Gina Penn

Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program Chair and Instructor of the Division of Allied Health

Courses Regularly Taught

• DMS 110 - Diagnostic Procedures
• DMS 111 - Ab/Ob/Gyn Lab I
• DMS 116 - Ab/Ob/Gyn Applied I
• DMS 118 - Ab/Ob/Gyn Applied II
• DMS 216 - Ab/Ob/Gyn Applied III
• DMS 226 - Ab/Ob/Gyn Applied IV
• DMS 234 - Ab/Ob/Gyn Seminar

Year Started at Mercy College 2001

Education

• AS Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing and Allied Health (1999)
• BS Biology, University of Nebraksa at Omaha (1994)
• MS Training and Development, University of St. Francis (2009)

Certifications

• Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS)
• Abdomen
• Ob/Gyn

Favorite Quote
"To be a teacher in the right sense is to be a learner. I am not a teacher, only a fellow student.” - Soren Kierkegaard

Clinical/Field Experience

In addition to the many years spent teaching, I have 3 years in perinatal ultrasound clinical experience.

Professional Membership

• Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• CME reviewer for the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Iowa Society of Ultrasound

Community Service Involvement

• Teach Sunday School and Vacation Bible School
• Altoona Little League

Personal History

When I was young I always wanted to be a doctor. I was and still am enthralled with medicine. However, just before the completion of my bachelor’s degree I really started thinking about the time commitment, not only to complete the schooling, but also for my entire life. I had wanted to work in Women’s Health. This would mean long hours of call, and time away from family. Medical school was no longer a goal that I wanted to fulfill, although I still wanted to stay in the field of medicine.

I took a year off from school and explored many options. During this year I took my grandma to many different medical appointments. One of these appointments happened to be an ultrasound of her legs to look for blood clots. I was able to go in the room with her, and as I sat and watched the exam performed I knew right then that ultrasound was what I wanted to do.

I went home and started calling all the colleges in the area to see if any of them had a program. I missed the cut off to apply for that year, but took a couple of liberal arts and science classes and applied for the next year. It was worth the wait to me because I am now in a profession that I am very passionate about. I still am working in medicine and Women's Health.