Hello! I also agree that the individual who can actually cross-train between
two ultrasound specialties is rare. The individual areas of ultrasound are
diverging and to be current in the individual fields is getting to be quite a
challenge. The skilled sonographer can do a normal patient, but subtle
pathology is another thing.
                                         Tim Oltman RVT
                                         Memorial Medical Center
Don Ridgway wrote:

> I would like to add my vote for people who are good at what they do, and
> are allowed to keep doing it. My impression is that there are still many
> labs which want good vascular techs, period, and I'm grateful that I'm in
> one of those. I feel in all modesty that I'm a fairly intelligent sort of
> person, and I have my hands pretty full just being good at one specialty.
> I've seen many folks cross-train, and it takes a very sharp (and very very
> energetic) tech to do it well.
>
> I've seen a few articles on the phenomenon Barton referred to: that
> specialists get quite good at something (e.g., a particular surgery).
> Imagine that. I think there may be some general movement toward recognizing
> the effectiveness of encouraging specialization. I hope so. I'm the
> beneficiary of this kind of specialization--a pair of surgeons who have
> made a specialty of acoustic neuroma surgery and know what works. I'm
> grateful.
>
> Finally, I will raise this unpleasant possibility, because I've seen it
> more than once: Radiology departments may want to take over a vascular lab
> because of--pardon my French--money. Our labs are often pretty good
> money-makers for whatever department has them, and I think it must look
> pretty tempting. Radiology departments tend to be politically powerful, and
> to get pretty much what they want. I'm sorry if this seems divisive, but as
> I say, I've seen it happen; turf battles are a nasty reality at some
> hospitals.
>
> May we endure as a distinct specialty; I like it that way, and I think it's
> best for our patients.
>
> Don Ridgway
> Grossmont Hospital