
Interested to make a career as an ultrasound technician? If yes, go through this article to get information on the training, job prospects, and more.
Healthcare is one of the sectors providing plenty of medical jobs these days. A healthcare technician is one of the several careers which can earn you a good salary. There are several specialized training programs to select from. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in this area will continue to increase, since ultrasound is more favored to radiological methods.
More than half the diagnostic medical sonographers have been employed by hospitals all over the country in the year 2010. Requirements exist in the form of jobs as diagnostic medical sonographers at hospitals. However, medical labs are also expected to create employment for ultrasound technicians. They are also known as diagnostic medical sonographers, and work in the area of diagnostic imaging.
Ultrasonography, a part of diagnostic imaging, creates an image by using sound waves to diagnose medical conditions. High frequency sound waves are focused by ultrasound equipment on the area to be examined. The equipment uses reflected echoes to create an image. This image can be photographed or videotaped for the diagnosis.
Training
The required training can be acquired from vocational institutions and universities. An individual can get trained from the armed forces as well. It comprises 2-year and 4-year programs, leading to a Bachelor’s degree. Online courses can be completed by enrolling in universities and colleges which offer distance education modules. The program includes courses such as medical ethics, instrumentation, physiology, anatomy, basic physics, and patient care.
People with relevant experience in the healthcare sector can opt for a 1-year program as well. To be credentialed as a registered diagnostic medical sonographer or a registered ultrasound technician, a person has to pass an exam conducted by The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography. (ARDMS). An technician can specialize in one of the following areas.
- Abdominal Sonography: This technician creates images of the pancreas, gallbladder, kidneys, and liver.
- Vascular and Cardiac Sonography: The focus is on the veins and arteries to create images of the circulatory system and the heart.
- Neurosonography: Creates images of the nervous system organs, such as the brain.
- Gynecologic Sonography: This kind of technician produces images of the female reproductive system.
Successful completion of training enables you to:
1. Describe the procedure to the patient and document the medical history pertinent to the disorder being diagnosed.
2. Set the equipment appropriately and guide the patient for the posture which gives the best image.
3. Spreading a warm water soluble gel, which assists in transmission of sound waves, on the area to be examined.
4. Perform the test using the transducer, which targets the area to be examined, with sound waves in form of cone shaped beams.
5. Look for the hints that differentiate diseased areas from the healthy, functional ones.
6. Restore the images fit for the diagnosis.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, diagnostic medical sonography personnel were employed in around 50,000 various jobs in the year 2008. The salary is approximately in the range of $48,000 to $67,000. A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in health sciences can aid you to contend for higher earnings and promotions.
A Bachelor’s degree can get you this job, however, many employers demand for registered or credentialed ultrasound technicians, as discussed above. I hope the information furnished above would help you aspirants. Good luck!