What Does It Mean to be “Clinically Competent”?

ULTRASOUND SOLUTIONS CORP. is delighted to welcome back Sharlette Anderson, MHS, RDMS, RVT, RDCS, FSDMS, Content Specialist for Touch of Life Technologies (Toltech), for an educational session on clinical competency for entry-level Sonographers.

Course Description:

If you ask Sonographers what it means to be “clinically competent”, you will get a spectrum of responses. Expectations of clinical competence for our operator-dependent field are subjective and tend to evolve with experience. This presentation will discuss how one’s expectations for demonstrating clinical competence can evolve over time and how this can complicate applying standard expectations when evaluating sonography students. What does it really mean to be a competent entry-level sonographer? Opinions vary, so how do students recognize what they need to know and demonstrate? The goal is to support discussion and provide tools to help come up with an acceptable benchmark that maintains professional standards and preserves patient safety. (Approved for 1 SDMS CME credit, provided one is present for the entire event.)

This event is generously sponsored by Touch of Life Technologies.  We thank them for their support!

Course Objectives:  Upon completion of this educational activity, the participant will be able to:

• • Discuss the subjective nature of expectations related to clinical competence
  • Develop a widely acceptable definition of clinical competence for the entry-level Sonographer
  • Explain the impact of subjective expectations on the clinical evaluation of sonography students

About Our Speaker:

Sharlette Anderson, MHS, RDMS, RVT, RDCS, FSDMS, a Sonographer for 34 years, completed her Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology-Sonography at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City and her Master of Health Science in Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound at the University of Missouri in Columbia, where she served as an Associate Clinical Professor/Clinical Coordinator for 15 years. Sharlette is now a Content Specialist for Touch of Life Technologies (Toltech) where she builds case-based instructional modules focused on sonography/imaging. Ms. Anderson has been a Sonography Educator for 20 years and has practiced clinically her entire career. She has co-authored several case studies and research articles, and, most recently, authored a textbook chapter. She made it a priority to mentor research and writing with her students, an activity she pioneered at MU.

Sharlette is a long-time SDMS volunteer, serving on multiple committees. She has authored webinars and clinical refreshers, conducted podcast interviews, and is a member of the JDMS Editorial Board. She received SDMS Fellow status in 2022 and was elected to serve on the SDMS Board of Directors. Ms. Anderson is also an accomplished volunteer with the ARDMS, serving on the Abdominal Specialty Exam Development Committee, writing items, mentoring new Item Writers, and served as a Subject Matter Expert for the ARDMS Skills App. In addition to her teaching, clinical, and professional service, Sharlette works with the Missouri Alliance for Life to provide training to medical professionals at pregnancy help centers in the performance of limited obstetric sonography, helping to ensure that sonograms performed at their clinics meet professional standards and that the professionals performing the sonograms are aware of bioeffects and the scope of a limited sonogram in the pregnancy help center clinic setting.

This activity has been approved for 1.0 SDMS CME credit.

The CME participant roster will be reported by Ultrasound Solutions Corp. to the SDMS CME Tracker System.

Important update from the SDMS:

SDMS no longer allows its CME providers to issue Partial Credit for attendance. If you join late or leave early, the SDMS will no longer permit us to award partial pro-rated credit.

Therefore, from now on, in order to receive CME credit, you must be in attendance for the ENTIRE event via your own unique Zoom link that Zoom emailed to you when you registered. Then, and only then, will USC be able to award you any credit. So, please be prompt and attentive to the time schedule. We apologize for any inconvenience, but again, this is a new SDMS policy we must abide by. Thank you for understanding.