On Florida National University’s (FNU) Hialeah and South Campuses, pregnant women who are less than 32 weeks into their pregnancy can receive a free ultrasound performed by students under the direct guidance and supervision of their instructors, Dr. Segundo Cazalis at the Hialeah campus and Dr. Idania Irastorza at the South campus, who are Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.
“The purpose of offering these free ultrasounds is two-fold. First, we believe in serving our community. Second, it provides our students with real-world experience and exposes them to numerous normal cases,” says Dr. Loreto Almonte, FNU’s Allied Health Division Head. “We have been offering this service for the last five years and have seen how it not only benefits mothers and students, but also how it tightens the bond between the university and our community.”Once the ultrasound is complete, patients receive pictures of the images evaluated in both an Obstetric protocol and in a 3D protocol. The students performing these exams have been trained on B-Mode, M-Mode, Color Doppler, Spectral Doppler, 3D and 4D modalities.
Women interested in receiving an ultrasound must call the university to make an appointment, which can be scheduled during DMS Lab hours. Appointments are available from Monday to Thursday from 1 to 5 pm and on Fridays from 1 to 9 pm. To make an appointment on the Hialeah campus, call (305) 821-3333 and press 0. To make an appointment on the South campus, call (305) 226-9999 and press 0. There is no limit on how often a patient can receive an ultrasound as long as she first makes an appointment.
