Megan Platfoot, diagnostic medical sonography program coordinator at Clark State College has been awarded the Excellence in Sonography Distinguished Educator Award by BB Imaging.
Platfoot developed the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program (DMS) at Clark State and continues to serve as its program director. Before the first class graduated, she had successfully earned CAAHEP accreditation in AB, OB/GYN, and vascular sonography. Her most recent focus has been on growing the program to provide as many resources as possible, including machines, simulators, and registry study material.
She also handles student and clinical recruitment and curriculum development, but her favorite part of the job is seeing how eager and excited her students are as they embark on the beginning of their sonography careers.
The Distinguished Educator award recognizes a teacher, professor, or program director who demonstrates dedication to the education and training of future sonographers. Nominees must be currently employed in the United States by a CAAHEP-accredited diagnostic medical sonography program.
Platfoot was nominated for the award by her students in the program.
“It is an honor to be nominated by my students and to receive this award. I love to see how passionate they are as they begin their careers in sonography,” she said. “My goal is to provide my students with the best Diagnostic Medical Sonography program available and the best experience while at Clark State. It is a privilege to get to know each of my students and to be a part of their education in my role at Clark State.”
DMS is the non-invasive use of high frequency sound waves to image anatomic structures within the body. Sonographers are specially trained individuals who work under the close supervision of radiologists, cardiologists, and vascular surgeons in order to assist them in determining a medical diagnosis and treatment plan for patients. The sonographer is responsible for acquiring diagnostic images of normal and abnormal structures and reporting findings to the appropriate supervising physician. Upon graduation, sonographers may be employed by hospitals, private physician practices, diagnostic imaging centers, research departments, and ultrasound machine manufacturers.
The DMS program combines didactic and clinical learning experiences that are within the legal scope of responsibility of sonographers.
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at Clark State accepts a limited number of students per year with technical classes beginning each fall.
Applications for the next cohort of DMS students opens December 8 online at: https://www.clarkstate.edu/admissions/admissions-for-healthcare-programs/diagnostic-medical-sonography-application/