Ultrasound technician provides a vital service in the cutting-edge field of sonographic imaging.  Ultrasound imaging or sonography is a non invasive procedure that entails subjecting specific body parts to high-frequency sound waves to capture images.  These pictures provide information on the composition and structure of internal organs in real time, put simply they use the same principles as sonar in submarines.  The images are then used by physicians to diagnose medical conditions and follow changes with treatment.  An ultrasound tech uses a hand-held transducer on the body part to apply high frequency sound waves; the echoed waves are translated to an image.  Ultrasound technicians or technologists are also referred to as medical diagnostic sonographers.

About Ultrasound Technician Specializations

Typically, sonography is associated with fetal imaging and tracking growth rate during pregnancy.  But sonography is used widely to diagnose a whole slew of ailments due to its non-invasive yet targeted approach.  So ultrasound technicians find their services in high demand in 4 broad classifications of specialty.

• Obstetric & gynecologic sonography is dedicated to the capture of images of the fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus and tracking the growth and health of the fetus.
• Abdominal sonography involves the imaging of internal organs such as the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, spleen, and urinary bladder.
• Neurosonography focuses on revealing patterns of blood flow and is especially helpful in confirming strokes.
• Breast sonography is the study of breast tissue including those closest to the chest wall that has proved to be challenging with a conventional mammogram.

Prerequisite Education Requirements

1. All applicants must have earned a GED or graduated from high school and must be at least 18 years of age.
2. Applicants must possess an Associate of Science degree in an allied health field or a Bachelor of Science or Arts degree not restricted to any field.
3. If the applicant is holding a non-US diploma, a proof of successful completion of TOEFL test must be provided.
4. A score of at least 30 in a Scholastic Level Exam is needed.
5. Applicants providing official grade transcripts of college level courses in Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, Physics and Algebra will be exempt from taking certain prerequisite courses and challenge exams.

On entering the ultrasound technician program, the coursework will include but is not limited to the following classes:

• Essential Medical Bio-Science
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Ultrasound Basic Physics and Instrumentation
• Cross-Sectional Anatomy
• Patient Care
• Medical Ethics

The ultrasound technician training usually takes 24-48 months at career colleges, universities and trade schools.  However if you have allied health care training,  with patient care experience, 1 year programs are available too.

ARDMS Registration

After the training period is completed, ultrasound technicians pass a qualifying exam administered by the ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography).  This is non-profit organization that promotes ‘quality care and patient safety through the certification and continuing competency of ultrasound professionals’.  Although this certification is optional, health care facilities prefer candidates that are registered and vetted by the ARDMS.  The Advantage of ARDMS certification is two-fold, both to the employer and the candidate.  The certification involves a rigorous background check of the candidate, scrutiny of the accreditation of the diploma granting institution (CAAHEP accredited) and most importantly, the technical knowledge on the specialty of the ultrasound technician.  Hiring employers tend to hire from the ARDMS registered pool of candidates; as a job applicant with ARDMS registration, one’s own eligibility is elevated to the next level.

Job Outlook

Ultrasound technicians or technologists are in tremendous demand as shown by the table below from the US Department of Labor Statistics.  The average annual income of an ultrasound technician is $64,900 and a mean hourly wage of $31.20.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Source: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2010: 29-2032 Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Over-time salaries for ultrasound technicians can go up as high as $54.00 per hour. Bonuses can also be earned along with profit sharing as senior levels in the practice are reached.  It is not uncommon for an ultrasound technician to work multiple jobs based on one’s specialty and demand in a given field. In a hospital setting, especially in fertility clinics, working on the weekend or overtime (for monitoring ovulation, as an example) can be very lucrative.

Employability

Employment of diagnostic medical sonographers is expected to increase by about 18 percent through 2018—faster than the average for all occupations according to the US Depart of Labor Statistics.  As the baby-boomers age, there will be a much greater demand for diagnostic imaging, hence sonographers.  This trend will continue as health care providers are fast replacing dated radiologic procedures with sonography as being a safer and more economical option.  Additionally, current imaging techniques will generate new sonographic technologies opening up more areas of the body that have so far been inaccessible to ultrasound.