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Career Rating and Comparison
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Degrees and Schools
Ultrasound technicians can get a degree or certification in diagnostic medical sonography. Two-year associate's degree programs are most popular, and are offered through vocational schools, colleges and universities. Four-year bachelor's degrees are also available through colleges and universities. Two-year certification programs are offered through some hospitals. One-year certification programs do exist, but are not accredited and are intended for current workers in the healthcare industry who are continuing their education.
Organizations such as the Commission on Accreditation for Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredit college, university and some hospital programs.
Program applicants with experience in health care or a science background are preferred by most schools.
Classes
For a degree or certification in diagnostic medical sonography, coursework is usually divided between class time and clinical hands-on practice. Classes usually include:
- anatomy and physiology
- technology and instrumentation
- patient care
- medical record keeping
- introductory physics
- medical ethics
Online Classes and Programs
There are a few CAAHEP accredited online diagnostic medical sonography programs available, providing a convenient and flexible solution for busy students. When evaluating these programs, find out how much clinical time is required, and what kind of job placement services they offer. These may be far more limited than campus-based programs.
Employment Requirements
Completion of an accredited two-year degree or certification program in diagnostic medical sonography is preferred by most employers who hire ultrasound technicians. State licensure is not required, but many employers hire Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) who have been certified by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).
How to Evaluate Schools
Aspiring ultrasound technicians should consider asking the following questions when evaluating programs in diagnostic medical sonography:
- Accreditation - Has the program been accredited by the CAAHEP or other accrediting body? Has an online school been accredited by a distance-learning oversight organization?
- Focus - Are curricula more focused on learning the technology or learning how to work in a medical setting with patients and doctors? Which is needed more by the evaluating student?
- Practical experience - How much importance is placed on supervised clinical experience? Are there plenty of desirable opportunities?
- School and class size - What is the average class size for most courses? What kinds of financial aid are offered (scholarships, loans, work study, grants, etc.)? Does it seem like a large part of tuition is going to amenities, such as special services or facilities, that may not be utilized by the evaluating student?
- Graduate success - Of those who graduate from the program, how many become ARDMS certified? How many find and keep employment?
Ultrasound Technician Job Description
Ultrasound technicians (also called diagnostic medical sonographers) use imaging technology to help medical practitioners diagnose and treat patient health problems. An ultrasound machine uses sonography to bounce high frequency sound waves off of specific areas within the body. The resulting images can be used to assess and diagnose conditions. Ultrasound technicians are trained in using this technology to capture images of babies during mothers' pregnancy, and other organs.
The responsibilities of an ultrasound technician typically include:
- Preparing patients for procedures
- Selecting correct equipment settings for requested tests
- Helping patients move into specific positions for the best imaging
- Holding and directing imaging devices to specific anatomical locations
- Examining images during procedures for specific cues that indicate healthy or unhealthy areas
- Evaluating images for quality and saving good ones for doctors' review
- Taking measurements and analyzing results before submitting reports to doctors
- Maintaining medical equipment and patient records
- Overseeing sonography or diagnostic imaging departments and purchases of equipment
Ultrasound technicians may choose to specialize in one or more of these areas:
- Obstetric and gynecologic sonography of female reproductive organs
- Abdominal sonography of the kidneys, gallbladder, liver, kidneys, pancreas and spleen
- Neurosonography of the brain
- Breast sonography
- Vascular sonography of blood vessels
- Cardiac sonography of the heart
While most ultrasound technicians work in hospitals, some work as a contract employee and travel to different facilities within an area. They may use portable equipment to visit patients who do not have access to the technology otherwise.
Career Profiles
To help career searchers evaluate their options, BrainTrack has asked hundreds of workers to profile their jobs with a review and ratings. See below for a summary of this career compared to all rated careers and for detailed reviews.
