Diagnostic Medical Sonography as a Career: What is it About? by Mimi

Mimi Tran Blog post
1st Year DMS Student
Montgomery College

Diagnostic Medical Sonography as a Career: What is it About?

Have you ever wondered about a career in medical sonography? You know those people that perform the studies when you go into a hospital for a sonogram of a baby or a study of your heart. Were you ever curious about the educational requirements, duties, certifications, salaries, locations, job outlook, etc...? Then read on.

Ultrasound technicians or sonographers are highly-skilled professionals who use specialized equipment to create images of the internal structures, organs and/or tissues inside the human body for the physicians to diagnosis medical problems. For over the last 20 years, these techs have usually been employed by clinics, hospitals, private practice physician offices, public health facilities, laboratories, and other medical settings.

Sonographers must meet certain requirements such as: be in good physical health condition, be able to lift over 50lbs, be able to analyze technical information, interact compassionately and effectively with the sick or injured, and obtain and record patient histories. They must also know the dangers of blood and bodily fluid exposure.

Salaries for sonographers are competitive with or higher than other professionals with similar levels of education. These vary according to experience levels and geographic locations. A release by the SDMS Salary and Benefits Survey reports (released March, 2005) that a sonographer’s median salary is $61,984, or typically $29 per hour.

A medical sonographers training may vary; some may train in hospitals, vocational-technical institutions, colleges or universities, or the Armed Forces. Colleges and universities offer formal training in either 2-year and 4-year programs, resulting in either an associate’s or a bachelor's degree. From what I can tell, these programs are a study and time intensive commitment, so do your research and be ready to jump in head first.

Medical sonographers are experiencing a growth rate of about 18% thru 2018, much faster than most similar occupations. This is due to a growing aging population, advancements in technology, and the need for a safer and more cost-effective alternative to radiological procedures.

Now that you understand more about the medical sonographer’s career, do you think that this is the career for you? Are you interested in exploring the accredited educational institutions with programs in diagnostic medical sonography near you? Do you know anyone who is already a registered diagnostic medical sonographer? What about someone who has been in other healthcare fields and is now moving to sonography? How did they think the different fields compared to each other?
Reference: http://www.sdms.org/career/career.asphttp://www.medtravelers.com/ultrasound-technician.aspx