Greybull, WY

An Ultrasound Technician or sonographer is a healthcare professional who conducts ultrasound examinations to help physicians diagnose and screen medical conditions. A sonogram technician employs medical equipment using sound waves to capture images of internal tissues within the human body. These images are then used to diagnose such conditions such as cancer or heart disease, or to monitor fetal development in pregnancies. You can find information about ultrasound technician schools in Greybull below.

Responsibilities of Ultrasound Tech

An ultrasound technician is a medical assistant or diagnostic sonography professional who maintains and operates ultrasound machinery in a hospital, doctor’s office, or health clinic. Ultrasound machines are used for both diagnostic and treatment of various medical conditions, as well as for preventive treatment. The main duty of an ultrasound tech is to make the physician or radiologist’s job easier by doing preparatory work or capturing images before the doctor comes in to see a patient. Ultrasound technician is a general term for someone working in the field of diagnostic medical sonography, which includes any use of sound wave-based imaging technology in a medical context.

Some of the main tasks you’ll be expected to do in most ultrasound tech employment situations are:

• Patient Preparation: Escorting patients into the treatment room, describing the process of “taking an ultrasound,” taking images, and calling the doctor in when the preparations are finished.
• Results Analysis: Determining whether the image is of usable quality, and taking more if not. Summarizing the number, type, and content of images that have been taken, and keeping a record of the information for the doctor or radiologist.
• Equipment Operations and Maintenance: Preparing the ultrasound machine for each use, and cleaning and recalibrating it afterward. A professional technician will be needed to fix actual problems within the machine, but ultrasound techs do routine maintenance to assure that the machine is functioning properly and ready to use when a patient arrives.
• Record Keeping: Write down the details of each patient’s visit, from the type of images taken to their content and the diagnosis or treatment that was suggested or given. Many doctor’s offices have specific employees to keep records and do other paperwork, but an ultrasound technician’s job inevitably involves some writing and paper pushing.

Though ultrasound technicians work in comfortable offices or clinics, they may need to spend long hours on their feet, operating ultrasound machinery, greeting patients, and fetching the radiologist or other resident physician to make interpretations and diagnoses.

What are the Different Job Titles?

A sonographer is the same thing as an ultrasound tech. There is no difference. In fact, depending on their place of employment and special area of practice, they can also have job titles such as:

• Diagnostic medical sonographer
• Ultrasound technologist
• Ultrasound technician
• Ultrasonographer
• Diagnostic cardiac sonographer
• Cardiac sonographer
• Echocardiographic technician
• Vascular sonographer

What are the Requirements to Become Ultrasound Tech I Should Know About in Greybull

The requirements you should be aware of before pursuing a career in sonography are fairly straightforward. Here are the most important points to keep in mind about the credentials you’ll need:

Ultrasound Technician School  in Greybull

Certification and Licensing

• Employers in this field generally prefer to hire people with professional certification.
• Some states require licensure. This usually requires professional certification, but requirements vary from state to state.

Becoming Professionally Certified  in Greybull
Here is what you should know about professional certification:
Know the Organizations

• The most-recognized certification organizations are the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), and the Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI).
• The ARDMS offers certification exams to become a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS), a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS), or a Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT).

Choose Your Sub-specialties

• If you choose to become certified through the ARDMS, you will get to choose one or more sub-specialties to be tested on. As an RDMS, for example, you can be certified in one or more of the following areas: Abdomen (AB), Breast (BR), Fetal Echocardiography (FE), Neurosonology (NE), or Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN).

Pass the Exams and Stay Certified

• In order to become certified, you must meet a few basic prerequisite requirements (such as having a relevant degree), and then you’ll need to pass one or more exams.
• Staying professionally certified requires ongoing continuing education.

Ultrasound Technician Career Overview in Greybull

Ultrasound Technician Schools in Greybull

Ultrasound technician schools are located throughout the Greybull, 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 Greybull 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.

Employment Outlook for Ultrasound Technicians in Greybull

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the  job outlook for diagnostic medical sonographers in Greybull, commonly referred to as ultrasound technicians, is very promising with a projection of 39% more positions available by the year 2021. The BLS adds that the median ultrasound technician salary in April 2013 was $61,642 annually; the top 17% among the ultrasound job market made over $92,779 and the lowest 15% made less than $46,951. With ultrasound technician demand expected to grow, salaries in turn should reflect the growing value placed on sonography within the medical world.