| Category | This Career | All Rated Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Career Satisfaction | | |
| Opportunity for Promotion | | |
| Career Flexibility | | |
| How Cool Is The Career | | |
| How Stressful | | |
| Social Orientation | | |
| Earnings Potential | | |
| Task Variety | | |
| Job Security | | |
Job Title: Ultrasound Technician
Attended: Lansing Community College • Lansing, MI
Studied Sonography (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 2/8/2012
"I love working with pregnant women during the happiest times of their lives. I also love getting to tell them the sex of their baby!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | After my prereqs were done, which was the worst part, the schedule was laid out for me. I took certain courses during certain semesters for my career choice. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | If I do more schooling I can always move up. I would eventually like to run the department. |
| Job Security | 8 | The medical field is lacking in staff and my field is growing. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | I make a good living, but it could be better. With more schooling I will eventually earn more. |
| How Stressful | 4 | The job isn't very stressful unless you find something wrong with the baby. However, it is not my job to tell the parents the bad news - it is the doctors' job. |
| Task Variety | 2 | I do pretty much the same thing all day every day. The only thing that changes for the most part is the person I am working on! |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | You get to see little unborn babies! And be the first to know the sex of the baby! |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | I am lucky where I work because I choose my schedule. And if I ever have an emergency, they are very flexible. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I am always talking to the other sonographers and doctors. I also have to interact with the pregnant women and their spouses all day. |
Job Title: Lead Cardiac Sonographer
Attended: Gwynedd Mercy College • Blue Bell, PA
Studied Cardiovascular Technologies (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 2/3/2012
"While I was a student, the hospital I was interning at hired me before I graduated because I learned quickly and loved what I do. My job is unionized and my benefits are amazing."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | Gwynedd Mercy is the best school for cardiac sonographers in my area. It made a huge difference to employers when they considered me for hire. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | With labs needing to be accredited, this created a new job position in my department. I was promoted to Lead Tech. |
| Job Security | 10 | My job is very secure because it is a highly skilled profession that no machine or automated medical device can perform. |
| Earnings Potential | 10 | With the union, I am guaranteed a 6 percent raise every year, so I have no complaints. |
| How Stressful | 5 | When it gets busy in the hospital, we are constantly trying to fit patients in. An average exam takes 15 mins, and with more severe heart diseases it may take 20 mins or more. This induces prolong stress to your hands. |
| Task Variety | 10 | You are faced with sick hearts in my department. We see different abnormalities and diseases of the heart everyday. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | My career is very cool! I am the first to diagnose any heart abnormality and report it to the physician. I must be good at what I do or else I'll be letting sick people fall though the cracks. |
| Career Flexibility | 7 | My hours are great, I work first shift. The only downside is that I do take call every 3 weeks. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I am in constant contact with patients who are oftentimes very sick and scared. The comfort and relief I can provide for them makes me very happy. |
Job Title: Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Attended: Southern West Virginia College • Logan, WV
Studied Allied Health (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 2/19/2012
"I'm pretty satisfied with my career. I love when I get to ultrasound babies."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | SWVCTC is a great college. The Allied Health program is wonderful, and the teachers are really nice. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | There are lots of opportunities to get promoted. The longer I work, the better chance I have of moving up. |
| Job Security | 10 | My job is very secure. I don't need to worry about getting laid off or anything. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | My earnings are good. I make enough money to take care of my family, and buy things I want every now and then. |
| How Stressful | 5 | My job has an average level of stress. Sometimes the hospital can get busy, and I feel like I'm being pulled in every direction. |
| Task Variety | 5 | My job is about average in terms of variation. Sometimes I'll get to see something new and interesting, but it's mostly just the same. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | My job is very cool. I love when new moms and dads come in to see their babies for the first time. It never gets old seeing the light in a new mother's eyes. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | My job is pretty flexible. I work twelve hour shifts one week, then I have the next week off. I also have sick days, holidays and vacation time. I can choose to work part time if I want, but I have to work full time to keep up my family. There's not really any way to work from home for my job. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Im constantly interacting with patients and other staff members. I love meeting new people and making friends. |
Job Title: Imaging Technician
Attended: Gateway Community College • New Haven, CT
Studied Diagnostic Medical Sonography (completion in 2014)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/7/2012
"I love helping people and this was just the right job for me. I am focused on detail and like how every new image bring a new diagnosis."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | The classes really helped me to get the hands on experience I was looking for. The school itself is clean and organized. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | I do not feel like I can advance until I have furthered my education. To me, I can not get promoted without more schooling. |
| Job Security | 5 | I feel safe working for the hospital because this degree is so varied. I do feel, however, like I may get cut because I do not have a high enough level of education. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | Right now, with my level of education, it isn't so good. |
| How Stressful | 4 | It's not very stressful. The only pressure I feel is from the patients. |
| Task Variety | 5 | It's mostly all working with machines and taking patient information. Not too much variability day to day. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I think of my job as very cool. Who else can get to see the insides of patients and take a look at a new baby's face before it's born? |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | It's pretty flexible regarding the hours. I can take this degree anywhere as a career, so I feel good about finding jobs in other locations. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I am always talking with people. I am usually talking with patients, though. |
