Margaret M. Park, BS, ACS, RVT, RDCS, FASE

Happy Spring to all fellow sonographers! I was asked by Patrick Coon, Chair of ASE’s Council on Cardiovascular Sonography Steering Committee, to provide my perspective and experience as both a mentee and mentor. What is a mentor? The word mentor stems from Greek Mythology in which Ulysses appointed Mentor as the tutor-advisor of his son, Telemachus, while he went off to fight the Trojan Wars. A mentor, in its noun form, as defined by the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, is described as a trusted counselor or teacher, an influential senior sponsor or supporter, an advisor, a master guide or preceptor; in its verb form it is to act as a mentor, or in the process of mentoring someone. Most mentoring occurs between two people, the mentor and the mentee, in a one-on-one relationship. In ancient Greece, it was common practice to pair a young man with an older experienced man to learn the skills of the day and mirror the values of the assigned mentor. I believe the latter is the cornerstone of education and training for men and women in the sonographer community, and I am sure the above-mentioned definitions apply to many of you.

I applied for a “technical job” in cardiology at the age of 19, having no idea that it would result in a new career spanning over 35+ years. Echocardiography was young then–there were only a few textbooks available and no advanced college classes. Echo skills were developed through pure and true on-the-job training. Those first months of training were very challenging, and a little scary too, as there was so much to learn. I was so fortunate to find myself in a progressive, academic hospital working one-on-one with physicians and sonographers that cared about the quality of training and education; this created the ideal learning environment to mature and grow within the field of cardiovascular medicine. As time passed by, I began to mature as a sonographer increasing my confidence and knowledge in the understanding of cardiovascular disease and the diagnostic power of ultrasound. This would not have occurred without the guidance of mentors that played a vital role in molding me into the sonographer that I am today. Although I am very grateful to all of my previous mentors, I would be remiss not to mention Dr. Josef Edelstein who had the greatest impact on me during my early career. He always encouraged me to do my best, ignited my infectious curiosity, and made me realize not everything in life was as it appeared.

The process from mentee to mentor occurs naturally over time and is one you may not even realize until after you have transitioned into that role. As my career path continued in cardiovascular ultrasound, I had the opportunity to teach fellows, sonographers, and students early on in their careers. I became involved in my local Echo and Vascular Chapters, which lead to being an active member on committees and task forces and speaking at national meetings. I currently work in research and have the opportunity to work with graduate and medical students and new team members teaching imaging techniques and different ways to apply advanced echocardiographic principals. We collaborate on projects, whereby continuously fostering and sharing new ideas and methods. It is unusual to end the day without learning something new from the group of sonographers in our research team.

In 2011, the ASE Sonographer Lifetime Achievement Award was created to recognize sonographers who have had a lifetime of outstanding achievements in the field of cardiovascular ultrasound. These sonographers have served as a role models ( mentor ) through service, research, and teaching. The award is announced bi-annually and the first three recipients of this prestigious award were David B. Adams, RCS, RDCS, FASE, Alan D. Waggoner, MHS, RDCS, FASE, and Peg Knoll, RDCS, FASE.

There is no doubt these seasoned sonographers have provided extensive mentoring to multiple individuals throughout their careers. Their experiences in cardiovascular medicine have spanned at least 25 years, and they are well recognized at the local, national, and international levels.

My advice to all sonographers is to develop your skills and build your knowledge by using available resources, listening to and observing co-workers and mentors at all levels. Education should always be a continuous effort; keep a curious mind, and do not be shy to ask questions or get advice from your peers. As you learn new skills try to perfect them and apply them in different ways. Get involved with other sonographers to share ideas, and do your best to support your local ultrasound society meetings. Networking is key so always make an effort to build new contacts. Look for training possibilities in other areas that interest you and/or educational support from your employer to attend a national meeting.

Importantly, get involved in the ASE!

I am forever indebted to the mentors throughout my life and career and for the amazing friendships that I have gained that will surely last a lifetime. From the perspective of a mentor, there is nothing more rewarding than watching your mentees become compassionate, knowledgeable, and successful sonographers.

“My chief want in life is someone who shall make me do what I can.”

Margaret M. Park, BS, ACS, RVT, RDCS, FASE has been involved in cardiovascular imaging since 1974. Her passion is understanding disease mechanisms of the right heart. She works at the Cleveland Clinic in the Coordinating Center for Clinical Research (C5) in the Imaging Core Lab and is an HVI Lead Imaging Specialist. She is also a team member in the Department of Pathobiology in the Lerner Research Institute. Her duties include analysis for the PARTNER trials, clinical research imaging, and an NIH initiative for Redefining Pulmonary Hypertension through Pulmonary Vascular Disease Phenomics (PVDOMICS).