If one has ever experienced an ultrasound or MRI, they have met an Ultrasound Technician. These technicians operate ultrasound equipment and search for abnormal problem areas in the image. They can experience anything from providing vital support in diagnosing a patient with a life risking medical condition, to participating in the thrilling moments of expecting a mother's pregnancy. I’ve always wanted to have a future career in the medical field, and an Ultrasound Technician is one of the many occupations I have thought about. I know a few things about Ultrasound Technicians, such as, how an ultrasound works, the types of ultrasounds, and a few duties that a technician would do. I’ve personally experienced two ultrasounds, and witnessed …show more content…
I discovered that there is several routes you can take to become an Ultrasound Technician, like, an Associates degree, Bachelors degree, or one-year sonography program (Ultrasound Tech: Career). Achieving an Associates or Bachelors degree qualifies you to seek a certificate or license. The only difference between the two is the depth of knowledge for possible career growth (Ultrasound Tech Education). Coursework typically includes programs rich in science, computer, and math courses (Hackethal). Overall, the courses cover a detailed understanding of the body and highest technical knowledge. Clinical practice is required when training because one must work with a licensed Ultrasound Technician in order to get valuable and hands-on experience. Most schools require 800 to 1500 hours of clinical work. In order to become a licensed Ultrasound Technician, one is required to take an exam demonstrating their command for sonography techniques and practices (Ultrasound Tech. …show more content…
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay is $67,170, ranging from $45,840 - $92,070 per year. The higher pay is awarded to the ones who have more work experience, take over an administrative or supervisory role, or complete advanced specializations. Currently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting the job growth for an Ultrasound Technician to grow 46% from 2012-2022. (Hackethal). This growth is attributed to the fact that health care providers prefer ultrasound imaging as a safer alternative to radiology (Ultrasound Tech:
I have always been fascinated with the medical field ever since I was little, my first choice for electives were always health science and anatomy classes. After my cousin, Deanna, had her first child and receive her first ultrasound, I knew that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. The ultrasound technician had made her feel so comforted and just made the entire experience enjoyable for everyone; I’m eager to be able to start my life with a job that I know I will love. Anytime that I meet someone who is in the field themselves, I always ask questions and listen to what they do throughout the day to get some real insight on what being a technician really entails.
Ranked third by U.S. News and World Report on the list of “Best Health Care Jobs of 2017”, the Physician Assistant career has a 96 percent job-satisfaction rate, and represents one of the fastest growing jobs in the nation. Created as a position to relieve the job shortage of primary care physicians, Physician Assistants first came to be in the mid-1960s. Since then, the number of PAs in practice has just about doubled with every decade helping to improve health care not just nationally, but on a global level as well. Physician Assistants are licensed to practice medicine, prescribe medication, treat chronic illnesses, and assist in surgery in all 50 states under supervision of a physician. Although some medical practitioners perceive the role
Diagnostic medical sonography is a profession where sonographers direct high-frequency sound waves into a patient’s body through the use of specific equipment to diagnose or monitor a patient’s medical condition. As described by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this examination is referred to as an ultrasound, sonogram, or echocardiogram. The high-frequency sound waves emitted from the handheld device, called a transducer, bounce back creating an echo and therefore produce an image that can be viewed on the sonographers computer screen. This image provides the sonographer and physician with an internal image of the patient’s body that will be used in the diagnosis. The most familiar use of ultrasound is used in monitoring pregnancies and is provided by obstetric and gynecologic sonographers, who also provide imaging of the female reproductive system. Other types of sonography include; abdominal sonography, breast sonography, musculoskeletal sonography, neurosonography and cardiovascular sonography. Due to the vast nature of uses in sonography, most professionals study one field that they choose to specialize in. Diagnostic medical sonography is a rapidly growing field because of the increase in medical advances. The area of Cleveland, Ohio has continued to rise in the medical field with great strides, providing better career prospects with the availability of numerous employment positions.
