When patients come through the doors of the Grace Hospital with issues like abdominal pain or pelvic concerns, chances are good that a sonographer, such as Robin Cohoe, will be part of their care team.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography, also known as Ultrasound, uses high-frequency sound waves to support medical diagnoses. As part of the patient care team, diagnostic medical sonographers assess patients and provide information to radiologists for diagnoses and patient health monitoring.
Despite the common belief that Ultrasound is primarily used to scan babies in utero, the sonography team at Grace Hospital performs a wide range of scans, from abdominal and pelvic ultrasounds to neck, arm, and leg imaging. In fact, Robin says fetal assessments typically only make up about 10% of her day.
“A highlight of my job is the versatility – no two days look the same!” Robin says. “This is partly due to the variety of exams we perform, but also because of the acuity of our care centre.”
On any given shift, she might be scanning scheduled outpatients or responding to urgent requests from the Emergency Department. Whether it’s calming an anxious patient, getting someone in earlier than planned, or providing results that help guide life-saving treatment, Robin finds success in the “small wins” that add up to better care.
“I loved the ability to see the problem, not just feel it.”
Robin’s path into health care was anything but ordinary. Growing up on a horse farm in rural Manitoba, she was fascinated when a specialized vet would come by each year to confirm horse pregnancies with an ultrasound machine.
“Although I didn’t take a direct route into the field of sonography, my rural childhood definitely planted the seed and inspired my decision to eventually pursue it.”
Prior to ultrasound, Robin was a massage therapist, a planned stepping stone before moving to another health profession. While she enjoyed the treatment side of massage, she craved more certainty in diagnosis. Sonography offered just that.
After graduating from RRC Polytech in 2016, she began her career in ultrasound, working across Manitoba before settling into her role at Grace Hospital in 2019.
With nearly a decade in the public healthcare system, Robin is motivated by finding ways to advocate for her field. Recently, she’s become involved with a volunteer committee working to optimize Ultrasound across Shared Health, something she finds extremely rewarding.
“I care deeply about the future of my field, and our health-care system. I am someone who craves community, and it brings me great pride to be part of a larger system that serves the community I live in.”
When she’s not at work, Robin is busy spending time with her husband and their two young children. They love spending time outdoors: camping, biking, and swimming. She enjoys being active and recently completed her first sprint triathlon.
“I hope to continue with this sport and look forward to competing in more events next year!”
