I can see clearly now

If you want to simulate the development of visual cognition in newborns, take a course in ultrasonography. I remember when I was a med student, and a resident showed me my first blurry, shaky FAST images (focused assessment of sonography for trauma).

Resident: See that? That's Morrison's pouch, showing no free fluid between the kidney and liver.

Me: I think that's just static, and you're playing a trick on me. Can we adjust the image?

Resident: No, actually, see, this echogenic area is the renal pelvis...

Me: Really, just stop, you're not fooling anyone.


A few years later, and here I am, identifying venous thrombi and peri-pancreatic stranding, the common bile duct and the superior mesenteric artery. It's unbelievable what you can see in that static-y window. I especially like how, the better I get with ultrasound, the more it seems to help (compare that with sub-subspecialties like toxicology, where the effort of accumulating greater expertise finds diminishing returns for patient aid...)

Other observations:

In my surveys, whenever I apply the ultrasound probe over the male bladder, the men always crack a smile and ask me if they're pregnant. It never gets old. (The women, they don't ask out loud).

There is a striking correlation with EM ultrasound expertise and a past life as a disc jockey. In fact, it turns out I used to listen to one of my U/S mentors, on the radio. Different frequencies now, but same catchy appeal.