Lead Sonographer and Advanced Practitioner Sonographer - Breast Imaging
Nicki Davidson
Lead Sonographer
Becky Slough
Clinical specialist sonographer
Sessions
Tue 03 Mar, 2026
09:00 - 09:30
09:00 - 09:30
Registration
09:30 - 09:40
09:30 - 09:40
Welcome
09:40 - 10:00
09:40 - 10:00
Advanced Practitioner (interventional) and the Progress to Consultant /Trainee Consultant
Insights for preparing for your application for an Advanced Practice role in Ultrasound, or transition from Advanced to Consultant practice. Things to consider with some pearls and pitfalls.
10:00 - 10:20
10:00 - 10:20
The Practice Educator Role
Practice Education is an evolving role with increasingly importance within ultrasound departments. With a chronic shortage in workforce and the intense training requirements, the development of the practice educator role is paramount. In this presentation, I will review my route into practice education, describe the benefits, the expectations and the limitations of the role. We will learn how this role can lead to collaborations and projects which can shape the future of education for sonographers as well as supporting workforce issues. One project in particular, is the Internationally Qualified sonographers scholarship at Kings College London and how we are working to support sonographers who trained abroad achieve UK academic qualification and associated professional support.
10:20 - 10:40
10:20 - 10:40
Advanced Practitioner Sonographer: Breast Imaging
10:40 - 11:00
10:40 - 11:00
Extending the Sonographer Role and Voice in Early Pregnancy
Sonographers play a vital role in early pregnancy care, yet their contribution is often under-recognised. This session will explore how sonographers can strengthen their presence in diagnosing complications, supporting safe pathways, and delivering compassionate communication during sensitive scans. It will highlight how sonographer representation at national level has led to potential opportunity for extended practice roles for sonographers in the early pregnancy setting.
11:00 - 11:30
11:00 - 11:30
Refreshment break
11:30 - 11:50
11:30 - 11:50
Beyond the Screen: Investing in Your Future Career
As sonographers we often focus on the clinical aspects of the role and how we@ @can develop our careers but there are often opportunities which sit outside@ @of the scan room which are often overlooked.@Many feel frustrated at lack of opportunity for clinical development into@ @advanced practice roles or limited to funding within the department. However,@ @there are often opportunities to learn new skills, develop knowledge and@ @start to build the career you are aiming towards.@After attending a lecture at UKIO in 2019, I realised that to achieve your@ @goals, you must invest in yourself so that you are perfectly positioned for@ @any future career opportunities.@@This presentation will detail opportunities which lie within management,@ @leadership and the more strategic areas of the field of ultrasound where you@ @can make a difference to teams, patients and the wider ultrasound community.
11:50 - 12:10
11:50 - 12:10
Setting up an Endometriosis Clinic and Becoming a Gynaecology Expert
This presentation focuses on how sonographers can advance their careers by leading@ @the development and delivery of a dedicated endometriosis ultrasound service. Using real-world experience, it outlines the practical and clinical steps required to establish a high-quality, sustainable scanning pathway for patients with suspected endometriosis.@Key areas include designing referral criteria, developing standardised@ @scanning protocols and reporting, integrating ultrasound into MDT decision-making, and ensuring appropriate governance and quality assurance. The evolving role of the specialist gynaecology sonographer is explored, highlighting@ @responsibilities such as acting as the ultrasound lead for endometriosis, performing complex and advanced examinations, contributing to MDT meetings, and shaping patient pathways.@The presentation also addresses building expertise through training and@ @mentoring the sonography team, assessing registrars, and embedding education within the service. Attendees will gain insight into how clinical leadership, advanced technical skills, and service development combine to establish the sonographer as a recognised gynaecology expert while improving diagnostic accuracy and patient care.
12:10 - 12:30
12:10 - 12:30
How Do I Progress My Ultrasound Career in the Innovation Era?
Ultrasound practice is evolving rapidly as artificial intelligence (AI), digital tools and new models of care become embedded in clinical services. For radiographers and sonographers, this creates both uncertainty and opportunity. This talk explores how ultrasound professionals can progress and future-proof their careers in the innovation era, while remaining firmly rooted in safe, high-quality patient care.Drawing on clinical practice, research and real-world AI implementation, the session introduces practical AI literacy for clinicians—focusing on what practitioners need to understand to confidently use, evaluate and contribute to AI-enabled tools, particularly in image acquisition and workflow. It also explores innovation-focused career pathways, including clinical leadership, education, research, service improvement, intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship, and how these can be developed alongside clinical roles.The session is designed to be practical, accessible and empowering, offering clear actions for professionals at different career stages who want to shape the future of ultrasound practice.By the end of this session, participants will be able to:* Describe what AI literacy means for ultrasound professionals in practice* Identify innovation-related career pathways within ultrasound* Recognise how to engage safely with AI, research and service improvement* Apply practical steps to support career progression in the innovation era
12:30 - 12:50
12:30 - 12:50
From Clinical Practice to Ultrasound Education: An Adventure
12:50 - 13:50
12:50 - 13:50
Lunch
13:50 - 14:10
13:50 - 14:10
Introduction to the ECF and the Sonographer Career Framework and How You Can Use These to Plan Your Career
This session will introduce the College of Radiographers Education and Career Framework (ECF) and mapping tools to help you plan your career progression. Mapping tools will be discussed and linked to the ECF, the sonographer career framework and the four pillars of practice.
14:10 - 16:20
14:10 - 16:20
Workshop: Mapping to ECF tools Including a Table Discussion with Panel Members. Feedback and Identification of Next Action.
This introduction to the@ ECF and the Sonographer Career Framework will enable participants to prepare for this workshop, during which you can consider your current career pathway, knowledge and skills and also identify any gaps.@During this workshop there will be opportunity to reflect, explore ideas and speak with the faculty to help identify how you might take your career to the next level.
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