Sonography requires imaging equipment to record sound waves to produce ultrasounds or sonograms. One well-known career in using sonography is as an ultrasound technician. By using specialized equipment to take these images, it provides additional healthcare providers to help analyze and diagnose medical conditions.
More specifically, an ultrasound tech operates a transducer (the equipment used to record images). They also prepare the examination room and patients. Additionally, they make sure images are clear and usable to allow physicians to assess them. Additionally, all sonographers rely on these transducers as the primary way to process the sound waves to create clear images. Since there are a variety of jobs a sonographer can have, they examine all parts of the body.
However, jobs like an echocardiographer (who examines the heart) have a focused area of the body that they take images. Also known as diagnostic cardiovascular sonography, the most common procedure that they perform is echocardiograms. In other words, they use transducers aimed at the heart to create a viewable image. With there being many types of different sonography careers, the patients one in this field might see will also vary. For example, an obstetric sonographer often helps pregnant women, analyzing the growth of a fetus and check for pregnancy concerns.
Pathway to Become
Even though there is a large range of sonography careers, the training required is relatively short. Depending on your overall goals, there are different ways to pursue sonography. Such as a certificate from a sonography program or depending on your pathway, either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. However, if you are considering this career, remember to consider the financial and educational commitments required. For example, since a bachelor’s is a 4-year degree, it will require prioritization in studying. And in most cases cost significantly more. Whichever path you might potentially choose, all must apply to become a certified sonographer. This is done through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS). Furthermore, if you’re considering a more specific occupation, additional certification would be beneficial. This allows you to have knowledge of more specific equipment focused towards that career.
Personal Take
With a large variation of sonography careers, at the moment it is an occupation I am interested in. More specifically, as an obstetric sonographer, I would be in charge of checking for abnormalities. I would also be relied on to analyze images for the normal and healthy development of a fetus. Additionally, it would allow me to pursue a low-stress medical occupation. Alongside this, sonographers undergoing shorter training and fewer education requirements, schedule flexibility, and a field in women’s healthcare.
Resources
concorde.edu/blog/how-to-become-a-sonographer