As the use of ultrasound to check the internal body parts is increasing, the demand for an ultrasound technician, also known as a sonographer, is also at its peak. The primary profession of an ultrasound technician is to check the internal body parts without any invasive procedure like inserting a camera.
Requirements
Educational qualifications
Educational requirements for the ultrasound technician depend on the specialization. The most common are gynecology, cardiovascular, breast examination and neuro sonography. Choose one depending on the area of interest.
There are some crash courses offered by different medical colleges and schools. But it is better if one can opt for a full-time course which is of four years. Usually, the ultrasound schools must cover obstetrics, human anatomy, pathophysiology, ultrasound equipment, medical ethics and terminology, sonographic physics and instrumentation, gynecologic sonography and Doppler sonography.
Criteria
Different medical institutes have different eligibility criteria. Some may opt for taking an interview, while some check the previous educational qualification as a high school diploma. But to get a job at the senior level, one must go for a specialization in a particular field.
Certification
Certification is an important part of educational qualifications for the ultrasound technician. As per the rules of American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography(ARDMS), to become eligible for the registration examination for the certification, one must complete the clinical education first.
Certification for the ultrasound technician is the first preference of any employer. This certificate highlights the area of specialty which makes to easier to apply and get a job.
Apart from the educational qualifications for the ultrasound technician, the behavior at the job and how one must assist his/her co-worker’s matters a lot. Sonographers have a specialization in working with sound waves, and that is why they have to constantly be in touch with the other physicians at the job place. This is to decode the images to get the accurate diagnosis. An ultrasound technician has to directly interact with the patients to get information about their medical history so that accurate diagnosis can be made.
Ultrasound technician salary
Fresh ultrasound technicians get a salary ranging from $19 to $26 per hour. This salary keeps on increasing with growing experience. A highly qualifies technician can make anywhere from $90000 to $12000. The requirements for an ultrasound technician is increasing day by day and so the salaries. It is important to opt for a full-time technician to get an excellent salary and huge increments.
However, apart from salaries, the mindset of a sonographer matters a lot. He/She should serve people unconditionally, clear at thinking and have a knack for helping others. These are the qualities that differentiate an average sonographer with a highly successful one.
Is Ultrasound Technician job right for you?
The decision to get qualifications for the ultrasound technician should be well planned as it is a job of high responsibility. The final treatment of a patient depends on the images provided by a sonographer. So the job has to be done with precision without any mental distraction.
You may need to work long shifts, so stamina and durability are a must. It is a job that will constantly keep you on foot working at odd times. Sometimes one has to take the patient from one place to another for an ultrasound (which is relatively rare), so upper body strength is required.
All in all, the job of an ultrasound technician is physical as well as mental. So opt it if you can go with it for your lifetime.