To become a cardiac sonographer there are many requirements that you must first meet. A high school diploma or a GED is just the start of many. A high school graduate must maintain a composite score of 19 on the ACT and/or a 900 on the SAT. You must then graduate from a program in Radiologic Technology. Meanwhile, after 2 years, you can pursue a career while getting your and have a high paying job, anywhere you may
They spend much of the typical day on their feet and with constant walking. Techs also commonly have to lift or move the imaging equipment themselves or with other people.Ultrasound technicians spend a lot of time on their feet and on the move.After being trained in diagnostic medical sonography , sonographers typically receive specialized training in gynecological sonography while on the job. However, most schools offer obstetrics/gynecological classes in their diagnostic medical sonography programs.2-year and 4-year programs consist of classroom coursework and clinical training. Associate degree program graduates are eligible for entry-level work in sonography while graduates with a bachelor's degree are eligible for professional registration, which may result in higher paying positions and increased job responsibilities. employers may prefer technicians who have received professional registration and
Scientifically-oriented courses, such as physics, biology and math. After high school, it requires an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree. While gaining your degree, you need certain coursework, some classes taken could be: Abdominal and obstetrical sonography, Human anatomy, Medical terminology, Microbiology, Professional ethics, Ultrasound physics, and vascular technology. Tasks performed by an ultrasound technician include: Preparing patients for the ultrasound exam and explaining the procedure, gathering patient histories, using ultrasound equipment to scan the area of the body, analyzing ultrasound data, save ultrasound images on a computer, and provide an oral or written summary of the findings to the physician. Ultrasound procedures can examine various structures of the body, including the abdomen, heart, and female reproductive system. Different parts of the body require different techniques, so there are several major specializations that a sonographer can choose: Abdomen & Breast, Fetal, Neurosonology, Vascular Technology,
Attending Florida Southwestern State College to become an x-ray tech is a huge accomplish for me. Because I have a learning disability unfortunately I have to take remedial courses like intermediate algebra, Brush up English, and a reading course the first semester. The good thing about studying Radiology is you can switch to any type of jobs in this field. For an example, you can switch to working with MRI’s or Cat Scans if you want to try another department in the Radiology field. This specific field is for you to work with x-rays. It’s important to know the bone structure .You can work with ultrasounds to, Cat Scans, to MRI’s (Magnetic resonance imaging).
The dream that I most desire in life is to become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. I’ve always had an interest in the inner workings of the human body, but I also value life, and care for others, and my happiness is the happiness of others. Although this career has its bumps on the road just to see mothers face light up when they see the image of their unborn baby is such a breath taking experience. This all originated from going to one of my sisters’ ultrasound appointment that I ended up going to all my sisters’ ultrasound appointments. I believe becoming a diagnostic medical sonographer is something I can do because I have what it takes. Diagnostic medical sonographer is imaging modality that can work in conjunction with other imaging modalities
The article shows the job entail which says “to be involved with the interventional procedures” (Baltimore sun). This means to scan almost every part of the body except for the vascular system, health and or limited pediatrics. Depending on what the patient would be coming in for determines what kind of procedures the patient would need. According to the article “sonographers operate special imaging equipment to create images or to conduct tests” (Baltimore Sun). Meaning the images and test results help physicians assess and diagnose medical conditions. In also helping assist physicians and surgeons during surgical procedures. As a result, the job responsibilities for this career must be taken seriously. Technique is another key factor that will be needed in order to help others. Not many problems can occur with the patient’s appointment or health, if the technician knows how to do the job correctly. This would conclude all the necessities in order to be very successful and main points of view for a Diagnostic Medical
According to society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography website; sonographers are responsible for, “ a certification on Medical field, and be specialized in any part like abdomen or vascular”. The program provides educational and clinical experience that result inextensive knowledge. “...sonographer certification/credential in each of speciality areas in which the sonographer practices”. Associate and bachelor’s degree are available to any medical sonographer in the medical field. (South Texas College website) “ Throughout the clinical and practicum aspects of the program, students will train in various medical facilities”. ( South Texas College
The skills needed to be employed are to be sure you can work at a fast and high stressed level. To be able to perform patient vital signs, talk to parents and record patient history, perform EKGs and other tests, obtain accurate patient information needed for diagnosis and treatment, work with other medical staff and non-medical personnel, communicate with other medical service providers, and to educate patients about procedures or
During the endoscopy procedure to determine the stage of her cancer, she said it was the sonographer who made her feel calm and treated her with dignity. Even though the ultrasound tech did not understand her language, it did not stop her from showing compassion to her patient. So it was that great care and sense of compassion that made me greatly appreciate what sonographers do for their patients. This is a field that is constantly changing and there are always ways to improve. There is always new technologies coming out and ways to improve as person that will help you deliver the best care for your patients. Seeing the important role that sonographers play in the medical field made me realize that becoming a sonographer would be fulfilling profession for me that would absolutely fit my
An associate degree is required to pursue a career as a Health Information Technician. As part of your educational training, some of the classes that will be needed include human anatomy and physiology, medical classification systems, medical terminology, concepts of disease and legal aspects of are required as the job moves toward using computers as its major form of storing information. Two other important training aspects that are required are, experience in supervising other personnel and experience in a health care clinic. This training program is usually offered in community colleges for the length of two years. The two year program is accredi...
The amount of career opportunities involved with the profession are endless. Virtual Job Shadow estimates that there are about 75,000 Ultrasound Technicians in the world and half are working in hospitals. By far, hospitals are the most common employers for sonographers but doctor’s offices are not too far behind. Labs, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes are other establishments that Ultrasound Technicians can be found. These jobs are highly competitive and they demand a high level of attention and accuracy. As medical careers flourish, needs for technicians in many fields of medicine are increasing. Instead of a doctor choosing complex and risky surgery to find out problems within the body, they can now choose a safer path; the ultrasound path. Patient’s history and physical evaluation are building blocks to diagnostics but ultrasounds are much greater. While the field of Ultrasound Technology is a popular in the health care industry, there are still a fairly small number of people in the
Radiology technology is a science of using radiation to produce images. There are many jobs you can perform in diagnostic imaging usually a radiologic technologist will oft...