There are various ultrasound technician programs that can be acquired either in sonography schools or legitimate online schools. These programs are prerequisites in order to become a licensed ultrasound technician. Nowadays, even though license is still optional, it is recommended for the technician to have a license from professional accrediting bodies such as the ARDMS or the CCI. Here are the different programs that could be opted for when one aspires to become a medical sonographer in the future.
Basically, there are at least three ultrasound technician programs, which are known in order for one to be rendering services as an ultrasound sonographer. There is a one-year certificate for people who want to just spend 12 months of schooling to become a sonographer. Associate degree programs are completed in two years while there is a four-year bachelor degree program for ultrasound technicians.
The one-year certificate programs are not intended for those who aspire to become ultrasound professionals. Most of the time, this program is intended for the medical professionals who are willing to do training in order to familiarize themselves of the use of ultrasound machines. Medical doctors are the usual participants in this program because they want to expand their knowledge about ultrasound sonography so that they are able to incorporate this in their medical practice. So if you are a high school graduate, you are not advised to take this one-year certificate program.
The associate degree program is the most popular program being taken by high school graduates. Many accredited are offering this degree program to the newly graduated high school students however; there are training universities, which do not accept newly graduated high school students. Some students take this course because they don’t want to spend four long years in school to take up bachelor degrees.
The four-year bachelor degree program is also intended for the high school graduates who want to become licensed ultrasound technicians in the future. Among all the ultrasound tech programs, this program offers the best education because it can offer you a stable job and a high salary after graduation. Usually, bachelor degree graduates are more preferred by medical employers because they believe that these technicians have acquired all the needed techniques and expertise to become effective and efficient technicians.
After graduation from any degree taken from ultrasound technician schools, the technician is not required to take credentialing examinations but there are states that require license in order to work in their hospitals.
Credentialing examinations can be acquired from the ARDMS or the CCI. Even one-year certificate can be issued credentials. Usually, the title being given to doctors/physicians after they have passed the credentialing examination is Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RVPI). The first step to get accreditation from the ARDMS is to pass the SPI (Sonography Principles and Instrumentation). After this, technicians are then given option to take other credentialing examination to add to their certification and for specialization. The corresponding examinations for the Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) are about the sub specialties abdomen, breast, fetal echocardiography, neurosonology, and OB/GYN sonography.
Ultrasound training programs are offered in many ultrasound technician schools. All you have to do is to choose the best degree program, which will provide you a promising career in the future.
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