Pregnancy ultrasounds are but one type of sonography utilized by doctors.
Sonographers are diagnostic imaging professionals that work in the medical field. Sonographs produce ultrasounds to look at various parts of the human body in order to help doctors diagnose and treat diseases and injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of available jobs for sonographers is expected to grow by 18 percent from 2008 to 2018. As of 2008, the highest paid professionals in the field made more than $83,950. Ultrasound training in the state of Virginia can be obtained through certificate or degree programs.
Instructions
1. Locate sonography schools in Virginia and research the types of programs that they offer. There are many different paths into the field of medical sonography, the most common of which is the associate degree. Community colleges in Virginia like Northern Virginia Community College and Tidewater Community College offers associate degrees in this field. Training for these programs generally takes about two years to complete. These programs are accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Professionals (CAAHEP). The Southside Regional Medical Center in Petersburg also offers a two-year certificate program that is CAAHEP accredited.
2. Apply to the schools that best meet your needs. Apply to multiple programs in order to increase your chances of getting accepted and getting to start your program when you want to begin school. Applying to only one school with limited openings could lead to a delay in your education if a more qualified applicant beats you out for admission. You will need to have completed high school and may have to have taken some prerequisite college courses in order to get into some of the programs like the one at the Southside Regional Medical Center. Courses offered by community colleges tend to incorporate the prerequisite courses into the curriculum.
3. Complete your courses and clinical rotations as required by your program. Course of study can include a variety of areas ranging from basic science to diagnostic medical sonography. Many students have to take courses in anatomy and physiology, ultrasound physics and instrumentation, abdominal sonography, breast sonography, vacular sonography, and obstetrical and gynecological sonography. In addition to coursework, you will generally complete clinical rotations where you work alongside another sonographer to gain first-hand experience. Programs vary as to how many of these are required. Both Tidewater Community College and Northern Virginia College require four of these rotations.
4. Seek certification as a medical sonographer. Certification gives your resume further legitimacy in addition to the certificate or degree you have obtained. Certification takes place at the national level through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). This is not required of all sonographers, but it is a step that may help you secure employment. The ARDMS requires that you pass a series of certification exams.
5. Apply for job openings in Virginia medical facilities. Sonographers can work in hospitals, clinics and even private practices of physicians. Locations to apply can include hospitals like Inova Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg, Diagnostic Partners in Richmond, Inova Health System in Falls Church, Carilion Clinic in Roanoke or Danville Regional Medical Center in Danville, Virginia.
Tags: Community College, Medical Center, Regional Medical, Regional Medical Center, certificate degree, clinical rotations, medical sonography
