Looking Into Ultrasound Jobs in 2015
Ultrasound technology is a popular medical career in the US, with employment rates and annual salaries increasing since the year 2012. The Bureau of Labor Statistics actually predicts continued improvements in those areas for the next ten years, until the year 2022. Ultrasound tech jobs couldn’t be in any more demand than they are today in 2015.
With the number of accredited ultrasound tech programs increasing each year because of these statistics, the competition in how to find entry level ultrasound jobs is becoming harder. This is why certification is very important. Unlike other medical jobs such as nursing, sonographers are not required to get licensed in order to practice. However, it is highly encouraged that sonographers become certified for SPI (Sonography Principles and Instrumentation) as well as their specialty. |
Ultrasound Tech Specialties
There are different types of ultrasound technicians in US, with each specialty with its own certification exam. The ARDMS – or the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography – offers examinations for the following specialties:
· Abdominal Sonography
· Breast Sonography
· Obstetrics and Gynecology
· Pediatric Sonography
· Adult Echocardiography
· Fetal Echocardiography
· Pediatric Echocardiography
· Vascular Technology
· Musculoskeletal Sonography
The Neursonology credentialing exam will be discontinued this 2015.
If you take any of the exams above, you will become any of the following: Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Cardiac Sonographr, Vascular Technologist, or Registered in Musculoskeletal Sonography. Available ultrasound tech jobs are usually any of these specialties.
Applying for Ultrasound Technician Jobs
Applying for ultrasound technician jobs are pretty straight forwards – graduate from an accredited program and get certified for your specialty. The ARMDS isn’t strict when it comes to accredited programs; students from non-accredited ultrasound tech programs can still take a credentialing exam but their list of requirements is much stricter. Currently, there over 200 sonography schools that offer accredited Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) programs.
Your Career as a Sonographer
If you work as a sonographer in the US, you can expect an annual salary of a little over $67,000. By mid-2013, there were 58,250 ultrasound techs in the country, earning $67,170 annually. That’s an average hourly wage of $32.29, better than the nationwide average annual salary, as well as the annual salary of similar medical professions. These wages also vary depending on the location and industry where an ultrasound tech is working. Some states have higher pay while some have lower pay.
What to Expect from Being a Sonographer
Ultrasound jobs are not as simple as everyone makes it out to be. The procedure itself is safe for both the patient and the ultrasound tech (since it only uses sound waves), but the repetitive movement of bending over, crouching, and standing makes sonographers quite prone to musculoskeletal problems – namely back pain. However, more studies are being conducted to improve the ergonomics of the sonogram machine which will hopefully decrease the risk of musculoskeletal problems from occurring the long run.
There are different types of ultrasound technicians in US, with each specialty with its own certification exam. The ARDMS – or the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography – offers examinations for the following specialties:
· Abdominal Sonography
· Breast Sonography
· Obstetrics and Gynecology
· Pediatric Sonography
· Adult Echocardiography
· Fetal Echocardiography
· Pediatric Echocardiography
· Vascular Technology
· Musculoskeletal Sonography
The Neursonology credentialing exam will be discontinued this 2015.
If you take any of the exams above, you will become any of the following: Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Cardiac Sonographr, Vascular Technologist, or Registered in Musculoskeletal Sonography. Available ultrasound tech jobs are usually any of these specialties.
Applying for Ultrasound Technician Jobs
Applying for ultrasound technician jobs are pretty straight forwards – graduate from an accredited program and get certified for your specialty. The ARMDS isn’t strict when it comes to accredited programs; students from non-accredited ultrasound tech programs can still take a credentialing exam but their list of requirements is much stricter. Currently, there over 200 sonography schools that offer accredited Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) programs.
Your Career as a Sonographer
If you work as a sonographer in the US, you can expect an annual salary of a little over $67,000. By mid-2013, there were 58,250 ultrasound techs in the country, earning $67,170 annually. That’s an average hourly wage of $32.29, better than the nationwide average annual salary, as well as the annual salary of similar medical professions. These wages also vary depending on the location and industry where an ultrasound tech is working. Some states have higher pay while some have lower pay.
What to Expect from Being a Sonographer
Ultrasound jobs are not as simple as everyone makes it out to be. The procedure itself is safe for both the patient and the ultrasound tech (since it only uses sound waves), but the repetitive movement of bending over, crouching, and standing makes sonographers quite prone to musculoskeletal problems – namely back pain. However, more studies are being conducted to improve the ergonomics of the sonogram machine which will hopefully decrease the risk of musculoskeletal problems from occurring the long run.