Community & Culture

We Are IH: Sonographer finds career humbling but never boring

Brooke Dennill, sonographer, Royal Inland Hospital

Name: Brooke Dennill (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Years of Service: 6
Worksite: Royal Inland Hospital
Community: Kamloops 
Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc / Shuswap Interior Salish
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by:  "Turn the beat around!” It reminds me that you can't control things that happen to you, but you can control how you deal with it and how you let it affect you. You can make a choice to change your attitude and keep on the sunny side of life.

Born and raised in Kamloops, B.C., Brooke has always loved sports, being active and the outdoors, which she enjoys with her husband and Bernese Mountain Dog, Banjo. From hiking, golfing, wake surfing and gardening in the summer, to skiing in the winter, to riding her horse year-round, she truly enjoys all the terrain and beauty the Interior offers.

A woman wearing a tan vest, white long sleeved shirts, blue jeans and a red baseball cap with her hair tied in a pony tail, riding her brown horse looking out over the North Thompson River.
Brooke looks out over the North Thompson River on her horse, Hawke.

Learn more about Brooke’s journey with IH

Brooke struggled with sciences in high school because she was a bit too focused on the outdoor activities she loved so much, particularly sports. Despite an academic advisor telling her she “didn't stand a chance at a career in sonography” after looking at her high school transcripts, her love of human physiology and human connection encouraged her to persevere and pursue a career in health care anyways.

After job shadowing in the ultrasound department at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH), Brooke knew this was the career for her.

“When I was growing up, I loved those Where’s Waldo search and find books, and the pages in my mom’s magazines where you had to spot the differences,” says Brooke. “Ultrasound sometimes feels like an adult version of that, but with an added heavy responsibility.

A big Bernese Mountain dog sits in front of a wood fence with cows in the background, smiling for the photo.
Banjo, the family’s Bernese Mountain Dog, is “an absolute sweetheart.”

“I found it fascinating how sonographers are trained to interpret different shades of grey to reach their conclusions, as well as the level of involvement a sonographer plays in diagnosis.”

Ultrasound can be a humbling career, which inspires her to continue learning, leave no stone unturned and always think outside the box, connecting dots between symptoms and findings.

I have never been happier at a job! My team makes it so easy for me to get up every day and show up for them. We are a true team. We are all so supportive of each other, willing to jump in and help, or listen when someone has had a tough day. They make me laugh daily. If you ever find yourself in our ultrasound department, you'll most likely hear laughter coming from the tech area and see smiling faces passing by. It's a pretty special work environment to be a part of.

-- Brooke Dennill

“You will never feel like you've ‘seen it all’ in this career,” she shares. “It keeps you on your toes. If you ever get a little too confident, a rare or challenging case will come along and serves you a nice piece of humble pie. That's why it never gets boring!”

A photo a woman wearing a light blue tee shirt, red leggings and a red backpack walking towards the Dolomite Mountains, Dolomite Alps or Dolomitic Alps, a mountain range in northeastern Italy.
Brooke and her husband on their dream trip to Italy. Hiking in the Dolomites was on their bucket list.

Brooke understands that the first step to healing is finding the source of a problem. Finding a disease or condition that was challenging to detect is incredibly rewarding for her. And being able to provide answers, comfort and support through listening and being there for patients, makes the challenges even more worthwhile.

Brooke loves her job, not only because of what she gets to do, but because of who she works with at RIH.

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