Advantages and Disadvantages of Being an Ultrasound Technician
 | Ultrasound Technicians are diagnostic medical sonographers, who use specialized equipment that uses sound waves to making images that will help in diagnosing patients' ailments. Many ultrasound technicians will specialize in certain medical fields. For example, many will only do obstetrics and gynecology sonography. They perform ultrasounds on women's unborn fetuses and reproductive organs. Other ultrasound technician specialties include abdominal sonography, neurosonography, breast sonography, vascular sonography or cardiac sonography. A typical day for an ultrasound technician will include selecting appropriate equipment settings, directing patients' movement to get the best view, explaining procedures to patients, looking for subtle visual cues, taking measurements and contrasting healthy areas with unhealthy areas. The average salary for an ultrasound technician is $69,000.
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Advantages
There are many advantages to becoming an ultrasound technician. One of the biggest advantages is the education requirement. The minimum education requirement is an associate's degree in sonography. Therefore, you can be an ultrasound technician in just two years. The expected growth rate is high. It is 44% from 2010 to 2020. Another advantage is the variety of work settings. You can work in a hospital, outpatient care centers, a doctor office and a clinic. If you work in outpatient care center, you can make an average of $72,000. The best advantage of being an ultrasound technician is that you have the chance to save lives. Your findings can be the difference between life and death. Nothing could be more rewarding.
Disadvantages
Like most jobs, there are some disadvantages to being an ultrasound technician. It depends on where you work, but working hours can be erratic for ultrasound technicians in hospitals and birthing centers. Another con is the amount of time you will spend on your feet. You can spend a whole shift on your feet. Sometimes you might be able to use a stool, but there will be a lot of occasions when that will not be an option. You will have to be able to lift your patient from the gurney to the ultrasound chair. You need to be able to handle whatever you see on the ultrasound monitor discretely. You cannot alarm the patient. You will have to consult with the patient's doctor when you find some troubling news. It will be easier for it to come from him, because the doctor and the patient have an established relationship.
Conclusion
If you are serious in a career as an ultrasound technician, check your local programs. If you do not have a local program, there are online options. Being an ultrasound technician is a great job opportunity, and one you will not regret.
