Two apprentices started the sonography apprenticeship with Sovah Health in January 2021. Macy McBride and Kelsey Moore were both previously registered X-ray technicians, employed through Sovah Health for the past 5-6 years. They began the program in hopes of learning and growing in their professional career.
“We were grateful for the experience and the opportunity to learn and grow as individuals as we continued our education,” said McBride and Moore. “The apprenticeship made it possible for us to achieve our goals of becoming sonographers. We would advocate future apprenticeships for any student wanting to further their education while completing on-the-job training as well as formal classroom training. To us and to all future students, the benefits of an apprenticeship are well worth it.”
Both have now completed all the apprenticeship requirements, including the instructional program, on-the-job training and board exams. They remain employed with Sovah Health but now also as registered sonographers. Their plans moving forward are to continue to grow as sonographers by studying and taking their vascular as well as their OB/GYN board exams.
In October 2020, Sovah Health-Danville and IALR launched a sonography training program, the first of its kind in Southern Virginia, to fill a regional workforce shortage for registered sonographers. The accelerated 12-month certificate program will help develop and retain regional talent and meet local health care employers’ recruitment needs for this critical occupation.
Sovah Sonography Program Director Elaine Nichols demonstrates ultrasound techniques to Emily Van Pelt, Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC) Grants Specialist. The start-up training for the program was funded by TRRC.
