Hundreds of doctors and medical students will converge on Belle Isle this week to compete in the fourth annual Detroit Ultrasound Wilderness Adventure Race.
The race, known as SonoWAR, provides physicians and students from across Michigan the opportunity to explore new frontiers in the use of ultrasound, all while competing outdoors in a team event in one of Detroit’s crown jewels from 9 a.m. to noon June 1.
The event will pit teams of 10 in a three- to five-mile trek around the island. Armed with their medical knowledge and hand-held ultrasound devices, they will race between 10 hidden stations that will challenge their ultrasound skills, test their wilderness medicine knowledge and push the boundaries of innovative concepts in Emergency Medicine.
The stations each contain a theme tying together a bit of Detroit history, wilderness medicine and point-of-care ultrasound, said Andrew Butki, D.O., founder of SonoWAR and director of the Advanced Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Fellowship at the Wayne State University State University School of Medicine.
“For example, one station may include questions and challenges about the use of Belle Isle during World War II as an amphibious craft training station, or a shoulder dislocation sustained exploring the historic Detroit salt mines and the use of handheld ultrasound to diagnose and treat a shoulder dislocation out of the hospital,” Dr. Butki explained.
Hospitals send residents from their programs in teams of up to 10. Individuals are added to teams or can assemble their own. Final scores are calculated on a combination of speed and number of objectives correctly accomplished. The primary objectives are education and fun. The winning team captures a trophy--and bragging rights--for a year.
“The idea evolved as ultrasound technology did,” said Dr. Butki, ultrasound director for Ascension St. John Hospital and Medical Center Emergency Department. “It started as a friendly competition and educational day between the Emergency Medicine residencies in Detroit. With COVID-19, I looked to take things outdoors and utilize new handheld ultrasound technology. The result was so overwhelmingly positive that we have grown significantly every year, now with two medical schools, dozens of residencies and hundreds of residents from multiple specialties in attendance from around the state and faculty from around the country.”
The first event drew about 80 participants. The event has grown significantly, and this year between 250 and 300 racers are expected. SonoWAR has grown so large since its inception at WSU that it is now sponsored by the Michigan College of Emergency Physicians.
Team registration and orientation begin at 8:15 a.m. at Belle Isle Park Pavilion 8. The race begins at 9 a.m. The event will conclude with a grand finale at noon back at Pavilion 8. Members of the WSU drum line as well as faculty from the School of Medicine will provide music.
Registration remains open until the night before the event at www.detroiteus.com/sonowar-2023