Job Title: Cardiac Sonographer
Attended: St. Cloud Technical College • St. Cloud, MN
Studied Echocardiography (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 3/10/2012
"I LOVE what I do. My co-workers are wonderful and I TRULY care for my patients. There's such a small time allotted for us to be with them, and yet, I like to make them feel comfortable and make them feel like they can tell me whatever they want."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | I think that the year that we were students was just a bad year. They were changing instructors and he wasn't permanent, so it was hard for everyone to really get their money's worth. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | I guess I could possibly be promoted to Lead Tech in the future, however, I don't think I'd want that stress. |
| Job Security | 5 | I know that there are plenty of jobs across the U.S., especially in the southern states. Here in Minnesota, it's a little saturated, but hopefully that will change soon. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | Our earnings potential here in the North is below average and we have been fighting it for some time. I mean, we make good money, but for the cost of living, it's not enough. |
| How Stressful | 6 | The mere fact that we are working with patients with heart problems makes it stressful. |
| Task Variety | 5 | We mainly do the same thing over and over again. However, with each patient, it is a new experience, so therefore, I rated it as average. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | I guess in my opinion, our 'coolness' is really about how much we care for the patients. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | I am casual, so they are pretty flexible for me. I am unsure of other sites, as I haven't worked anywhere else. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | We are constantly working with and around people. It could be with Doctors, patients, supervisors, family members, etc. |
Job Title: Cardiac Ultrasonographer
Attended: Washburn University • Topeka, KS
Studied Cardiac Ultrasound (completion in 2006)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 3/12/2012
"Cardiac sonography provides challenges daily in that physicians depend on my work to help promote positive outcomes. Each study is unique and being part of the team of professionals is uplifting to ones' persona."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | My program was part online (allowing me to work) and part clinical application. The director of the program was extremely helpful and went above and beyond my expectations. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | At my place of work, there is little one can do to move up. The only positions available are supervisor and QC coordinator. |
| Job Security | 9 | I work very hard and take pride in making my work the best it can be. Heart disease is among the leading causes of death in the United States, so "customers" are plentiful. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I believe that sonography pays well considering that mainly you are following a set protocol of taking pictures. Sonographers make more in larger areas and most facilities allow you to stay to max out your earnings potential. |
| How Stressful | 3 | As long as a sonographer follows their protocol, stress is at a minimum. There are days when lots of patients need to be scanned which can lead to stress, but that can occur in any job. |
| Task Variety | 3 | Most days are pretty much the same unless you have a larger skill set (meaning more that you are competent to scan). Protocols leave some room for variation, but doctors prefer you give them the same thing for every patient. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Since we are around physicians from time to time, people regard us as "smart." We get to see things from a perspective not many have the chance to view. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | Cardiac sonography gives a variety of work schedules depending on where one works. Jobs are centered around larger population areas and travel is possible. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Every hour on the hour, you will have a new customer awaiting your services which can lead to social interaction with unique people. Between nurses, doctors, other sonographers, and PCT's, it can sometimes be too much. |
Job Title: Pediatric Echosonographer
Attended: Ultrasound Diagnostic School • Atlanta, GA
Studied Cardiovascular Ultrasound (completion in 2000)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 3/12/2012
"I enjoy working with kids and I also enjoy the complexity of the echos. It is like a puzzle, which I sometimes thoroughly enjoy. The pay is great and the hours are pretty good."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 1 | This school was basically a money machine. It did very little to prepare me for my career. A lot of my skills were learned once I was in the field with countless hours of book study. This school is no longer in service because it charged a lot but taught very little. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | As far as promotional opportunities go, you have technical director or lead tech. Most people are just techs who enjoy the job and are ok with not climbing the ladder. |
| Job Security | 10 | Sonographers will always be needed. The tests are usually simple, but very informative. They are not time consuming nor scary. Sonography is not harmful to the patient and gives great information without a lot of prep and work. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | The starting pay for sonography is great and you do not have to have a degree, but you must get registered. There is always opportunity for extra earnings with call pay and PRN positions. |
| How Stressful | 3 | It is only as stressful as you make it. If you keep improving your skills and accept the job for what it is, there is very little stress. |
| Task Variety | 5 | The types of studies can be repetitive, but no two defects are the same. Each patient is different. I follow the same protocol, but I am always seeing something different and new. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 9 | I think it is cool that you can view someone's insides with just a little bit of gel and some sound waves. You can see the heart as it actually beats. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | You can live anywhere in the US and find a job in sonography. There are multiple full-time, part-time and PRN positions with opportunity for call. If you like to travel, there is a big need for travelers with great perks, such as, housing, top pay, etc. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | I get to meet people from all walks of life. Congenital heart defects affect all types of people. I am there to not just scan and interact with the child, but their families also. I can provide a little encouragement. I also attend conferences and see how echo is approached worldwide. |
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