Travel Tech Adventures: My First Blog

Tech.  I, like so many in my field, hate that word.  It is demeaning of our official title and the hard work we had to put in to earn our degree for our profession.  A profession where you have to wrap your head around complicated subject matter, such as ultrasound physics and visualizing two dimensional images of a patient’s body in 3D in your mind.  A profession that was so challenging to learn, that I can honestly say it was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life and continues to challenge the best of us on a daily basis, even after decades in the field.  A profession that has approximately a 90% risk of injury to your shoulder and wrist, due to various factors and ergonomic issues that are not easily avoided.  

Tech?  Forget that.  Sonographer, or maybe even Ultrasonographer.  That’s better.  I am a Travel Sonographer.  Which means that I perform ultrasounds and work for an agency that helps me to find jobs working throughout the country, filling a temporary void for a job at a facility that is short staffed due to maternity leave, injury, or a vacancy.  It is a job that is gratifying beyond belief, because you are helping the doctor to figure out what is wrong with a patient, or in the world of OB/GYN specifically, to hopefully provide reassurance that there is nothing wrong with a fetus and provide the patient with a joyful bonding experience and taking comfort in knowing their baby is healthy.  In those rare instances where that isn’t the case, the gratification comes in knowing that you are able to provide an opportunity for preparation to hopefully be able to correct the abnormality, or at the very least, mentally prepare for it.  On the travel side of things, gratification is in knowing that you are helping a facility who is in need of your talent to come in and assist them in providing the services they offer.  Feeling needed.  Feeling appreciated.  Isn’t that what we all want?  We all have our reasons for doing it – at the sacrifice of leaving behind family and friends and spending weeks, or oftentimes months at a time, in unfamiliar surroundings.  My reason?  Meeting people in my field from all over; making those connections and making some new friends along the way.  Seeing new parts of the country you may not have explored before; experiencing it as a local would.  Always learning; learning from a variety of talented people who may have something to offer that you did not already know.  Always growing in your field.  These are the reasons I do this job.  The traveling aspect of this job, specifically.  For me, it is far more than a great paycheck, it is about the travel experience and the people you meet along the way – amazing, talented people that you would otherwise never be lucky enough to get to know. And in most cases, they leave a mark on your life that leaves you forever changed for the better, professionally, and sometimes personally – that is my personal reward.  

I have always had a passion for travel.  This job allows me to combine my skills as a sonographer with that passion.  In my downtime from work, I make an effort to get out there and explore my temporary new hometown in a way that is probably unlike most residents.  I refuse to stay at home and waste a weekend of my precious downtime by not getting out and about and exploring as much as I can that this new hometown has to offer.  So much so, and with the luxury of knowing your residency in any given area is not infinite, I probably see more in 3 months than most permanent residents may see in a year.  Generally, when I arrive in a new area, I like to do my research and dig deep, trying to gather together a list of things that interest me.  It is a lot of work, but worth it in the end, to be able to refer to this list and pick a few items each weekend to get out there and experience it.  I have shared some of these experiences with people I have met along the way, and they expressed their appreciation for the ideas and insight.  This was the driving factor in creating this blog, so that others may also benefit from this information. In the weeks to come, I would like to share with you the places I have explored and my thoughts on those experiences.  Follow along on my journey and you are sure to enjoy the ride!