Class of 2025: Critical thinking in sonography education

Sonographers play a critical role in healthcare, employing ultrasound technology to produce diagnostic images of the body's internal structures. Challenges arise when patient conditions or anatomical peculiarities complicate imaging, requiring sonographers to make split-second judgments in technically difficult cases. 

An educator and sonographer with many years of experience, Sandra Dobson found that when her colleagues struggled, it was not due to lack of technical knowledge, but a gap in their critical thinking development.

“I also realized how little research had been done in this area,” she says. “Much of the existing literature on critical thinking focuses on nursing or medical professions, leaving sonography largely unexplored.”

Dobson, a Doctor of Education student in the Werklund School of Education, and Academic Chair overseeing Diagnostic Imaging in the School of Health and Public Safety at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), set out to address this gap.

Evolving critical thinking

She recruited participants with different experience levels, and used online questionnaires, reflective journals and interviews to explore the development and evolution of critical thinking skills among sonographers over their careers.

Dobson found that four main factors – experience, reflection, mitigation of technically difficult cases and professional development – influence how sonographers strengthen their critical thinking. 

“I identified patterns that revealed the progressive nature of critical thinking in sonography from reliance on mentorship in the early years to independent decision-making and situational awareness at the expert level.”

In addition, a key discovery was that critical thinking develops through experience and exposure to challenging situations, rather than just technical training. A number of participants noted that technically difficult cases provided pivotal learning moments that forced them to analyze, adapt, and problem-solve.

She also highlighted that many professional development programs lack practical components that foster reflection and cognitive growth. 

"These insights reaffirmed my belief that critical thinking is not a static skill, but a continuously evolving process."

Advancing education and real-world practices

The findings of the study have significant implications for the field of sonography.

Dobson proposes integrating structured reflection, case-based learning and simulated complex scenarios into education curriculum. 

Within clinical settings, mentorship programs can ensure that learning continues beyond graduation and policies promoting fair distribution of technically difficult cases will expose all sonographers to complex problem-solving opportunities.

“Ultimately, these changes can enhance diagnostic accuracy, confidence and patient outcomes across the field.”

Though Dobson has completed her degree, her research continues. 

The next stage involves studying how experiencing challenging cases can lead to reconceptualizing these situations as routine. 

“This would be especially relevant to critical thinking research as it would attempt to reveal the triggers that need to be present to change sonographer’s perspectives about ultrasound cases and their view of the challenge," Dobson says.

She also plans to translate her findings into practical tools, including curriculum guidelines, simulation-based learning modules and mentorship models grounded in evidence. 

“My ultimate goal is to ensure that critical thinking becomes an explicit and measurable component of sonography education and professional practice."