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Ultrasound Technicians

What is Ultrasound?

Ultrasound is a form of non-invasive medical imaging, which uses transducers and high-frequency sound to image a patient's internal organs, tissues, and blood flow for the purpose of diagnosis. Diagnostic ultrasound is also referred to as sonography or ultrasonography.

Ultrasound Technician Jobs

If you've earned your ultrasound technician degree and American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers credential, you're ready to take the next step in your career: get a job! But where do you look for ultrasound tech jobs? How much salary should you expect? Find answers to these questions and more below.

Where should I look for ultrasound job openings?

• Use the Internet. There are several good online job boards. Search for sonographer jobs and ultrasound technician jobs to cover your bases on how employeers may have listed their openings.
  
• Work with your ultrasound technician school's career-placement office to locate current ultrasound jobs.

What skills will employers expect?

The ability to...

• communicate effectively with patients and record patient data
• operate sonograms and obtain diagnostic images
• extend the scope of an ultrasound procedure as necessary
• analyze and interpret diagnostic images with a physician
• provide oral or written summaries of technical findings
• maintain ultrasound facilities, equipment, and records
• supervise and/or collaborate with other ultrasound technicians

What physical requirements should I know about?

• Ultrasound technician jobs are physical by nature. Technicians work standing up 80 percent of the time.
• They also must be able to lift moderate weights and help patients on and off examining tables. Tech jobs require full use of the upper body and the ability to push and pull and bend and stoop.
• Ultrasound technicians require keen hearing and eyesight to distinguish different equipment sounds and interpret colored sonograms.