Space Surgeon - Katie O'Connel Travels to Devon Island Arctic Circle

Devon Island in the Arctic Circle is not your typical vacation destination. In the winter, at -50 Celsius, it is inhabitable. But it is actually the perfect location to test the use of ultrasound for medical diagnosis because its remote, dusty environment is similar to that of Mars. 

This week, Katie OConnell - a fourth-year Wayne State University medical student doing a rotation at Henry Ford Hospital - began her journey to Devon Island, the largest uninhabited island in the world. 

Shes going there to transmit ultrasound images back to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and Scott Dulchavsky, M.D. Ph.D, the Chairman of Surgery. Dr. Dulchavsky is principle investigator and team leader of a group of NASA scientists refining techniques for examining and treating sick or injured astronauts on the International Space Station and beyond. 

His team developed a training program that, in just a few hours, teaches non-medical crew members how to use portable ultrasound equipment to help diagnose an injury. The ultrasound images are transmitted by satellite to radiologists at Henry Ford Hospital, who can read them and help make a diagnosis.

OConnell is expected to return to Detroit in early August.

Follow O'Connell during her trip at twitter.com/SpaceSurgeon

About Henry Ford Health System

Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) is a Michigan not-for-profit corporation governed by a 22-member Board of Trustees. Advisory and affiliate boards comprising 129 Trustee volunteer leaders provide vital links to the communities served by the System. HFHS is managed by Chief Executive Officer Nancy M. Schlichting.

HFHS is one of the nation's leading comprehensive, integrated health systems. It provides health insurance and health care delivery, including acute, specialty, primary and preventive care services backed by excellence in research and education. For more information, visit http://www.henryford.com

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