Kristen Hammerle Leads Engaging Lecture on MFM Ultrasound

Diagnostic Medical Sonography Students Learn from Yale Perinatal Sonographer

AIMS Education was honored to welcome Kristen Hammerle, a highly experienced Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) sonographer from Yale Perinatal, as a guest speaker for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. Her session offered an exciting mix of real-world insight, clinical reasoning, and interactive learning, leaving students both inspired and better prepared for advanced sonography practice.

During the lecture, Kristen provided a detailed overview of the role of an MFM sonographer, focusing on high-risk pregnancies, fetal anomalies, and specialized ultrasound protocols. She emphasized the importance of understanding patient history, explaining how maternal conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, or prior fetal anomalies can influence scanning approaches and interpretation.

Rather than simply lecturing, Kristen actively engaged students with critical thinking questions, challenging them to analyze real clinical situations:

• What would you expect to see on ultrasound if the patient has a history of miscarriages? 
• If you’re scanning a fetus with IUGR, what Doppler studies would you perform and why?
• What would make you immediately notify the MFM physician during a scan?

These discussions encouraged students to think clinically, apply their classroom knowledge, and communicate their reasoning, skills essential to every professional sonographer.

To reinforce these lessons, Kristen led an interactive quiz competition where students worked in small teams to answer case-based questions. The activity created a fun, high-energy environment that encouraged teamwork and clinical problem-solving. The winning group received MFM-themed PDF notebooks and ultrasound badges as prizes.

Students left the session feeling energized and motivated, gaining a deeper appreciation for the complexity of MFM imaging and the sonographer’s vital role in patient care. The session reinforced key principles, including:

• Understanding why we scan—not just how
• The value of detailed patient history
• The importance of teamwork with the MFM physician
• Precision in measurements and documentation

This guest lecture perfectly blended theory, clinical practice, and engagement, showcasing AIMS Education’s commitment to hands-on learning and professional development. The college extends sincere gratitude to Kristen Hammerle for sharing her expertise and passion with our students.