Leadership in cardiac sonography today is more than operational oversight, it’s about mentorship, advocacy, and driving meaningful progress in both clinical practice and professional development. In this first installment, Matthew shares his journey from student to educator, and ultimately to professional leadership, all rooted in a mission to give back.
From Practicum to President: One Sonographer’s Journey
Head Notre Dame Football coach Marcus Freeman said last year after winning the Dodd Trophy, given to the nation’s best college football coach, “I’m always a believer that with team glory comes individual glory.” Those words could not be truer for me and my experience at OSF Healthcare.
My journey in the field of echocardiography started while I was completing a professional practicum through Illinois State University’s Exercise Science program as an intern in cardiac rehab. Through that professional experience I was exposed to exercise prescription, EKG rhythm assessments, conducting exercise classes, taking blood pressures, and being a support structure for those going through a difficult rehab challenge.
In addition, the program allowed time to experience healthcare in many different facets. I observed the nuclear medicine team, physical therapists, stress testing, Echocardiography, and I even observed open heart surgery over a surgeon’s shoulder while he performed cardiac bypass surgery.
All this experience helped broaden my knowledge of healthcare and the opportunities within the field. I thought all this experience was very interesting but did not see a path forward in any of those careers because I was just about to graduate with my Bachelors and had already been offered a part time job in the cardiac rehab department as an Exercise Physiologist.
Until one day, the supervisor of the Echo Lab approached me with an opportunity to train on the job and obtain credentials through a pathway available through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. He said that he appreciated my professionalism, work ethic, and saw a bright future ahead of me. I jumped at the opportunity. Not only was I about to receive a full-time job, but I did not have to go back to school, something that I had considered very much so in the year preceding graduation.
I came into the echo lab very “green” but with the support and encouragement from the staff, I grew into a productive member of the team. Not only was I learning about echocardiography, but also how to work as part of a team, how to interact with working professionals, and how to be an advocate for the patients that I cared for.
After completing my board exams, I quickly put my head down and worked as hard as I could to ensure I was exposed to every pathology, worked with every physician, and experienced every situation the Echo lab could throw at me. Through that preparation, I became the department’s Technical Director & Educator within 4 years.
In the years following I gained additional experience as a clinical site instructor, adjunct instructor, research sonographer, part-time professional speaker within the echo industry, Fellow of the American Society of Echocardiography, Advanced Cardiac Sonographer, and President and founder of the Central Illinois Society of Echocardiography.
These accomplishments are a reflection of many people within our healthcare organization that have put a lot of work into me and the success that we have had in our lab.
Now, with over 11 years of healthcare experience, I have the ability to train, mentor, and give back, like so many that came before me did. In a way, it is an avenue for me to honor those individuals who have put a lot of effort into me.
My journey in echocardiography has and always will be more than just images and diagnoses. It’s about the people, growth, and leadership. I’m privileged to serve in a dual role as a Cardiac Ultrasound Educator at OSF Healthcare and as President of the Central Illinois Society of Echocardiography. Leadership matters now more than ever in echocardiography with the field evolving rapidly.
As we navigate balancing new technologies, changing guidelines, increasing patient volumes, and difficult staffing matrices, it is important to keep these five principles in mind as a leader in echocardiography.
First and foremost, you must be authentic. Everyone can see though individuals who pontificate. Lack of trust creates disengagement and low morale.
The second principle is empathy. Sonographers face high stress and steep learning curves sometimes. Empathetic leaders build trust and improve retention.
Remember, everyone is going though something so we should have a mindset of kindness and compassion.
Third, be an inspiration. Be the standard for consistent high-quality imaging, ethical practice, and quality of care. As a transformational leader, you “walk the walk” (idealized influence) and earn trust through competence and consistency.
Fourth, be resourceful. Through competence and experience, you can find answers when you don’t know the answer right away. Through many networking channels and work experiences, you can tap into your supportive network to help cultivate the path forward.
Fifth and last, have situational awareness. The challenges of educating a cardiac sonography workforce by promoting quality over quantity and continued support for education and training efforts can sometimes be challenging if your facility consistently has an overwhelming worklist. It’s important to put the best pieces in place to tackle a challenging day, keeping in mind that no two days are the same.
From humble beginnings to becoming a recognized leader and educator, Matthew’s journey is a testament to how authenticity, empathy, and vision can shape a career. But his story doesn’t end here. What came next was a bold step toward building something bigger — a community. In Part II, we pick up where his inspiring story continues.