How to become a sonographer without a degree

Are you a non-medical student ready to enter the medical field through sonography? If so, you can certainly change your career path. But, regardless of your educational background, the journey towards becoming a diagnostic medical sonographer is the same.  

Requirements for Becoming a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer

Whether you’re getting ready to graduate high school or you’re currently in a college program, these are the requirements for becoming a diagnostic medical sonographer:

• Attend an accredited medical sonography program: You’ll need to complete a diagnostic medical sonography program such as the one offered through Cambridge. This program will teach you everything you need to know about the human body and the equipment you’ll use on a daily basis in your career.
• Complete necessary externship or clinical hours: As part of your program, you’ll need to complete some externship or clinical hours to practice sonography in the field. This will occur at local healthcare facilities such as hospitals or clinics.
• Consider certification: Once you obtain your degree, you can consider certification through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) or the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) or CCI Cardiovascular Credentialing International. Although certification isn’t required to work in the field, some employers require them.

Diagnostic medical sonographers must hold an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in sonography. Your Associate program will take slightly over two years to complete. To further specialize in a field of your choice or become an educator or leader in a sonography department, you’ll need a Bachelor’s degree.

Understanding Certificate Programs for Current Health Professionals

Are you a nurse or current healthcare professional looking to take a new route in your career? If so, there are sonography certificate programs available for current professionals already working in the field that take approximately 12 to 18 months to complete.

Yet, you must be a current allied health professional with applicable work experience prior to entering these programs. They’re only offered in select schools, hospitals and universities.

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When we hear the word "ultrasound," we typically imagine a pregnant woman getting her first glimpse of her unborn child on a little screen. An obstetric sonogram is a procedure we are most familiar with, but an ultrasound may be used to examine the internal workings of pretty much any part of the human body.

Ultrasound technicians, or sonographers, work mostly in hospitals, doctor's offices, and diagnostic laboratories. According to O*Net, they operate an ultrasound machine to produce images that a physician may use to diagnose a patient.

It's a job that requires technical savvy, detailed knowledge of human anatomy, and the interpersonal skills necessary to make a patient feel at ease during the procedure.

Being an ultrasound technician may seem like a daunting job, but it only takes a minimum of two years to complete the schooling necessary. Compared to other medical fields, pursing a career as a sonographer is not a long one at all.

What Does an Ultrasound Technician Do?

An ultrasound machine uses high-frequency sound waves to capture images of a patient's internal organs and tissues. As an ultrasound technician, you could be on the front lines of diagnostic medicine. A specialization in sonography requires only an associate's or bachelor's degree in science and a certification from the ARDMS.

Sonographers are medical imaging professionals who operate ultrasound equipment to capture, interpret and selectively file anatomical images based on requests from Doctors. Ultrasound imaging and the outcome of a sonographic examination is highly dependent on the Sonographer’s level of technical skill and medical knowledge. In Australia, Sonographers may practice across a range of ultrasound imaging disciplines, including: abdomen and chest, breast, cardiac, musculoskeletal, obstetric and gynaecological, paediatric, small parts, and vascular.

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Tasks and duties

• Explaining procedures to patients, answering questions and ensuring patient welfare throughout the exam.
• Examining referrals from Doctors and ensuring they are current.
• Operating ultrasound equipment to ensure the interior images are clear.
• Positioning patients, equipment and screens for maximum exposure and clarity.
• Selecting the images needed for diagnostic purposes.
• Writing reports for Doctors.