Ultrasound imaging is a medical procedure that uses an instrument that releases high frequency sound waves that go into the body and as a result, these sound waves produce images of the patient’s body. This kind of equipment is also utilized in other medical areas like gynecology, echocardiography for examining heart conditions, neurosonology for assessing the health status of the spine and the brain, and ophthalmology that focuses on the eyes.
Becoming an ultrasound technician requires a lot of training and educational background. Medical sonographers are well-trained in using the ultrasound equipment. An ultrasound technician has the responsibility to do five jobs:
- explain the medical procedure that will be done to the patient;
- note medical histories,
- operate the equipment properly,
- classify the images captured by the ultrasound and;
- maintain the equipment.
These responsibilities may seem easy but a specialization, specifically an ultrasound technician certification, is needed.
To begin the process of earning the requirements needed to acquire the certification, an aspiring technician should have accomplished at least a two-year associate degree from a school that is accredited by the Commission on Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The student who wants to earn an ultrasound technician certification must possess a strong background in Math, Science or any healthcare subjects. Other requirements are training programs in the fields of anatomy, physics, physiology, and medical ethics.
After attending the training, future technicians will have to submit their application for the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) exam. The ARDMS exam will measure the credibility and eligibility of an ultrasound technician to be given the ultrasound technician certification. Once the certification has been awarded to an aspirant, he or she can submit his or her application for standard employment in all healthcare facilities around the country.
Some of the advantages of being a certified ultrasound technician are:
- the freedom to choose various work places
- expertise in sonography utilization procedures and
- full awareness of the medical ethics
Another advantage of a certified ultrasound technician is the power to develop personal and professional satisfaction and becoming an integral part of the healthcare team. The average ultrasound technician salary varies according to the results of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2006, the average salary was $57,160. However in the year 2009 the salary of an ultrasound technician reached up to $63,010. The amount of salary depends on the local job market in your area.
As regards to the ultrasound technician school that offers a certification for ultrasound technicians, several schools located in different states are known for offering unique ultrasound or sonography degrees. Sanford-Brown College in Arizona, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois offers cardiovascular and diagnostic medical sonography. In Ramsey, New Jersey, a school called Eastwick College offers a lot of sonography classes both in the morning and in the evening.
However, if a future technician wants to belong to a reputable sonography school, Keiser University in Florida is an ultrasound technician school that has established educational excellence for students to achieve a sonography degree duly recognized by almost all medical centers and healthcare clinics.