It is an honor to receive the 2017 Peter H. Arger, MD, Excellence in Medical Student Education Award. I am fortunate to know Dr. Arger and recognize his remarkable achievements in education, accreditation, and leadership in ultrasound. It’s my great privilege to work with different students, whether they are medical students, residents, fellows, sonography students, vascular technology students, or physicians of different medical specialties. I have had many great teachers and mentors to learn from. Some of my favorite teachers like Barry Goldberg, Ken Taylor, Chris Merritt, and Peter Arger have the gift to communicate complex ideas and make them simple and easy to understand. Teachers at that level inspire me to be the best I can be.

I know there are many educators who understand that feeling when a student “gets it.” The anatomy and physiology that they’ve been studying comes to life. When the ultrasound unit is no longer a confusing mess of dials and buttons and becomes a window into the human body. When they realize that in their hands, ultrasound can make a difference in patient care.

I am lucky to work with a team of physicians and sonographers who enjoy teaching our medical students. We meet to devise new ways to integrate ultrasound into our longitudinal 4-year ultrasound program. One of the techniques we use to engage our students is to integrate games into our classes. Our SONICS (SONographic Integration of Clinical skills and Structure) faculty has enjoyed putting together ultrasound games for our students. We find that gaming increases their excitement and takes advantage of their competitive edge. One of our latest creations, the Hunger Games (J Ultrasound Med 2017; 36:361–365), has proven very successful.

During this class, we ask one member of each student team to fast prior to a scan of the gallbladder and mesenteric arteries. Following a breakfast of a bagel and cream cheese, the students are rescanned to assess for changes in gallbladder size and mesenteric blood flow. All scanning is performed by the students with faculty guidance. One team is deemed the “winner” and awards are given. The session combines both anatomic and physiologic principles to learn about gastrointestinal and vascular function and incorporate Doppler techniques. This activity provides the foundation for a powerful integration of Doppler ultrasound into medical education.

What are some of the ways that you have engaged your students with fun and interactive ultrasound programs? Do you have any stories from your own education to share? Comment below or let us know on Twitter: @AIUM_Ultrasound.

John S. Pellerito, MD, is professor of Radiology at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine and Vice Chairman of Radiology at Northwell Health.