Diagnostic medical sonographers or “ultrasound techs” are members of the healthcare team who are often overlooked. More often than not, people don’t see diagnostics as a vital part of medical care --- which is a big mistake. Care plans from your doctor only work if diagnosticians give them the information they need. Despite this, because of the consistently increasing demand for healthcare workers, more and more people are turning toward an ultrasound technician career. You can read more about ultrasound technician career information and salary facts through the link.
What does an ultrasound technician do?
An ultrasound technician is formally known as a diagnostic medical sonographer. They are medical technicians who are responsible for a machine called a sonogram or ultrasound machine. Sonographers use this machine to create images of structures inside the human body through the use of sound. The machine, typically made up of two parts --- the computer and the hand-held transducer –, sends out sound waves that pass through the body, bouncing off of bone and tissue at different intervals. These are sent back to the computer as signals which create the needed images.
How much does an ultrasound technician make?
Ultrasound technicians are very well-paid in the US in 2017. The Bureau of Labor Statistics places annual salary for sonographers at $70,880, much higher than the nation’s average annual salary of $48,320. However, like other careers, ultrasound technician jobs are not paid the same throughout all states in the country. Some places pay higher than others (which is the norm, if a place has a higher cost of living compared to other cities or states).
How long does it take to become an ultrasound technician?
The most basic program in an ultrasound technician career is a bachelor degree program. Bachelor degrees are offered to students with GEDs and take approximately four years to complete. People fresh out of high school are advised to take this route. The second option is an associate degree program, which takes two years to complete. Students who have taken college-level general education classes can apply to this kind of program. The last option is a certificate program, which is offered to people who are already working healthcare professionals or have completed an allied healthcare program previously. This kind of program takes approximately a year to complete.
While many schools may offer these three programs to sonography students, not all of the programs in the US are accredited. Programs that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or CAAHEP are the best ones to apply to because they offer the highest quality sonography training in the country.
An ultrasound technician career will offer both financial and personal rewards to people who are able to complete the training program. There are plenty of options to choose from --- a sonographer isn’t confined to working at a hospital; he or she can opt to go into education to train other sonography students or even go into research and head his or her own study. There are a lot of resources available to sonographers as well, many organizations support the practice of sonography and offer certification exams to different sonography specialties.
An ultrasound technician is formally known as a diagnostic medical sonographer. They are medical technicians who are responsible for a machine called a sonogram or ultrasound machine. Sonographers use this machine to create images of structures inside the human body through the use of sound. The machine, typically made up of two parts --- the computer and the hand-held transducer –, sends out sound waves that pass through the body, bouncing off of bone and tissue at different intervals. These are sent back to the computer as signals which create the needed images.
How much does an ultrasound technician make?
Ultrasound technicians are very well-paid in the US in 2017. The Bureau of Labor Statistics places annual salary for sonographers at $70,880, much higher than the nation’s average annual salary of $48,320. However, like other careers, ultrasound technician jobs are not paid the same throughout all states in the country. Some places pay higher than others (which is the norm, if a place has a higher cost of living compared to other cities or states).
How long does it take to become an ultrasound technician?
The most basic program in an ultrasound technician career is a bachelor degree program. Bachelor degrees are offered to students with GEDs and take approximately four years to complete. People fresh out of high school are advised to take this route. The second option is an associate degree program, which takes two years to complete. Students who have taken college-level general education classes can apply to this kind of program. The last option is a certificate program, which is offered to people who are already working healthcare professionals or have completed an allied healthcare program previously. This kind of program takes approximately a year to complete.
While many schools may offer these three programs to sonography students, not all of the programs in the US are accredited. Programs that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs or CAAHEP are the best ones to apply to because they offer the highest quality sonography training in the country.
An ultrasound technician career will offer both financial and personal rewards to people who are able to complete the training program. There are plenty of options to choose from --- a sonographer isn’t confined to working at a hospital; he or she can opt to go into education to train other sonography students or even go into research and head his or her own study. There are a lot of resources available to sonographers as well, many organizations support the practice of sonography and offer certification exams to different sonography specialties.