The Vein Of It All

This week begins week two of my fifteen week semester. Venous anatomy, physiology, hemodynamics and pathology will be the focus of the first half of this semester. Then it will be onto abdmoninal vasculature. Last semester was spent on the arteries and all their parameters. I learn the material in lecture and then apply the knowledge and learn the scanning skills in lab.

That's the idea anyhow. And the only way to become a better scanner is through practice, practice and more practice. I go into open lab on the weekends. I stay after class to practice. I practice in between classes. It's how I learn. Now I need to get into the habit of bringing all kinds of different "patients" into the lab. The more variety of body types I scan, the better. And if there is one thing I have learned, it's that everyone is different. Everyone has different anatomy, different vessel sizes and shapes. There is never a dull moment. This is both exciting, challenging and a bit overwhelming all at once. Especially when it comes to scanning veins, no two people are exactly the same. It's similar to figuring out a puzzle, or finding the missing link in an unsolved case. I feel like a vascular detective sometimes. Just where does that vein lead and what does it connect to? What approach have I not tried yet? It's up to me to figure it out. And I'm definitely up for the challenge!

Is that mickey mouse or just a few arteries?