Advantages of Ultrasound School
Date: September 27, 2022
Reasons to Go Into Ultrasound Technology
There are many reasons to consider an Ultrasound Technology educational program. Some advantages of an Ultrasound school include the following:
- Academic Satisfaction
- Going to New Places Internally Within Healthcare
- Learning How To Think Critically
- Creating a Bright Future.
Below are just some tangible benefits of a modern Ultrasound program unpacked.
1. Academic Completion
One benefit of a good Ultrasound school is the value of the academic award bestowed upon graduation. Ultrasound programs include certificate, associate, and bachelor’s degree levels. One way to enter an Ultrasound program is at the certificate level. Certificate options are primarily designed for individuals already possessing experience within allied healthcare professions and who have obtained either an associate or bachelor of science degree-level education in a related healthcare field.1
The second way to enter the Ultrasound field is to enroll in an accredited two-year associate’s degree program. Earning an Associate of Science Degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography can provide a gateway into the industry and a firm foundation for a four-year bachelor’s degree upon completion.
One may also enter the Ultrasound profession by obtaining a four-year Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Sonography. Four-year programs are generally open to those with a high-school diploma, who have completed specific university requirements (GURs), and completed science, math, and English prerequisites. In addition to the above levels, bachelor-level ultrasound programs offer students opportunities to specialize in particular diagnostic areas. These specialties include vascular, echocardiography, and general (abdominal, obstetrics, and gynecology), with corresponding coursework and clinical externships.
Academic completion at any of the educational levels mentioned can provide graduates entry into the job field. Earning an Ultrasound certificate or degree signals to future potential employers your perseverance and longevity. It shows one’s ability to complete objectives and tells others you are teachable. Completing a program like the ones mentioned above equips one to work at a more competent skill level than when they started. Mastering one’s goals can change that world forever.
2. ‘Seeing’ New Places, Internally
One could say the human body is a universe all to itself. Modern sonographers explore the body and beyond by taking soundwaves to places once unseen by the human eye, e.g., tissues, bones, fluids—even fetuses. ‘Showing-not-telling’ the once left-out-portions of medical histories, Ultrasound technologists produce the internal images required for physicians to make medical decisions for the detection and diagnosis of disease. Technologists also help physicians plan how to proceed with optimal patient care plans.
Ultrasound professionals perform vital assessments from imaging musculoskeletal (MSK) muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and joints to documenting the vascular systems’ heart and vein tissues. From reproductive imaging systems, breast tissues, and prostate organs to cell sampling, they routinely spot inflammation and identify obstructions, such as attempting to detect the likelihood of a potential stroke or heart attack before one occurs.
3. Critical Thinking Skills
A key trait of diagnostic medical sonography (DMS) coursework is it teaches students to think critically. Every day a sonographer must make essential judgments to decide which exams to perform and in what areas. Moment by moment, their decision-making involves evaluating data, forming working hypotheses, selecting priority images, deciding which sonographic terms to place in a report, and which diagnostic techniques to deploy. Ultrasound technicians act like detectives seeking clues and gathering information. Critical thinking skills are required to decide which images to produce and from what specific body areas. The sonographer then processes diagnostic images together, reviewing and integrating all pertinent data to facilitate optimum diagnostic results.
4. A Bright Future
Ultrasound Technology was given an overall job satisfaction rating of 6.7 out of ten by the US News and World Report, “Best Jobs Rankings.” The report determined this based on unemployment averages, ten-year growth indexes, future job prospects, stress levels, work-life balances, and other key markers. Additionally, the vocation ranked No. six in Best Health Care Support Jobs and No. 33 out of 100 Best Jobs.2
It may be an understatement to say job opportunities seem favorable. The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects a 17 percent growth rate for sonographers between 2019-2029, with an estimated 12,500 job openings. In 2019, sonographers reported *annual median salaries of $74,320, with the top 25 percent making $89,130 and the lowest-earning 25 percent still making $61,830.2 Further, the procession had a mere 1.1 percent unemployment rate.2
What is the Educational Trajectory?
The Ultrasound Technology program at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts can be accomplished in approximately 24 months. The program blends both didactic and clinical training while exposing students to the rigors of the field. Coursework covers general sonography, physiology, anatomy, physics, instrumentation, ultrasound equipment, medical ethics, medical terminology, and patient care.3 Gurnick Academy’s Ultrasound Technology program aims to prepare competent, entry-level general sonographers in cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains.
Shouldn’t You Benefit from These Benefits?
Much like a telescope locating the `planets’ and `solar systems’ within, an education in Ultrasound Technology allows would-be practitioners unparalleled internal vistas. Likewise, a good sonography program is a vehicle for wellness that provides technologists tools like the echocardiogram, enabling glimpses even into the beating human heart.
With all that sonography offers, shouldn’t you take another look at it? Or at least view the field with fresh eyes—knowing it offers a rich, new focus in healthcare imaging for practitioners and their patients alike? Most graduates find work in hospitals; others find enjoyable careers in physicians’ private offices and medical laboratories—yet all begin in Ultrasound programs.
Contact our Admissions Department today.
*The salaries provided are based on reported data. Individual experiences can vary depending on certification, years of experience, geographical areas, and other factors.
Citations
1 “Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI).” 2021. ARDMS. American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Inc. 2021. (Accessed June 28, 2021).
2 ^a, b, c “How Much Can a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Expect to Get Paid?” 2020. Usnews.com. US News and World Report. 2020. (Accessed June 2, 2021).
3 “Is Sonography School REALLY That Difficult? Ultrasound Technician.” 2015. Ultrasound Technician. Ultrasound Technician Center. March 4, 2015. (Accessed June 2, 2021).
