrasound Sonography phase I instructor, will move to Fort Sam Houston along with the Ultrasound Diagnostic course.

"Over the next few months (Staff Sgt. Kimeshia Bennett) and I will become acclimated to the systems and review the training plans and finalize our qualifications before the classes start in January," she said.

Sergeant Bennett, 382nd TRS Ultrasound Sonographer phase I instructor, said teaching the course is critical to an Airman's success.

"As instructors, we are giving them the basic knowledge to being their careers," she said. "It is important to make sure they are efficient in these skills because they are the eyes of the doctor. If a sonographer does not do the job correctly, he can either save or take a life."

Tech. Sgt. Sandra Dilligard, 382nd TRS Diagnostic Ultrasound course student, said standards are held higher for sonographers because they are the eyes of the doctor.

"We are taught from the first day of class that the lives of our patients lay in our hands," she said. "You can miss something serious if you are not careful and if you do that person could literally be walking out of your office and fall dead."

Staff Sgt. Evelyn Baxter, 382nd TRS Diagnostic Ultrasound course student, said the portable ultrasound unit and her training will make it easier to help save lives when she is out in a field scenario.

"If an Airman is hurt and unable to be moved at that moment, we have the ability to take a portable unit to the injured person," she said. "With this unit we are able to scan for any vascular injury or blood that may be going to the brain even before they make it to the hospital, saving very valuable time."

Sergeant Jaworsky said over the next couple of weeks the equipment will be moved into its new home at Ft. Sam Houston.

"The phase one course is scheduled to start January 10, 2011," Sergeant Jaworsky said. "I think this is a great opportunity for this particular course to move to a new location."
Sergeant Bennett agreed the move to Ft. Sam Houston was a beneficial move for the course.

"I think it is great to think that all the military services will be working together in a school house before we get into in a war zone," she said. "This move will give the students the opportunity to learn from each other in a joint-service atmosphere."

Sergeant Winings said while it was a good experience for her to come back to where all her training began, she has no doubt she and Sergeant Bennett will complement each other when it comes to teaching.

"This is where I got my initial training and it is neat to come back here to learn the basics all over again," the sergeant said. "Sergeant Bennett and I will be a great team. We have the advantage point because I have been in the field for a few years now and she is relatively new and has a fresher aspect of the pathology."