Available Jobs in Health Care
If you are looking for a career in the health industry but do not want to be a nurse or a doctor, becoming a diagnostic medical sonographer may be the option for you. There are many benefits to becoming a sonographer, most notable because the job pays well and the outlook for this job looks very good. Sonographer uses sound waves to create an image of something that is behind a barrier (such as our skin).
The mean salary for sonographers in the United States is $57,160. Another great statistic is the industry is expecting a 10% expansion in this field over the next 3 years.
So what exactly does a sonographer do? Well you know that pregnant women get ultrasounds to check on the status of the baby while the mother is still pregnant. This ultrasound is performed by a sonographer.
Being a sonographer is more than just knowing how to work the equipment. First of all, they must be able to work well the patients. It can be a very personal or awkward moment for the patient, so the sonographer must explain everything to the patient. Also, the sonographer must get to the patient to cooperate and move if necessary to get the proper pictures.
The most important thing that a sonographer does is to capture the best images for the doctor to view and diagnose the patient. They have to evaluate what they are seeing on the screen and know what to look for that may help the doctor.
There are not any licenses needed to be a sonographer. However, many employers do require certification as an employment pre-requisite.
Education, experience, and documentation are the 3 main aspects to sonography certification. The more education you have, the less experience will be required and vice versa.