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As an ultrasound technician, also called a sonographer, you work with special equipment to collect body images of patients. Projecting painless sound waves into a patient's body, a sonographer processes the reflections to form images of an area to help a physician make an informed diagnosis. Although sonography is a non-invasive way to look within a patient's body, as an ultrasound technician you must still interact with patients to put them at ease while keeping them informed of what you're doing. Functioning as the physician's right hand by providing relevant diagnostic information, you are also responsible for record-keeping and maintaining sonography equipment.
Ultrasound Technician Education Requirements: Prerequisites
You'll need a high school diploma or GED, a good GPA and a strong SAT/ACT score for college admission. Scientifically-oriented courses, such as physics, biology and math, in high school work in your favor given medicine's scientific nature.
Ultrasound Technician Requirements: Degrees and Coursework
Ultrasound technicians can gain formal training in hospitals, vocational-technical institutions, colleges or universities or the Armed Forces. Sonography education requirements cover several possible scenarios. With prior medical experience, a certificate in diagnostic medical sonography can be obtained within a year. If you're starting out, an associate or bachelor's degree qualifies you to seek a certificate or license. The difference between an associate and bachelor's degree is, of course, depth of knowledge and potential career growth. The field of sonography has matured, and although there are curriculum variations from one institution to another, you can acquire comprehensive knowledge of diagnostic techniques and the human body from an accredited sonography program.
Coursework is comprehensive and covers everything from detailed understanding of the human body to the highest technical knowledge. Typical courses include:
Along with classroom studies, supervised clinical practice is a must. You'll work with licensed ultrasound technicians to get valuable and necessary hands-on experience. These on-the-job hours cover real-life situations. The number varies from school to school but usually 800-1500 hours is the norm. You'll assist at a variety of medical institutions to give you a feel for a wide range of facilities, patients and circumstances.
Sonography education requirements also include physical fitness. Some important items are:
Just completing educational studies isn't enough. You'll need to become certified or licensed by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). This organization requires you to take an exam demonstrating your command of sonography techniques and practice. Along with ample online study aids, the exam may be repeated should you come up short. You'll also be expected to complete continuing education hours in order to maintain your license.
Ultrasound Technician Career Outlook
There are many vocational schools, colleges and universities offering training to fulfill ultrasound technician requirements. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredits schools and confers legitimacy. Ongoing training will qualify ultrasound technicians in radiology and diagnostic oncology. This is where your training beyond an associate's degree helps. As an ultrasound technician, you can specialize in scanning specific zones of the body such as obstetrics, cardiac and vascular areas.
Salaries for sonography technicians tend to be favorable. The median annual salary for sonography technicians is $63,640. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that the demand for this occupation will grow 18 percent between 2008 and 2018, as the normal human lifespan becomes longer. If you choose this career, you can expect a bright future in medicine.
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).
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| 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 |
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