The health care profession is one of the few areas of activity that is gaining momentum ahead of tough economic times. Employment opportunities in the health sector are expected to increase faster than in any other industry — 3.28 million new jobs will be created by 2018. In the era of baby boomers, and in generation X there are children, health professionals will become more in demand than ever.
One particular growing career in healthcare is the ultrasound technician or medical diagnostic sonograph. Ultrasound, otherwise known as sonography, is the use of sound waves to form an image used to test and diagnose various medical conditions. Ultrasound is usually associated with obstetrics and the use of ultrasound imaging during pregnancy. However, this technology has many other applications in the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions throughout the body.
In this fast-growing industry, Ultrasound Technicians can receive over $ 83,000 per year. Work in this area of health care is expected to increase by 18% until 2018.
There are several ways to become an Ultrasound Technician (Sonographer). Ultrasound technology can be trained in hospitals, vocational schools, colleges or universities, or the Armed Forces.
Training and learning.
Colleges and universities provide formal education in both biennial and four-year programs, resulting in a college or bachelor's degree. The most common two-year program. Course work covers classes in anatomy, physiology, instruments, fundamental physics, patient care and medical ethics.
Some annual programs, which usually lead to a professional certificate, are also accepted as suitable training by employers. But keep in mind that these programs are usually only useful for employees currently working in the health profession who want to increase their competitiveness through training in sonography.
Certification and additional criteria.
There are no states requiring a license to become an Ultrasound Technician. Despite this, almost all employers prefer to hire registered ultrasound equipment, because registration provides an objective assessment of a person’s professional reputation. To register, a person must first qualify to take the test, having passed the proper education, training or work experience. The exam usually includes physics and instrumental research in the field of sonography. Usually Ultrasound technicians must fill in the required number of hours of continuous training in order to maintain registration.
