I want to become a cardiac ultrasound technician for multiple reasons. As a child, about three or four months old, I had to go through a huge heart surgery due to complications and abnormalities in my heart. Now because of past complications, I’m currently under the care of a cardiologist and I have to get an ultrasound and an EKG done once every two years. An ultrasound is simply a method of producing imagines from within your body by high frequency waves and an EKG/ECG is a test that records the electrical signals that your heart sends out with every beat(Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)). As a little girl I never was really explained how these things worked or what the pictures meant until about six years ago. It wasn’t so much the person …show more content…
While the others worked also in healthcare settings, anywhere from physician’s clinics and medical laboratories, generally working a five-day, 40-hour work week( Cardiac Sonography Technologist: Job Description & Career Info). Currently on jobsite Simplyhired.com, there are multiple job openings throughout the city of El Paso. The one I went ahead and chose was a job posting by the company Neighbors Emergency Center, located in El Paso, TX. The position summary includes a Diagnostic Ultrasound Professional that is qualified by professional credentialing, academically and clinically experienced. The minimal education and experience are to graduate from a formal Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs is required and at least 2 years of ultrasound experience. You need to have an active certification by American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography and be current in Basic Cardiac Life Support Certification. Qualifications of the job include:
• Ability to read and comprehend simply instructions. Ability to write correspondence. Ability to effectively present information one-on-one situations to patients.
• Ability to do math using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding instructions in written, oral or diagram form.
I want to be part of the Ultrasound program because I realized that where I’m from people don’t consider going into a major like this. I was raised to become a doctor or a nurse it was either of those or your family will be disappointed. I looked at how many doctors and nurses my community has but rarely any ultrasound technicians. I also like to travel to different parts of the world and I would love to have those skills as a ultrasound technician to help those women who are unable to afford to go to a clinic to see if their baby is in good condition. A woman should never have to choose between making a decision about losing her kid, I want to be able to help those women that are struggling daily whether their baby has a health condition or even letting the parents know their baby gender.
The process of becoming an ultrasound technician can be one that is intimidating. However, it doesn’t have to be. With the help of an organization called American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), those seeking to be a sonographer can achieve their goals. Although there are many steps to take, it can be done. This paper will help instruct individuals who wish to go through the sonography principles and instrumentation (SPI) examination (Sonography Principles & Instrumentation [SPI], (2015).
Candidates for registered diagnostic medical sonographer must pass two exams. One exam being the ultrasound physics and instrumentation exam and the second being a special exam in obstetrics and gynecology, abdomen, neurosonology or ophthalmology. With the completion of the courses and exams, a student can then become certified with either an associate's or bachelor's degree. All of these specific courses and requirements can be completed at vocational programs, community colleges as well as private training centers. For those who may already obtain a job in a hospital and are interested in being a sonographer, training on the job is available, as many medical facilities do have the accredited programs for certification in this
For an example if working at the hospital they will most likely require to work at least one holiday, some weekends, or to simply be on call during nights. Being on call during nights simply means if the hospital receives an emergency surgery in the middle of the night, the hospital will require whoever is on call to come in no matter what hour it is. Being on call may sound terrible, but the hospital is required to pay overtime if called in, and up to eight dollars an hour for just having a phone on. Many surgical technicians say this is the most thrilling part of the job. Most surgical technicians work full time, but are never doing the same thing each day. Some surgical techs are on rotation, meaning some days are dealing with the exhilaration of working in the ER, while other days are spent assisting a senior getting hip
Each type of ultrasound has to be performed by an assistant or in other words a technician. Ultrasound technicians are known as sonographers (Radiological
Electrocardiograph or EKG Technician - It is very different to any other medical profession where you may
When I entered college I was uncertain of what my career would be. I chose to get my degree in Biology because I knew that it can open my path to many different fields in healthcare. Following the completion of my Bachelor in Biology from the University of Texas at San Antonio, I worked at a medical office and during those times I came across the field of Ultrasound. I was amazed and fascinated by the technology and the sight of a human heart. Echocardiography was created a unique opportunity for me to combine my interest in medicine and technology with concern for others.
