If you want to work as an ultrasound technologist, otherwise known as a sonographer, you will need to get ultrasound technician training in the form of a 2 year associate's degree or a 4 year bachelor's degree, and most programs will require that you have completed some science courses before you apply, like biology, chemistry, anatomy, physics and physiology.
***Update: this article has been updated here: ultrasound technicianAn ultrasound technologist is more commonly referred to as an ultrasound technician. However, even this term is a less professional name for what is most accurately called in the medical community when referring to this career - Diagnostic Medical Sonographer.
You should attend programs that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), of which there are about 150. Ultrasound technician schools offer these 2 degrees as well as a 1 year certificate, some of which you can even enter straight out of high school without requiring any prerequisites.
The certificate programs though, are not accredited and are especially designed for people in other health care positions, like radiologic technologists or obstetric nurses, who want to transition over or gain additional credentials.
Ultrasound certification is not necessary to work in this field, but there is an optional licensing exam given by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, or ARDMS, that will confirm your competency level and give you additional credentials. Employers prefer to hire people with this certification since it ensures they are skilled and capable.
Curriculum
In ultrasound tech schools, you will take a variety of courses in the classroom as well as a 3-6 month internship to gain hands-on experience. Your programs will include studies in ultrasound physics, physiology and pathophysiology of the heart, sectional anatomy, medical vocabulary, obstetric, gynecology, vascular and abdominal ultrasound and proper instrumentation.
You will gain all the skills you need to perform your job duties that include helping to diagnose patients by taking images of their internal tissues and organs using sonic waves. It is a non-invasive procedure that simply requires you to position the patient properly and take the readings of the appropriate angles and areas the doctor needs to see.
Salary Prospects
The salary potential for an ultrasound technologist is quite lucrative, with a median at about $48,000 and a high range of about $56,000. With more experience on the job and a higher level of education, that salary could go as high as $72,000 a year.
The potential ultrasound technician salary mixed with the fact that this field is expected to see an increase of about 18% until 2018 makes joining this profession quite favorable. You will be able to easily find work in hospitals, diagnostic centers, labs and doctor's offices. Working as an ultrasound technologist could be the stable, reliable job you've been looking for, and with the right credentials, you can go far in this field.
