OB / GYN ( con ’ t )
Are you involved in fetal surgery ?
My hospital doesn ’ t do fetal surgery . We refer to larger fetal care centers for those types of procedures . We do amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling procedures in our office though . We don ’ t do them often , and usually only do them when the patient has already had non-invasive prenatal testing ( labs for normal / abnormal 13th , 18th , 21st and sex chromosomes ) done . If that comes back abnormal , our doctors offer amnio or CVS to confirm .
Did you get this job as a new grad ? Do you have any tips for new grads on getting a job with no work experience ?
I was so blessed and got my full-time Maternal Fetal Medicine job fresh out of school . I can ’ t really say I did anything special to get that . I just happened to apply when the office needed someone full-time , and they were willing to train me . My best advice is to be honest about your skill level on your resume and in interviews . My office knew I had no experience , but they welcomed that because they could teach and train me the way they wanted things done . Be honest and be willing to continue learning after school . Just because you pass a board exam and become registered doesn ’ t mean you know everything . I ’ ve been working in MFM for two years now , and I learn something new all the time .
Do you plan on staying in the OB / GYN field ?
Yes , 110 percent ! If I had to choose , I would never do anything else besides high-risk OB . I love my job so , so much . I love scanning babies because it ’ s always something new . You ’ re chasing a moving target to clear anatomy , following twins / triplets and monitoring moms with pre-existing conditions to ensure they have a healthy baby . Like I said before , my heart was meant for OB .
What does a typical workday look like for you ?
A typical day for me is an average of seven to eight patients , depending on how many techs we have that day . Any more than that would be a very busy day . I get a variety of exams throughout the day . We do try to be mindful of how many sets of multiples we each get , just so one person doesn ’ t get four sets of twins in a day or something crazy . Today , for example , I had two anatomy scans , two BPPs and a limited second trimester cervical length . Our schedule was light , and we had a lot of techs , so I only had five patients ( definitely not the norm ). I work 8 a . m . to 4 p . m ., Monday through Thursday and 8 a . m . to 1 p . m . on Friday . We don ’ t work weekends / holidays or take calls , so the schedule is really nice .
What advice do you have for those still in the program ?
All I can say is that you are your own biggest advocate in this field , and always , always , always keep pushing to further your education !
Thank you so much , Sarah ! The whole Diagnostic Medical Sonography program wishes you happiness and endless opportunities in your career !
Diagnostic
Medical Sonography
Mattea Callahan Sonography Student