Some might say the Department of Anesthesiology’s newest cardiac sonographer has a dynamic range when it comes to knowledge of sound waves.
He first studied sound at the University of Nebraska Omaha where he earned his bachelors in music performance with a concentration on music technology. He mainly played guitar, traveling the world with various jazz groups on campus. With his concentration on music technology, Malashock studied production, sound mixing, recording, and post production.
"I can play anything with frets and strings well enough to make you think I know what I’m doing," he said.
Malashock worked in the professional music industry for 18 years and still plays and teaches private guitar lessons out of his home studio. In 2018, he toured with Mannheim Steamroller playing guitar and bass on 44 concerts along the eastern coast. He has also played lead guitar regularly with the Omaha and Nashville country duo, The Belles, who are currently on tour across the U.S. and Canada, opening for Jojo Siwa.
Seeking a more stable, home-based career, Malashock traded in the tour life for college courses. Thorough research on new career paths led him to cardiac sonography for multiple reasons: the academic program was only two years, the job was morally and financially rewarding, and the demand for sonographers outpaced the supply. Plus, he was unusually qualified to operate the machinery.
"When you cross over to ultrasound, the theory stays the same, it’s just at much higher frequencies that are not audible to humans," Malashock said. "Sound is sound, no matter the frequency. It all behaves the same. The first time I sat down in front of an ultrasound machine, I recognized some of the terms."
Malashock joined Nebraska Medicine in 2015 as a cardiac sonographer in the echocardiography laboratory. He joined UNMC’s Department of Anesthesiology June 25, 2019. He looks forward to being a part of an innovative team that utilizes the latest research and technology.
Perioperative Echocardiography Consult Service adds sonographer
