The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell held its first-ever ultrasound competition, ZonoSlam, on Feb. 10.
This groundbreaking event brought together sixteen teams of over 80 medical students from institutions across the tri-state area, showcasing their technical prowess, eye-hand coordination, and sensory abilities essential for ultrasound proficiency.
The Zucker School of Medicine was one of the first medical schools in the nation to incorporate ultrasound into its undergraduate curriculum.
Ultrasound is fundamental for almost all medical specialties and has become indispensable in facilitating bedside care and enhancing patient outcomes.
ZonoSlam, sponsored by Northwell Health’s Department of Radiology and organized by the Zucker School of Medicine’s Ultrasound Interest Group, further emphasizes the importance of ultrasound education and proficiency among medical students.
“The members of the Ultrasound Interest Group have long envisioned organizing a competition like ZonoSlam to create a lasting legacy for future students,” shared Pegah Blustein, a fourth-year medical student and event co-organizer. “We are thrilled to witness this goal come to fruition and are delighted with the event’s resounding success. We believe that ZonoSlam is the first of many such competitions.”
The competition pushed the boundaries of traditional ultrasound training by incorporating fun and challenging tasks like hula hoops, charades and even performing a sonogram while blindfolded.
Blustein’s classmate and co-organizer, Ella Taubenfeld, was the creative mind behind the engaging games of ZonoSlam.
“Our goal with designing the games was to have a breadth of every aspect of ultrasound, from head to toe,” explained Taubenfeld. “We mixed it up with challenges like blind taboo, cornhole, and scan-pong to show how we can have fun while learning how to use ultrasound to see inside the body.”
Taubenfeld, Blustein, and their fellow event organizer, Ishi Aron, are enrolled in the Certificate of Special Proficiency in Medical Ultrasound program (SONICS) at the Zucker School of Medicine.
This program offers MD candidates the opportunity to undergo additional specialized training in the theory and clinical application of Point-of-Care Ultrasound. Ultrasound instructor Radha Persaud, provided guidance and support to the students when they expressed their desire to leave a legacy for future medical students.
“They had the idea for the competition and really took the lead coordinating with the New York Ultrasound Olympics and even went to the national competition to see how it’s done,” stated Persaud, who coordinates the school’s SONICS program. “We’ve had such enthusiasm for the competition; I’m very proud of the students’ accomplishments.”
ZonoSlam welcomed medical students from all years of study, attracting teams from prestigious institutions across the region. Team members embraced the chance to partake in the inaugural competition, highlighting the value of such events in honing their ultrasound skills.
“I decided to participate in ZonoSlam because I thought it was a great opportunity to gain more ultrasound experience,” stated Adam Friedman, a second-year student at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine.
During the day-long competition, teams rotated through various stations designed to test their medical knowledge and technical abilities. Extra points were gained for team spirit, expressed through colorful uniforms reflecting team names – many incorporated biological terms and ultrasound lingo like Probe Masters, Double Decidugals and Goofy Gubernacula.
The eagerly awaited results of ZonoSlam revealed two first-place winners — the Stony Brook University team, “Ahmad’s Attenuators,” and New York University’s “Ultraviolets.” NYU’s team, “For the Gel of It!” clinched second place, followed closely by the Zucker School of Medicine team, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Probe,” with the third-place win. “We worked really well together as a team and had a lot of fun!” exclaimed Shabnam Parsa, a second-year Stony Brook University medical student, reflecting on her team’s victorious experience.
The competition also drew many first-year medical students who were surprised by how much they already knew. “I had a lot of fun, and even though I am a first-year medical student, I felt capable and also learned a lot,” Divya Kalluri, a Zucker School of Medicine student, remarked.
Dr. David Teng, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Zucker School of Medicine and the pediatric emergency medicine attending at Cohen Children’s Medical Center, expressed pride in the students’ accomplishments.
“The students are the brain trust of all of this,” stated Teng, who served as the faculty advisor for ZonoSlam. “They have set into motion a fantastic educational product that benefits all students, whether they go into specialties that use point-of-care ultrasound or not. ZonoSlam showcased our medical students’ technical proficiency and underscored their dedication to advancing medical education and patient care through innovative approaches like ultrasound training.”
