Ultrasound technologists, also called echo technicians or sonographers, capture images of a patient's organs by using high-frequency sound waves to create echoes, which are then translated into a picture called a sonogram. Ultrasound technologist education requirements usually include two years of coursework and clinical practice, resulting in an associate's degree.
General Requirements
Individuals interested in becoming an ultrasound technologist must learn a great deal about the human body, as well as the complex equipment used to create images from ultrasound.
Basic Coursework
Basic coursework includes medical terminology, physics, anatomy, physiology and pathology.
Patient Issues
The ultrasound student also learns about patient assessment, medical ethics and issues regarding patient confidentiality.
Technical Coursework
Education requirements also include the operation of ultrasound equipment, sonographic physics and instrumentation, and gray-scale and color-flow Doppler sonography.
Specialization
Some ultrasound technologist programs allow students to choose a specialization, such as obstetrics, cardiology or abdominal ultrasound.
Current Employees
A person already working in health care usually can complete a 1-year certificate program to begin working as an ultrasound technologist.
Tags:
