Have you ever wondered how your skills as a sonographer could make a difference beyond the walls of your clinic?
Imagine traveling to underserved areas where access to medical care is limited. Your ultrasound skills and knowledge can be shared with local providers, supporting them to provide critical healthcare to those in need.
Medical trips offer sonographers a unique opportunity to use their skills for something truly impactful. For one ESP instructor, these trips have become a passion—and now, they’re looking for more volunteers to join the mission.
Meet David Adams: A Veteran of Medical Mission Trips
Rwanda, India, Russia, Vietnam, Nepal, Sudan, American Samoa, Paraguay, Uganda, South Africa, and the Philippines sound like a bucket list of places off the beaten track.
For David Adams, a retired cardiac sonographer from Duke University and an ESP Adult Echo instructor since 1993, this is a partial list of where he takes his echo skills.
Starting in 1997, he volunteered to train physicians, nurses, and anyone who wanted to learn echocardiography and care for their patients.
Now, doing 3-4 missions a year, it’s hard for him to take a vacation that doesn’t include echo training.
David shared the images from his recent trips for this blog.
Why Sonographers Are Vital to Medical Missions
While most people associate medical missions with doctors and nurses, sonographers play an equally critical role. Ultrasound is a noninvasive, portable, and effective diagnostic tool, ideal for regions with limited access to medical imaging.
Sonographers can help diagnose conditions ranging from pregnancy complications to heart disease and tumors—often in areas where advanced medical care is unavailable.
Many of David’s trips are with a surgical team performing life-saving valve surgery for patients with Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), still a huge problem in low- and middle-income countries, where access to antibiotics to treat strep is difficult.
For the past twenty years, his emphasis has been on training others to perform cardiac scans, which can identify RHD / CHD earlier, start treatment, and hopefully delay surgical intervention.
How You Can Get Involved
If you’re a sonographer thinking about ways to give back, medical mission trips could be a life-changing experience for you and the patients you serve. Whether you’re an experienced sonographer or a recent graduate, there are opportunities to get involved.
David’s current mission is to recruit more volunteers for his upcoming trips, and he’s encouraging sonographers of all levels to apply.
“Doing global missions is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my career,” David says. “You think you are going in as the expert, but I always learn more from those I teach and the patients we see.”
Medical trips typically last one to two weeks; most organizations cover lodging and meals. While the experience requires flexibility, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. The impact is profound, from the gratitude of the communities you help to the relationships you build with other healthcare professionals.
How to Find Volunteer Opportunities
Over the years, David has led global trips, and many other sonographers/physicians have traveled with him. It really does take a village! He works with several organizations, including Team Heart, Heart-2-Heart Global Cardiac Care, and CardioStart International, to name a few. They are always looking for volunteers.
David’s spreadsheet of volunteers numbers over 250! Check out his website for past trips, and email him if you want to be added to his list or have any questions.
If you’re looking for general ultrasound or other echo opportunities, many reputable organizations offer medical mission trips for healthcare professionals.
Some focus on specific regions, while others respond to natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide. Here are a few more organizations to start your search:
- International Foundation for Sonography Education and Research (IFSER): Connects sonographers with organizations seeking ultrasound experts to bring sonography education and skills internationally.
- RAD-AID Works in over 30 countries to improve and optimize access to medical imaging and radiology in low-resource regions of the world, increasing radiology’s contribution to global public health initiatives and patient care.
- Radiologists Without Borders: This organization provides diagnostic imaging services to underserved areas around the globe.
- International Medical Relief (IMR) organizes short-term medical trips and often includes sonographers in its diagnostic teams.
Do your research and find a trip that aligns with your skills and interests. Partnering with organizations with a clear mission and the infrastructure to support volunteers is important.
The Lasting Impact of Volunteering
One of the greatest benefits of participating in a medical mission trip is its lasting impact on the volunteers and the communities they serve. The trips have often been as much about personal growth as they’ve been about helping others.
“Collaboration is invaluable. Healthcare partnerships are important sources of creativity, social change, compassion, and education,” David says. “Together, we can accomplish great things with each other for our patients.”
For sonographers, these trips allow them to refine skills, work alongside professionals from different disciplines, and bring life-changing medical care to those who need it most. If you’re looking for a way to give back, grow professionally, and experience the world from a different perspective, joining a medical mission could be the answer.
Ready to Join the Mission?
If you’re ready to step outside of your comfort zone and use your sonography skills for a greater cause, consider reaching out.
Volunteering as a sonographer on a medical trip isn’t just about doing good—it’s about growing, learning, and making a tangible impact in the world. Whether it’s your first mission or your fifth, there’s always more to contribute and more lives to change. Ready to make a difference? The world needs you.
Looking for more ways to use your sonography skills? Follow us at ESP Ultrasound for updates on volunteer opportunities, industry news, and educational resources to help you grow in your career.
