Pictured: Jody L. Hancock (left), Chattanooga State associate professor and director of diagnostic medical sonography programs, and recent Chattanooga State songraphy graduate Tonya Epperson (right) placed first in the sonographer presentation competition at the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMSD) Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington

Chattanooga, TN --- Jody L. Hancock, associate professor and director of diagnostic medical sonography programs at Chattanooga State Community College, and 2012 cardiovascular sonography graduate Tonya Epperson, placed first in the sonographer presentation competition at the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington. Hancock and Epperson’s research abstract will be published in the Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

Jody Hancock, who has been with Chattanooga State since 1993, holds an M.A. from the University of Phoenix and is a registered diagnostic medical sonographer (R.D.M.S.), registered vascular technologist (R.V.T.), and registered technologist R.T.(R).

Tonya Epperson, R.T.(R), a general radiographer from Nancy, Kentucky, graduated in August from Chattanooga State’s regionally accredited cardiovascular sonography program. Her interest in research on mesenteric arterial assessment began as an inquiry during her first semester after attending one of Hancock’s course sessions in the sonography program. Hancock encouraged Epperson to hold onto her question so they might explore it together as a formal research question.

Vicky Leather, former Dean of Library Services at Chattanooga State, and other members of Chattanooga State’s library staff, worked with Epperson as she began her literature review. Epperson’s enthusiasm in forming a hypothesis and testing it even inspired the sonographers at her clinical site to help her gather data. Hancock supervised the development of Epperson’s methodology, as well as the review, results and revision processes of her research work.

According to Hancock, “Tonya Epperson’s work is a prime example for sonographers to follow, and her work will serve well into the future as a straightforward research model for other sonography students at Chattanooga State to consider. When a sonographer recognizes what appears to be a pattern or has a question about protocol development, he or she can use professional tools, such as literature review and research methodology, to assist in solving his or her own dilemma.”