Sonography is a non-invasive medical procedure that uses the echoes of high-frequency sound waves to construct an image of internal organs or body structures. The employment rate is is expected to grow 26 percent from 2014 to 2024. Since ultrasound is non-invasive, it is more encouraged than other methods so the career is always in demand. Diagnostic medical sonographers duties are to prepare and maintain diagnostic imaging equipment, taking a patients medical history, answering questions about the procedure, operating the equipment, review images and test results, know the difference between normal and abnormal images, analyze diagnostic information, record findings, and keep track of patient records. Hospitals, offices of physicians, medical
Dr. Fox is an emergency physician at UCI Medical Center, treating and diagnosing patients using an ultrasound. His scope of research involves looking at patients’ internal organs via ultrasound, which is much quicker and less harmful than using x-ray scans that are traditionally used in emergency departments. He is also a part of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (“Faculty and Staff”). Dr. Fox is also a director of instructional ultrasound and is the assistant dean at the UCI School of Medicine (“John Christian Fox”). He started an ultrasound rotation at the UCI School of Medicine, and with a grant given by SonoSite, Inc., the ultrasound curriculum is now embedded within the UCI School of Medicine curriculum (“Faculty and Staff”). He went to Tufts University School of Medicine, receiving his MD in 1997 (“John Christian Fox”). His main research focus is to try to incorporate ultrasound more into the emergency department, and tries to find revolutionary ways to utilize ultrasound, especially because it is very cost-efficient and images are seen real-time, unlike MRI scans or x-rays, which can emit harmful radiation or results take much longer to acquire. Eric Viquez is one of the Bio 199/EMRAP (Emergency Medicine Research Associates Program) students in Dr. Fox’s ultrasound lab. He is currently a 4th year undergraduate biological sciences major who is going to medical school in the fall; he shadows shifts with Dr. Fox and
My interest in Sonography first stemmed from another career interest in computers. I gained my problem solving skills at a young age through using computers. I was able to decipher different codes and morph them into something new. When something went amiss with the computer I would know what procedure to use in order to fix the computer. I loved the feeling of taking something broken and making it full of potential again. However, I knew I wanted to do something more than working with technology. I also had an interest in the medical field. I loved visiting the doctor. I was fascinated how the doctors and nurses could use their problem solving skills as well as their compassion to change someone’s life. I wanted to make a difference in people’s
“Scrub wearin’, gel squirtin’, patient scannin’, baby findin’, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. Eat, Sleep, Scan.” Before I began my research on being a Medical Sonographer, I already had a pretty good idea at some of the things they do. They mainly do ultrasounds on babies, to see the growth and health of the baby. They also do ultrasounds on all different people, if they’re in pain and they need to determine the problem. Their job might seem easy; sometimes it is, but the other times when we discover something wrong with the patient you have to keep it in. You are not allowed to tell them what you just found out; only the doctor can do so. It’s very heartbreaking for them to do baby ultrasounds because sometimes, for some unknown reason something happens to that baby and it’s hard to keep that bottled up and act like nothing’s wrong in front of their parents. I wanted to find out what this job requires and what kind of education i need to obtain to get a job for this career. I also wanted to find out the employment outlook, the estimated salary, and jobs in Mississippi for this career. The first place I went to find my information was referred to by my teacher, where I found every answer I needed and more. The website I found my information on is called mschoices.com. It gave me my complete job outlook, requirements, and the salary of a Medical Sonographer. After I gathered all of my research I set up an interview with a medical sonographer at a clinic in Tupelo to ask a
The increasing demand for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic technology promises an exceptional outlook for sonographers. The majority of diagnostic medical sonographers are employed by hospitals, but accessibility to low-cost portable ultrasound equipment has led to a growing number of career opportunities at clinics and diagnostic centers (Rising Demand for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers). They now have access to portable units as small as laptop computers making commuting from hospital bedsides to clinical practices easier. Since some sonographers make their own schedules through contracts with clinics, these portable units make traveling much more convenient.
The Ultrasound technician will facilitate the abdominal ultrasound to produce images of the organs for interpretation.
As per the Foothill Community College Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program Assessment Form, the skills obtained from the program only come after a lengthy list of prerequisites. This includes the completion of a two- year Allied Health Program in Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Therapy, Nuclear Medicine, Cardiovascular Technology, Registered Nursing, Veterinary Technology or a degree with significant direct patient care experience. In addition to this advanced experience the student also has to have completed college level Human Anatomy, Physiology
A diagnostic medical sonographer utilizes unique imaging machinery to generate images and perform exams. They use ultrasound technology to obtain pictures of tissues and body organs. The career of sonography offers a wide range of specialties from obstetric and gynecologic to neurosonography. Some of the duties of a sonographer include prepare the patients for the procedure and examine the data recorded to give a detailed summary to the physician. Like any other healthcare professional, ultrasound technicians have responsibilities that are listed in the scope of practice (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014).