How to become An Ultrasound Technician

The medical images created by Ultrasound Technicians help physicians learn more about their patient’s suspected health issues and develop a customised treatment plan that will give the patient their best chance to recover and lead a life of better quality.

• Ultrasound Tech
• Ultrasound Technologists

What do Ultrasound Technicians do?

An Ultrasound Technician would typically need to:

• Create sonograms with a transducer to help physicians diagnose and detect suspected diseases and other medical concerns of patients
• Prepare the exam room and ultrasound equipment to conduct examinations
• Prepare the patient for diagnostic testing by taking their medical history and answering any questions about the procedures
• Comfort the patient during the procedure, if necessary
• Manage the operation and maintenance of the equipment to conduct diagnostic procedures for detection and diagnosis 
• Review images and test results to check the quality and adequate coverage of the areas that would aid diagnosis
• Recognise and record the difference between normal and abnormal images; identify other diagnostic information
• Analyse, record and share the reports based upon the scan results with other medical professionals
• Alert appropriate medical staff of any abnormalities that need immediate attention
• Report equipment failure promptly
• Keep track of patients’ records

Ultrasound Technicians work in various settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, diagnostic imaging centres and private doctor’s offices. They work with a wide range of age groups, each with its own specific needs.

Ultrasound Technicians typically work full-time over nights, weekends, and even holidays, mainly if employed by a permanently open facility. 

Finding a new job might seem challenging. Ultrasound Technicians can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting employers directly, using job search platforms, going to job fairs, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies.

Ultrasound Technicians are generally employed by:

• Hospitals
• Long-Term Care Facilities
• Clinics
•  Diagnostic Imaging Centers
•  Private Physicians' Offices
• OB/GYN Offices
• Women’s Health Clinics
• Chiropractic/Orthopedic Offices

Healthcare associations, such as the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology, provide unparalleled networking and educational opportunities. They offer all the certification courses members will need throughout their professional careers.

Affiliated Ultrasound Technicians may attend conventions, seminars, and dinners frequented by peers, mentors, and other industry leaders. The events help them keep up with the newest breakthroughs and latest developments in the field, including plum jobs. 

• Lack of work-life balance due to prolonged and irregular work schedules stretching over nights and weekends
• Angry or mentally disturbed patients struggling with difficult emotional situations
• Emotionally challenging procedures to be performed on patients suffering from terminal illnesses
• Stress from having to maintain a helpful bedside manner when delivering any bad news to patients
• Physical strain from being on one’s feet for long stretches bent over equipment and patients, making repetitive motions and lifting or turning patients who are ill or disabled
• The majority of the workday spent at diagnostic imaging machines in dimly lit rooms or the bedsides of patients

Any academic program that a potential Ultrasound Technician takes up typically requires three- to six-month clinical supervised hands-on practical experience in an internship. You will learn about the equipment and how to interact with a diverse group of patients while working under a more experienced technologist in a hospital, a physician’s office or an imaging laboratory. In addition, a clinical externship at a local medical facility or lab will prepare you for the long hours you will spend in laboratory settings.

Furthermore, every applicant to a diagnostic medical sonography program needs work experience in their local hospital, doctor's surgery, nursing home, or mental health trust. It will help them understand some of the physical and emotional demands of a career as an Ultrasound Technician. 

Some teaching hospitals also offer work experience in their radiology and sonography departments, specifically for secondary school students interested in a career as an Ultrasound Technician. It can be a helpful way to gain insight.

Read about the profession and interview/ job shadow experts working in radiology and ultrasound to prove your commitment to course providers and prospective employers. 

Aspiring Ultrasound Technicians can opt for a one-year certificate/diploma, a two-year associate degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree in diagnostic medical sonography, diagnostic medical imaging and cardiovascular/vascular technology from an accredited community college, technical/vocational school or university.

A certificate/diploma/associate degree can open the door to entry-level positions in the field, and an associate degree is the most common training undertaken. However, a bachelor’s degree can help you undertake research and projects. Some Ultrasound Technicians with a BS degree go on to pursue careers in medicine.

Most programs include anatomy, medical terminology, applied sciences, physics & instrumentation, ultrasound physics, healthcare systems/management and legal/ethical/regulatory topics. Your speciality area may decide whether the program offers courses in foetal echo/neonatal/pediatric sonography, musculoskeletal sonography, breast sonography, abdominal ultrasound & small parts, obstetric & gynaecology ultrasound, vascular ultrasound, sectional anatomy and anatomy/physiology/pathophysiology of the heart.

Prerequisites to enter most degree programs include college-level math, science and English. Some programs may prefer candidates with a background in science or experience in other healthcare professions. Others may offer a seat to high school graduates with good grades in maths, anatomy, physiology and physics and may not turn away those with liberal arts backgrounds. Students who already own a degree in a patient-care related field may apply to a shorter-term certificate program.

