Diagnostic medical sonographers play a key role in the health care team and often work alongside doctors, nurses, and other technologists. They prepare patients by explaining the procedure and collect necessary patient history information prior to examination. An ultrasound is then performed, which is a non-invasive process that enables sonographers to send high-frequency sound waves into the body. The return signals are then analyzed to help visualize internal organs in 2D, 3D or 4D. These images help physicians with medical diagnoses and are also used for monitoring pregnancy. An ultrasound is often executed on many different areas of the body including the abdomen, pelvis, tissues, and vascular and cardiac systems. A DMS may also be required
Diagnostic Medical Sonography is a career that falls within the medical and health field. Diagnostic medical sonographers utilize machinery known as sonographic scanners. These scanners create images of the patient's internal organs. There are a few other names that this specific career may be referred to as, which are Ultrasound Tech and/or Medical Imaging. Although though there are advancement possibilities, there are pros and cons about the career. The work environment may be difficult, and differential diagnosis is found within sonography. There is a lot of time and dedication needed as well as important information to know and understand about the career before deciding whether or not this is the chosen path that will be taken. I have decided that DMS is the career I want to be successful in because I have always had the interest of becoming a prenatal sonographer. I love working with people and I also wouldn’t mind being the person that could potentially save someone else’s life by
Communication in the field of sonography is super important. When you first encounter the patient it sets the tone for how the appointment is going to go. In healthcare, it is essential for patients to communicate the reason for a visit and their level of distress and discomfort as well as their concerns to healthcare professionals. Conversely, patients rely on healthcare professionals to communicate instructions, information and advice. Within healthcare in particular, each and every word or gesture appears to have significance, emphasising the importance of communication in healthcare (Communication in the delivery of an ultrasound service, 2017).
A diagnostic medical sonographer who specializes in obstetric sonography is able to capture the images of a fetus inside the mother’s uterus. This type of sonography is used to monitor the growth and development of the fetus as well as its health. Imagine seeing a parent’s joyful expression towards one another when they hear the sound of their baby’s heartbeat for the first time. Or to witness their smiles from ear to ear when they get to see their baby move and wiggle about inside the mother over the ultrasound screen. This special moment is something that an obstetric sonographer has the pleasure of witnessing every day.
Being able to identify lumps, swelling, tissue damage, cysts, and the overwhelming news of the sex of a baby all have something in common, an ultrasound. Swelling of the spleen, kidney stones, blood clots, aneurysms, cancer and so much more can be identified through the works of an ultrasound’s imaging technique. Ultrasound involves many concepts, procedures, and careers. The amount of medical possibilities involved with ultrasounds is useful in major medical diagnostics. The field of ultrasounds and career opportunities are widely growing. As medical careers flourish, needs for technicians in many fields of medicine are increasing. Instead of a doctor choosing complex and risky surgery to find out problems within the body, they can now
Another form of imaging is ultrasound. Ultrasound, which uses very high frequency sound, is directed into the body. And because the tissue interference's reflect sound, doctors are able to produce, by use of a computer, a photograph or moving image on a television. Ultrasound has many application uses on the body, but is more commonly used in examinations of the fetus during pregnancy, because use of radiation may affect the outcome of the baby. Some other practices for ultrasound include examination of the arteries, heart, pancreas, urinary system, ovaries, brain, and spinal cord. And because sound travels well through fluids it is a very useful technique for diagnosing cysts( which are filled with fluid), and fluid filled structures such as the bladder. And since sound is absorbed by air and bone it is impossible to use a ultrasound on bones or lungs.
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
Diagnostic medical sonography is a profession where sonographers direct high-frequency sound waves into a patient’s body through the use of specific equipment to diagnose or monitor a patient’s medical condition. As described by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this examination is referred to as an ultrasound, sonogram, or echocardiogram. The high-frequency sound waves emitted from the handheld device, called a transducer, bounce back creating an echo and therefore produce an image that can be viewed on the sonographers computer screen. This image provides the sonographer and physician with an internal image of the patient’s body that will be used in the diagnosis. The most familiar use of ultrasound is used in monitoring pregnancies
“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.
To achieve my goal to attend Johnston Community College’s Medical Sonography program I have to start by completing an application for general college admission. After completing the admission process I will then have to start on my classes that are required for me to be accepted into the program. Once I fit the requirements for the program I will then I will then I will sign up for the Medical Sonography program, which should take about two years. To successfully reach my goal I may have to cut back on the hours that I take at my part time jobs. At the moment I have a lot of free time which allows me to have two job, once I begin working on my goal I expect to be forced to either quit one of my jobs or to cut back on my hours.
When thinking about pursuing a career path as a diagnostic medical sonographer the first thing a student should think about will be your dedication to learning the trade and commitment to an incumbent of hard work you you will invest in the journey. There are many different technical schools around for this program, but not all are created equal. Foothill College in Los Altos Hills is a CAAHEP accredited program that is recognized by major hospitals and clinics nationwide. CAAHEP (Commision on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs) is one of the main reasons students choose this college over the un accredited programs closer to home. Foothill College has a remarkable DMS (Diagnostic Medical Sonography) program even though the prerequisites are lengthy and the entry is extremely competitive, financial hardships, program depth and training being intensive, but the graduation rate and job placement is unbelievable.
Heart beating fast, adrenaline flowing, and pressure in the air, is what one would expect in a career in a medical field; extremely demanding yet very rewarding and fulfilling. When working in a health care profession, patients often place their trust in a health care stranger’s hands to determine their diagnosis and to establish a treatment strategy. According to the Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, a diagnostic medical sonographer is an individual who provides patient care services utilizing ultrasound and related diagnostic procedures. In addition, the Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography states a diagnostic medical sonographer is a multi-specialty profession comprised of many diverse emerging clinical areas (Bendick, P.
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).
The photo on the right shows a medical technician using an ultrasound machine to diagnose appendicitis to a patient, without the use of x-rays. The ultrasound imaging technique involves using high frequency sound waves and their echoes. The machine transmits high-frequency sound pulses into the patient’s body using a probe. In the image, the technician presses and moves the probe along the patient’s body. This photo was taken in the St. Louis Children’s Hospital.