Ultrasound Technician: An Attractive Job Option

Posted by sophiamilller on February 15th, 2013

Medical world has lots of opportunities for people in search of a profession. It is not necessary for you to become a doctor or a nurse to enter this world as there are many more exciting options that are rewarding and exciting as well. One such career option is that of an ultrasound technician, also known as a sonographer.  You must have encountered this professional in hospitals and medical centers operating a machine that helps in looking inside the body of human beings. Ultrasound has today become very popular diagnostic tool for the doctors to find out the presence of infections, tumors, lesions, diseases, and other anomalies in the organs of patients.

An ultrasound technician is the person who with the help of a ultrasonography machine sends ultrasound waves inside the body of the patient that helps in create audio and video image which helps the doctors to diagnose the diseases a patient is suffering from. The most lingering images of an ultrasound technician are those using special equipment on the belly of a pregnant woman to produce images and videos of the fetus developing inside the womb of the woman. However, the profession of ultrasound is not limited or restricted to ascertaining the health of the baby or the mother to be as today an ultrasound tech can be seen operating his machine in nearly all fields of specializations.

It is not just gynecology ward of a hospital that makes important use of an ultrasound tech as he/she is a professional who is seen helping in the diagnosis of tumors and lesions in neurosurgery, detecting infections in abdomens of patients, and even diagnosing the flow of blood and clotting in cardiology ward as well. Infact, there is no area of specialization in the medical world that does not make use of the expertise of an ultrasound tech.

Becoming an ultrasound tech is not very difficult and there are lots of colleges and universities offering1-2 year courses providing certificates or diplomas. The course comprises basic concepts of math, physics, and chemistry in addition to the basic principle of ultrasound waves and how they create images after reflecting from the organs of the patients. The students are made aware of the working of ultrasound machines, their upkeep, and their parts. There are also courses in anatomy, patient care, ethics, physiology, and administration to make a student fully capable of handling an ultrasound machine as an ultrasound technician.

For those already working in a healthcare industry, it is easier to become an ultrasound tech as many colleges provide 1 year certificate courses for these individuals. Then there are hospitals that are willing to provide on the job training to such individuals to complete their courses. Many hospitals prefer to recruit technicians who have the certification from CAAHEP or ARDMS. These certificates can be obtained by passing competitive examinations held by the governing bodies. In a nutshell, the job of an ultrasound technician is an attractive proposition as the demand for these professionals is growing at a fast pace with salaries also going up in the recent years.

Click on the links now to learn more about a career as an ultrasound tech or ultrasound technician