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Sonogram Technician: Learning About Sonography
Sonogram Technician: Learning About Sonography
Is a career as a sonogram technician in your future? If you love helping people, enjoy using state-of-the-art technology and want a job in healthcare that is growing in demand, the field of sonography may be your perfect match.
What is Sonography?
You're probably already familiar with the use of ultrasound to track fetal development throughout pregnancy. But you might be surprised to know that the same technology that allows health professionals to monitor growing fetuses is also used to help diagnose and assess medical conditions in many other parts of the human body.
Sonography equipment sends high-frequency sound waves into a specific area of a patient's body. Those sound waves then get reflected back as echoes and form images of the patient's interior on a monitor. The images are then saved and interpreted by a medical team to help identify any new ailments or to keep an eye on existing conditions that may require further treatment.
Sonography, generally used in hospitals, is now also being used in more and more doctors' offices and outpatient medical clinics. Because it is safer and less expensive than radiological procedures, it is increasingly replacing them. There are even mobile sonography services that provide access to the diagnostic imaging equipment (and the sonogram technicians that operate it) in under-served locations.
A Sonogram Technician Does What, Exactly?
As a sonogram technician (also known as a diagnostic medical sonographer or ultrasound technologist), you'll have vital responsibilities. Patients will count on you to know what you're doing, to clearly explain procedures, and to help them feel more comfortable.
A sonogram technician often starts by recording a patient's relevant medical history. Any necessary settings and adjustments to the sonography equipment must then be made prior to the exam. Patients sometimes need to be lifted or directed into suitable positions. The technician then may apply a special type of gel to the patient's skin to help the equipment's hand-held scanner (called a transducer) glide over the appropriate body area.
As the images of the patient's internal anatomy appear on screen, the technician analyzes them for any abnormalities that need to be pointed out to the patient's doctor. After the procedure, the sonographer must then put together preliminary findings of the ultrasound examination and prepare those images for further interpretation by the patient's medical team.
Sonogram technicians may also be required to retain patient medical records and keep the ultrasound equipment in good working order. Though the duties are many and you may have to spend long periods of time on your feet, a career in sonography offers the excitement and personal reward of knowing you provide a vital service that truly helps people.
Do All Sonogram Technicians Do the Same Thing?
Most people who work in sonography specialize in conducting ultrasound procedures for just one or a few areas of human anatomy. The areas of specialization to consider are:
- Obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN): Sonographers in this discipline use sonogram images to examine the female reproductive system, including the fetuses of pregnant women.
- Abdominal: These sonographers examine internal organs, such as the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen.
- Neuro: Sonogram technicians in this field are focused on the brain and the rest of the nervous system. They are also sometimes called upon to perform exams on premature infants.
- Cardiac: It's all about the heart for these sonographers. The procedures they conduct are called echocardiograms.
- Vascular: Blood vessels are the focus for these sonographers.
- Breast: Like mammography, these sonographers aid in the detection and study of breast cancer.
What Kind of Education and Credentials Are Required?
The best way to enter the field of sonography is through one of the following routes:
- A formal education from an accredited program
- Formal training in an accredited medical practice
- A combination of education and practical training
The most common path to entry is a two-year associate's degree program, but some schools also offer bachelor's degrees in sonography. In addition, if you are already a healthcare professional, you may have the option of simply earning a one-year certificate.
There are no state licensing requirements for sonographers; however, employers generally prefer that you be registered by one of the professional certifying bodies such as the
American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). To become certified, you must pass the organization's exam. Once you do, you'll be known as a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer.
Getting Started
To successfully pursue a career as a sonogram technician, you should be comfortable with math and science. You should also be a good communicator and able to relate well with other people, as you'll have to ease the minds of nervous patients. Good hand-eye coordination is a must. And you'll need to enjoy learning new things because sonography utilizes technology which is constantly changing.
If you think you've got what it takes, the easiest way to begin is by browsing through a directory of healthcare schools and choosing one that offers a quality
sonography program in your area. You could soon be helping patients by seeing with sound!
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