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).  Check out this article about what exactly sonography is and how it is used.

The BLS expects a 19% expansion in the number of jobs in this industry over the next few years. Additionally, the median salary for sonographers in May of 2006 was $57,160. Not bad for a support staff position, right?

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. 

Most importantly, a sonographer must know what to look for on the machines. Certain images must be captured for the doctor to view and diagnose. It is the sonographer’s responsibility to know what to look for. They must understand what a healthy and unhealthy image would look like. Additionally, they must capture clear pictures for the doctor to review.

Now, what does it take to become a medical sonographer? The good news is there is no license that is required by the state. However, there are certifications that are awarded which is basically required by many employers.

So, if you want to become a sonographer you should follow these steps:

1. find out what pre-requisites the employers in your area are looking for
2. Decide if you want to work in a specific specialty. These specialties include obstetric and gynecologic sonography (the female reproductive system), abdominal sonography (the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas), neurosonography (the brain), breast sonography, or cardiac sonography
3. go through the certification process outlined by American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography

The certification process has 3 main parts: education, experience, and documentation. Check out this chart to see the different paths to certification which are available. I will let you read this chart so that you can see what type of education options are out there.

If you need to enroll into a sonography school for the purpose becoming certified, then you should be sure to select an appropriately accredited program.

Here is a list of some of the schools that have this program available.

1. American Institute – School of Health Careers
2. Keiser CareerCollege
3. Sanford-Brown Institute

Visit Allied Health’s website for a more complete list.