The Career of an Ultrasound Tech?

Answer 1

An ultrasound technician, also referred to as a medical sonographer, utilizes diagnostic medical imaging equipment to assist in the diagnosis of medical diseases or monitor conditions such as pregnancy. This branch of diagnostic medicine uses sound waves to generates images that can be used for assessment and diagnostic purposes for a variety of medical conditions. The equipment uses high-frequency sound waves directed to a persons body which them forms an image from the reflected sounds. The images can be made into still pictures or videos or can be transmitted through a computer to a radiologist or physician.

Most people are aware of ultrasounds that are used to view a fetus in the womb, but ultrasounds are used for a number of other areas and organs of the body. An ultrasound tech may decide to specialize in one or more areas. For example, an ultrasound tech can specialize in gynecologic sonography or obstetric ultrasounds. Abdominal sonography, ophthalmic sonography and neurosonography are also areas that the ultrasound tech may specialize in.

An ultrasound tech has a number of duties besides operating the ultrasound equipment. The ultrasound tech must be able to explain the ultrasound procedure to the patient and well as instruct the patient on how to move to obtain the ultrasound images. At times, the ultrasound technician may have to assist or turn patients, which requires some level of physical stamina. The ultrasound tech must have good decision skills to select the best images to present to the physician. The ultrasound tech is often involved in obtaining patient medical history and recording this information into a computer. The ultrasound tech usually works in a hospital, physician’s office or a diagnostic imaging center.

Most ultrasound technicians attend either a two-year or four-year program from a college or university. Training can also be obtained in a hospital or vocational technical institution. Although currently no state requires an ultrasound license, some agencies such as the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers provide competency certifications for ultrasound technicians.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of ultrasound technicians is expected to grow by about 18 percent until 2018. The average hourly rate of an ultrasound technologist was between $22.18 and $30.91 or $45,496 to $65,255 as of September 17, 2010, according to PayScale.com.