Ultrasound Technician Schools Watkinsville – Find Best Sonography Programs 30677, GA

Watkinsville, GA

Welcome to the most complete directory on the Web of Ultrasound tech schools and programs in Watkinsville. Learn to become an ultrasound technician, and then search from 29 accredited schools across the Watkinsville. You can scroll down to see the listings or fill the form below and we would get back to you with relevant schools in your area.

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What are the Job Responsibilities?

Sonographers use special equipment to produce and record images showing the shape, motion, and composition of a patient’s internal anatomy, which can include organs and other bodily tissues, blood, abnormal masses, and fluid accumulations. They generally have responsibilities such as:

Before the Exam

  • Preparing and maintaining imaging equipment
  • Accurately recording a patient’s medical history
  • Explaining procedures to a patient and answering any questions
  • Transferring a patient to an appropriate exam table and positioning him or her properly for the procedure
  • Scrubbing a patient’s skin in the area to be examined
  • Applying gel that aids the ability of sound waves to show the inside of a patient’s body

During the Exam

  • Making necessary adjustments to equipment during an exam in order to produce the best images for a doctor’s use in diagnosis
  • Altering the position of a patient to get the best angle
  • Analyzing images for quality
  • Identifying any differences between normal and abnormal areas
  • Deciding whether or not to extend the scope of an exam based on initial findings

After the Exam

  • Detailing preliminary findings for a patient’s doctor
  • Maintaining detailed patient records

Sub-specialties

The specific areas of patient anatomy that sonographers examine depend on their chosen sub-specialties, which can include:

  • Abdominal – anything in the belly area, including nearby organs
  • Breast – breast tissue and tumors
  • Neurologic – the brain and nervous system
  • Obstetric/gynecologic – the female reproductive system and pregnancies
  • Musculoskeletal – muscles, ligaments, joints, and tendons
  • Cardiac – the heart
  • Vascular – blood vessels

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Are There Different Types of Medical Sonographers?

Because sonography is used on so many different areas of the body, most sonographers choose to specialize in one or more areas. These include: obstetric/gynecologic sonographers, who study the female reproductive system; abdominal sonographers, who inspect organs such as the gallbladder, bile ducts, kidneys, liver, pancreas, spleen and the male reproductive system; neurosonographers, who study the nervous system and the brain; breast sonographers who aid in mammography in order to detect breast cancer, track tumors, monitor blood supply conditions, and assist in biopsy of breast tissue; and vascular and cardiac sonographers, who study the heart and blood vessels.

Ultrasound Technician Watkinsville 30677 Georgia

Education Requirements to become Ultrasound Technician in Watkinsville

Sonography students need to complete an associate’s degree or postgraduate certificate program from an accredited program in Watkinsville in order to be eligible to take the qualifying exams. Bachelor’s and master’s degrees are also available. People who are already in a related allied health profession may be candidates for one-year certificate programs.

It is crucially important to make sure that the school you attend is accredited. Ultrasound schools in Watkinsville are poorly regulated compared to X-ray and other medical professions, so do your research. To find out if a school is accredited, check with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Some (but not all) hospitals, community colleges, universities, vocational schools, and the Armed Forces provide accredited sonographer training programs.

High school students interested in applying to an ultrasound technologist training program in Watkinsville, 30677 should pursue a curriculum rich in science, computer, and math courses. Familiarity with computers is important, since most ultrasound equipment is computer-based. Physics courses are helpful as well, since you will be required to learn and master ultrasound-based physics courses and exams.

Online ultrasound training programs do exist, but it is important to verify that these programs are accredited and that they will provide you with clinical hours. While the classroom work can be done online, the extensive clinical time that will be required cannot.

Ultrasound Technician Career Overview in Watkinsville

Education Associate’s degree is most common; certificate and bachelor’s degree programs also available
Certification Professional certification may be required or preferred by some employers
Projected Job Growth (2014-2021) in Watkinsville 48%
Median Salary (2015)* (Watkinsville) $61,656
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Ultrasound Technician Schools in Watkinsville

Ultrasound technician schools are located throughout the Watkinsville, but how do you know if the one you choose will give you the education you need? Consider some of the following criteria when comparing colleges:

Accreditation: Look for ultrasound technician schools in Watkinsville that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS) or regional accrediting agencies. Without accreditation, students are unable to apply for federal financial aid or earn professional certification.

High-tech facilities: As an ultrasound technician, you’ll work with technology and state-of-the-art equipment every day. This is why it’s important to find a school that offers instruction in high-tech facilities. Once you’ve gained knowledge in the classroom, you’ll want to put your skills to the test with hands-on training. Be sure to tour a school’s facility and learn what type of access you’ll have to the labs on campus.

Externship opportunities: One of the best ways to understand a day-in-the-life of an ultrasound technician is to get out in the field. Look for a school that partners with local medical facilities or labs for externships. Real-life experience is invaluable; you’ll be able to shadow a sonographer, ask questions and learn about the challenges and rewards of the job. No textbook can offer that type of experience.

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ultrasound sonogram technician salary Watkinsville

What is the Job Outlook in Watkinsville?

The job outlook is bright. In fact, employment of sonographers in Watkinsville is expected to increase by 39 percent between 2015 and 2022, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

Much of the growth is due to the fact that ultrasound technology is increasingly being seen as a good alternative to more costly and invasive diagnostic procedures. It is also being used in more and more doctors’ offices, diagnostic labs, and outpatient care settings.

Experienced professionals who maintain certification in multiple sub-specialties will continue to have the best job prospects.

Salary for this occupation depends a lot on geographic location, type of employer, part-time or full-time status, and level of experience. In general, though, the typical sonography salary provides a good living. In fact, ultrasound technicians have one of America’s highest paying jobs without a degree requiring more than about two years of school.

Based on national estimates from May 2015, typical annual wages break down this way:

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