Ultrasonographers commonly work with pregnant women.
Sonography is also known as ultrasonography and involves using sound waves to generate a medical image. The generated images are then used by medical professionals to diagnose medical conditions. Sonography is commonly used during pregnancy to monitor the health of a baby.
Associate or Bachelor's Degree
Colleges and universities offer two-year programs for medical sonography that present students with an associate degree in medical sonography upon graduation. Coursework for two year-programs covers topics such as anatomy, instrumentation, physiology, patient care, basic physics and medical ethics. There are more than 150 medical sonography training programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Some hospitals offer medical sonography training programs, but the majority are administered by traditional colleges and universities. Colleges and universities also offer four-year programs for becoming a medical ultrasonographer, but they are not pursued as often as two year programs are, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Vocational Certificate
The least commonly taken path for becoming an ultrasonographer is obtaining a one-year vocational certificate. The vocational certificate is useful only for individuals that already work in the field of health care, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Certification & Registration
There are no states that require medical ultrasonographers to hold certification. However, many medical ultrasonographers choose to get certified by a private credentialing body. Obtaining voluntary certification can help with employment opportunities. The majority of employers prefer hiring medical ultrasonographers who are registered and certified with a credentialing body. Those who want to become certified and registered must first obtain a degree in medical sonography. The next step is to take a certification test, which usually tests subjects on basic physics and use medical sonography instruments. The majority of credentialing bodies require medical sonographers to complete a certain number of continuing education hours to maintain their certification.
Specialty Certification
Certification is available in different specialties for medical ultrasonographers in areas such as the breast, abdomen, nervous system and the cardiovascular system. The largest organizations for certification include The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, and Cardiovascular Credentialing International.
Career Advancement
The primary way that a medical ultrasonographer can advance their career is by obtaining certification in different specialty areas, because it increases their marketability when looking for jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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