What It Takes To Be An Ultrasound Technician

The number of professions in the health care industry varies widely depending on the educational requirements and incomes as well. There are some, which will require studying for only a couple of months to complete while other take up to a decade. Ultrasound technicians fall at the center of these two extreme ends. You can start the profession with a two-year associate degree from ultrasound tech schools in san jose ca and earn a comfortable income. Here are some facts to know about this career path.

Associate degrees

Typically, it takes only two years to get a sonography associate degree. The first year of the program usually includes written communication, mathematics, and a selection of courses in science such as biology and physics. Human anatomy and physiology is covered in the second year, as well as an introduction to vascular or fetal imaging among other disciplines.

The entire program must also include a hands-on clinical experience in a setting that is supervised. The course can be made a lot shorter for healthcare professionals who have existing degrees in related fields such as radiology. They will be required to take only the ultrasound specific training of the program.

Bachelor’s degrees

An associate degree is enough to get you started on an ultrasound profession, but ambitious sonographers go for the 4-year bachelor’s course, which is better rounded. The first two years of the bachelor’s program will include basic science education alongside electives in management, communications, and IT.

The last two years will mainly focus on clinical and class instructions in the main specialties of the profession like echocardiography, gynecological sonography, and neuro sonography. A majority of employers prefer sonographers with the bachelor’s degree, which comes with improved income prospects.

Income

Sonography is among the highest paying professions that an associate degree holder can get. The salaries can range anywhere between $59,000 and $71,000 per year.

Responsibilities

An ultrasound technician creates and views images of internal body structures. It assists physicians to diagnose and treat their patients properly. The professionals are usually responsible for preparation of the patient before the procedure as well as conducting the procedure itself. At times, they might also be responsible for the management and maintenance of equipment.

Outlook

Healthcare industry is growing more and more with each passing year, and the trend is not expected to end anytime soon. Ultrasound makes a good option for outpatient clinics and physicians’ offices because of the smaller and less costly equipment requirements. There are real employment prospects for sonographers, thanks to the increased demand for their services.…