Do you enjoy working in a challenging and dynamic environment while helping people in healthcare roles?  Are you fascinated by having the chance to see the inner workings of the body?  Then, being a diagnostic medical sonographer or ultrasound technician may be a good fit for you. 

Sonographers or ultrasound technicians are responsible for operating equipment that use non-invasive imaging techniques to examine organs for diagnostic purposes. You’re probably more familiar with their role in relation to pregnancy, but they can also examine breast tissues, muscles, the brain and spinal cord, ligaments, tendons and joints, and other internal organs. 

Aside from that, they work closely with other healthcare professionals, such as doctors and radiologists. They can help with the preparation of the patients for certain procedures, can record patient history to present findings to the medical team, and maintain ultrasound equipment.

The average salary of a sonographer ranks as one of the highest among medical technician fields. 

Now that you’ve known the role of a sonographer in the medical scene, you’re probably starting to consider this career path. So, here are the things to consider before putting yourself into ultrasound training:

1. Must Have Graduated High School And Obtained Diploma 

If you wish to take ultrasound training courses, you must first have a high school diploma or GED certificate before beginning higher education. Once completed, you can look into schools offering a sonographer program. Some will prefer applicants who have a background in science or other healthcare professions. They can also consider high school graduates having mathematics and sciences in their coursework, but also with the ones with liberal backgrounds.

To make your application stand out, you can volunteer and gain work experience in healthcare. 

2. Must Be Willing To Get A Degree In Medical Sonography

Many technical schools, medical colleges, and universities offer sonographer programs. The most common choice for ultrasound training is a two-year associate in science degree, but you can also opt for a four-year bachelor’s degree, too. Also, some degree programs might need a clinical internship that involves job-shadowing in an ultrasound clinic or hospital. However, you must review what each school requires before applying. 

While you’re training in a two-year associate program, you’re required to take core courses such as biology, human anatomy, chemistry, physiology, and obstetrics as these subjects are prerequisites for many sonographer programs. As for the advanced four-year program, you’re required to take subjects in healthcare ethics, epidemiology, health policy, ultrasound physics, conflict resolution in healthcare, and academic and professional writing. 

Considering the time, you’re going to spend training in sonography, you must be emotionally prepared as this job can demand so much from you. Also, the lengthy training can be expensive and you might need to relocate for obtaining clinical experience. Reflecting upon these factors will help you determine if you’re qualified for ultrasound training. 

3. Must Have Necessary Skills 

Healthcare professions and other service-industry-related careers need a broad range of skills—from technical skills to good interpersonal communication. To be successful in this career path, you need to both have hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills refer to the technical abilities to perform your job well, while soft skills refer to abilities you need to use to communicate well with the patients you’re dealing with.

Some examples of hard skills needed in ultrasound training are: 

• Hand-eye coordination
• Dexterity to operate equipment
• Being well-versed in anatomy or physiology
• Great understanding of pathophysiology
• Critical analysis for reading and interpreting technical findings

Soft skills aren’t easily taught, even in an intensive training program. These can be developed overtime, but possessing these skills prior to your training will be a great help to you. Some of the soft skills are:

• Staying calm under pressure
• Communication skills, especially talking to patients
• Compassion and empathy
• Ethical conduct
• Independent work ethic
• Ability to work as a group

Takeaways

Being in the healthcare industry is no easy task. So, before delving into it, consider different factors first to see if you’re qualified. Aside from the academic requirements, like a high school diploma, preparing yourself in all aspects—mentally, financially and emotionally—is a must. 

Beyond the prestige of being in the medical field, training for sonography will allow you to combine your love for science and your desire to help people. Although it’s true that the latter sounds so cliché, this is necessary to keep you going in this type of profession. Simply doing it for the salary or the prestige won’t let you survive the years of training you’re going to endure. Also, the highly stressful environment can take a toll in you if you’re not careful managing your stress. Thus, you have to make sure that you see yourself doing that kind of profession.