“With each outreach trip, I bring back a renewed sense of why I love being a clinical sonographer,” Hendricks said. “I remember why it is important to have patience as a health care professional, as an educator, and as a patient.” 

At the Georgetown Public Hospital in Guyana, residents perform all ultrasounds because the country lacks professional criteria for sonographers through the ministry of health, and sonographer training programs do not exist. 

Among other responsibilities on the trip, Hendricks provided training in all areas of abdominal, vascular, and OB/GYN ultrasound as well as renal transplant ultrasound. She also assessed the scan skills of the graduating residency class to determine if they were qualified to graduate. 

While she provided knowledge and training, Hendricks also gained professional insights from these experiences, like learning which images the Georgetown Public Health transplant surgeon needed for dialysis fistula, a surgical procedure that makes it easier for the body to receive dialysis.  

At KCMC’s sonography program, existing health care professionals come from several regions across Tanzania to train. Hendricks introduced ultrasound physics, adapted and shared student ultrasound protocols, taught and oversaw scan labs on an aorta ultrasound, and discussed ergonomics and equipment.   

“In my current work environment, I have the opportunity to learn, to teach others, to ease the stress on a patient, to build trust with patients and other health care professionals, and to be on the cutting edge of technology and patient care,” Hendricks said. “We are fortunate to have access to some of the best care and education at UW Health and being able to spread knowledge to others is an indescribable feeling.” 

Through a variety of programs, including the department’s Global Health Elective program, Jeffrey Kanne, MD; Michael Hartung, MD; Richard Bruce, MD, and residents have impacted communities across the globe. Read more about these collaborations.