Sit for the national credentialing exam to become a certified Ultrasound Technician. Certification in one or more of the five ultrasound specialities (abdomen, breast, echocardiography, OB/GYN and vascular) is not mandatory. However, most employers will not hire candidates without one. Many insurance providers pay for procedures only if performed by a certified technician.

In addition, employers prefer to employ Ultrasound Technicians who have BLS (basic life support) certification to prove that they are trained to provide CPR. Successful certification programs protect public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics.

Licensure is mandatory in some locations, and professional certification is the main prerequisite. Since other requirements may vary across locations, contact your local medical board for more information and clarity on whether you need the license. 

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive the career progression of Ultrasound Technicians who have myriad options at their disposal. 

They can enter a specific niche such as mammography or OB/GYN ultrasounds, become an MRI/CT Technologist or be promoted to Senior Ultrasound Technicians.  Other options include taking on an additional role as a Nurse or advancing to managerial positions such as Departmental Head, Operational Supervisor or Full-Time Administrator.

Advanced degrees can help you become an Ultrasound Researcher and solve some of the most pressing global public health issues, a Sonography Educator and remain involved with the field even when they no longer wish to continue with active work or an Advanced/Lead Pediatric Cardiac Sonographer.

The commercial sector can offer sales, marketing and management opportunities to an Ultrasound Application Specialist. You could also become an independent Sales Representative associated with an ultrasound distributor or dealer. Self-employment is a very viable option for those who have garnered significant experience and professional contacts.

Candidates with a bachelor’s degree and professional certification in more than one speciality have the best job prospects.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential in the healthcare sector for public wellbeing and career progression. It embraces several new learning objectives, educational methodologies, and novel technological developments, especially in education, management and IT. 

Pursue a higher degree in sonography such as a master’s or a doctoral degree and gain expertise in an ultrasound speciality to enter the field of research. An additional minor in education as an undergraduate will set you on the right track to advance in a teaching career.

Reflective learning, interaction with peer groups, comprehensive inclusion, workshops, and professional publications serve to educate, influence, support, and foster lifelong enlightenment in all career-grade Ultrasound Technicians.

The Roots of Sonography

The first sonogram came into being in 1794 through the joint efforts of an obstetrician, Ian Donald and an engineer, Tom Brown. However, it was not until 1956 that it was first used clinically in a Glasgow hospital.

Tools of the Trade

Ultrasound Technicians use ultrasound machines, clear water-based jelly, a white coat, gloves and orthopaedic shoes to perform their job efficiently.

How Do Ultrasounds Help?

Ultrasounds help monitor pregnancy and foetal growth. Physical and occupational therapists use them to induce cavitation - the process of gas bubbles rapidly expanding and contracting, causing the tissue in focus to increase in temperature. The consequent circulation allegedly promotes healing and reduces pain.

A Word of Caution

Ultrasound Therapeutics is not recommended on open wounds, pregnant women or anywhere near a pacemaker. In addition, although the use of ultrasounds in therapeutics has become popular, there is not enough research to prove the current claim that they promote healing, increase circulation and reduce pain.

Technical Terms Briefly Explained 

The terms are often used interchangeably, but there are critical distinctions between an ultrasound and a sonogram. Ultrasounds are high-pitched waves or vibrations used to develop the medical images of the body’s internal organs and tissues, known as sonograms.

Ultrasound Technicians use an ultrasound transducer to emit pulses of sound that bounce back, causing echoes that are sent to an ultrasound machine which processes them and displays them as images used by the physicians for diagnosis.

Because the core responsibilities and required education are similar, Ultrasound Technicians are often referred to as sonographers.

Current Trends 

The emergence of new technology has led to the rise of new fields within medical imaging such as telemedicine, Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) or new markets for a traveling sonographer.

Potential Pros & Cons of Freelancing vs Full-Time Employment

Freelancing Ultrasound Technicians have more flexible work schedules and locations. They have full ownership of the business and can select their projects and clients. However, they experience inconsistent work and cash flow, which means more responsibility, effort and risk.

A full-time Ultrasound Technician, on the other hand, has company-sponsored health benefits, insurance, and retirement plans. They have job security with a fixed, reliable source of income and guidance from their bosses. Yet, they may experience boredom due to a lack of flexibility, ownership, and variety.

When deciding between freelancing or being a full-time employee, consider the pros and cons to see what works best for you.

Ultrasounds treat chronic pain by heating soft tissues and increasing circulation to that part of the body. 

Be it the womb of an expectant mother or the brain of a patient with a suspected tumor or the organs in the abdominal cavity of a terminally ill patient, Ultrasound Technicians with a compassionate bedside manner and a keen eye for the abnormal are the ones that help other healthcare professionals bridge the gap between diagnosis and prognosis.

Observe, describe and interpret. Know what you are looking for. Follow up on your patients.