 |
|
|
|
Imaging technologies such as ultrasound, X-ray, and magnetic resonance imaging offer a powerful tool in diagnosing medical conditions. Ultrasound is one of the most commonly used imaging technologies. Safe and easy to administer, ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of the body's internal organs. Ultrasound technicians may monitor the healthy development of a fetus, view the condition of abdominal organs, detect cardiac problems, or detect cancerous tumors.
What Does an Ultrasound Technician Do?
An ultrasound technician manages the diagnostic imaging encounter from start to finish. As an ultrasound technician, you operate the ultrasound equipment, collecting the appropriate images and generating an image for diagnosis by a physician. It's at this stage that your imaging expertise comes into play. To get the necessary diagnostic evidence, you need to select the right ultrasound equipment settings and position the patient correctly to reveal the affected area. Your trained eye looks for subtle visual cues indicating a contrast between healthy and unhealthy areas. Once you have an image sufficient to aid the physician's diagnosis, you can store the evidence for later viewing.
A typical ultrasound visit follows these steps:
In addition, ultrasound technicians adjust and maintain imaging equipment. They may also advance into supervisory roles, managing a diagnostic imaging department in a hospital or clinic.
Ultrasound Technician Specialties
Ultrasound technicians may develop an expertise in specific medical conditions or areas of the body. Common diagnostic imaging specialties include:
Whatever specialty path you choose, you should find deep opportunity for ultrasound technicians. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of diagnostic sonographers is expected to grow by about 18 percent through 2018. Ultrasound is gaining ground in medical diagnostics as the most affordable and safest from of imaging. Combine this trend with overall growth in demand for medical services, and you have a bright career outlook for trained ultrasound technicians.
What Are the Steps to Becoming an Ultrasound Technician?
There are several routes into a diagnostic imaging career. Learn how to become an ultrasound technician at a college or university program, a vocational training program, a hospital training facility, or in the Armed Forces. These ultrasound technician programs typically lead to either a two-year associate's degree or bachelor's degree.
The U.S. Department of Labor offers these tips on how to become an ultrasound technician:
Follow these steps for how to become a sonographer, and you should find yourself on a direct route to success as an ultrasound expert.
How to Become a Great Ultrasound Technician
Be the best ultrasound technician you can be by continuing your training throughout your career. Continuing education is an important feature of this technology-centered profession. To keep pace with developments in medical imaging technology and hone your diagnostic abilities, plan to take training courses throughout your career. Other ways to advance your career include:
Take these steps, and you should discover not just how to become an ultrasound technician, but how to become an exceptional ultrasound technician. The Department of Labor forecasts vast opportunity for trained medical sonographers. Combine this industry demand with your specialized expertise and career-promoting strategies, and you're destined for greatness in the field of medical ultrasound diagnostics.
Resources for Ultrasound Technicians
These schools offer particularly quick info upon request, and we have written detailed profiles for each (click school names to see the profiles).
Request info from multiple schools, by clicking the Get Info links.
| School | Locations | Degrees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argosy University | MN | Associate | |
| ATI Career Training Center | FL | Associate | |
| Carrington College | AZ | Certificate | |
| Carrington College California | CA | Associate, Certificate | |
| ECPI University | NC | Bachelor, Diploma | |
| Fox Institute Diagnostic Medical Sonography | CT, NJ | Diploma | |
| Kaplan College KHE | CA | Certificate, Diploma | |
| Keiser Career College | FL | Associate | |
| Keiser University Campus | FL | Associate | |
| Sanford Brown College | AZ, CT, GA, IL, IN, MI, MO, OH, OR, TX, WI | Associate, Certificate, Diploma | |
| Sanford Brown Institute | FL, MD, NJ, NY, PA, RI | Associate, Certificate, Diploma |
Copyright © QuinStreet, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
