A career as an ultrasound technician can be one of the most satisfying and fulfilling medical jobs you can pick. As an ultrasound tech you will be working with patients closely helping them to get more information on the state of their health. Additionally, you will be working closely with physicians and nurses to care for patients and help them to feel more comfortable in a medical setting. Once you are ready to become an ultrasound tech and begin you schooling you will need to decide on a specific field to enter. While you might become a general ultrasound tech the best decision is to pick a field and become an expert. Below are different types of sonography jobs that you can choose to specialize in.
Obstetrics/Gynecology (OB/GYN): This is the most commonly known type of sonography. An OB/BYN sonographer is responsible for using sonography equipment to capture images of a woman’s reproductive system. Most of the time the reason for this is due to pregnancy but there are other reasons why a woman could need a sonography image of their reproductive system captured. OB/GYN sonographers will often take images of a pregnant woman and her fetus to determine pregnancy, size of the baby, and even the baby’s sex.
Echocardiography: When a doctor needs to determine overall heart health they may order the patient to receive echocardiography. Echocardiography uses ultrasound images to capture the heart and evaluate the blood flow through the hearts chambers, vessels, and valves. Like other sonography jobs echocardiography requires that sonogram technicians work directly with patients and their physicians to help determine their health and whether or not they need to worry about disease.
Neurosonology: If a patient needs to have pictures, images, or video taken of their brain and spinal cord then an ultrasound technician specializing in neurosonology can do so. Neurosonology can be used in addition to other types of scans. Many neurosonologists work with infants who may not be able to have other types of scans safely performed on them.
Sonography jobs continue to expand in the medical field as more uses are found for ultrasound machines in the care and treatment of patients. By working closely with patients, physicians, and nurses and ultrasound tech can help each patient better understand their body and can even help doctors find cures for any medical conditions which a patient may be undergoing. If you are interested in becoming an ultrasound technician start by researching some of the sonography jobs above and pick a niche before you begin your schooling.