how to become ultrasound technician

Requirements for Obtaining an Ultrasound Technician Certificate

Date: April 2, 2019

No state requires licensure in diagnostic medical sonography, but specific organizations may still issue an ultrasound technician certificate. Certification means that sonographers are registered, and thus, an objective measure of their professional standing exists.

Employers prefer to hire registered sonographers. Several schools provide the education necessary for ultrasound certification. These schools offer their students both academic and clinical training. Ultrasound certification involves earning a certificate, associate degree, or bachelor's degree.

Usually, to obtain an ultrasound technician certificate, one or two years of studying full-time at the end of high school are necessary. An Associate's degree requires three years of study to complete, while a Bachelor's degree requires four years.

After obtaining an ultrasound technician certificate, a technician can register with the American Registry of Diagnostic Sonographers (ARDMS). You can accomplish eligibility for registration with ARDMS in two ways. The first option is participating in a program accredited by the Commission on Allied Health Education Programs' Accreditation.

Requirements For Obtaining An Ultrasound Technician Certificate

A second option is to attend a program with one of the two previously mentioned accreditations but to continue with a year of work-study in a healthcare facility. This facility must be under the auspices of SDMS (the Society for Diagnostic Medical Sonography).

Registering with the ARDMS means passing a national certification exam given by the institution. The exam includes testing knowledge of general physical principles and instrumentation. An exam in a specialty area like abdominal or obstetric sonography is also necessary.

When obtaining an ultrasound technician certificate, students will receive information in the following domains: ultrasound equipment, anatomy, physiology, physics, medical ethics, and patient care. Continuing education after earning an ultrasound technician certificate is a necessity. Recertification may also be an option to pursue.

Categories:

{"8":{"campus_id":"8","campus_name":"Online","hidden":false,"programs_at_campus":{"19":{"program_id":"19","program_name":"A.S. in Magnetic Resonance Imaging","has_enrollment_areas":true,"hidden":false},"18":{"program_id":"18","program_name":"RN to BSN","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"27":{"program_id":"27","program_name":"A.S. in Vocational Nursing","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"24":{"program_id":"24","program_name":"B.S. in Diagnostic Medical Imaging","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"41":{"program_id":"41","program_name":"A.S. in Nuclear Medicine Technology","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false}}},"1":{"campus_id":"1","campus_name":"San Mateo Campus","hidden":false,"programs_at_campus":{"1":{"program_id":"1","program_name":"Vocational Nurse","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"7":{"program_id":"7","program_name":"IV Therapy and Blood Withdrawal","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"8":{"program_id":"8","program_name":"CPR for Basic Life Support","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"11":{"program_id":"11","program_name":"A.S. in Physical Therapist Assistant","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"14":{"program_id":"14","program_name":"Medical Assistant","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"19":{"program_id":"19","program_name":"A.S. in Magnetic Resonance Imaging","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"29":{"program_id":"29","program_name":"Medical Assistant with Phlebotomy","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"40":{"program_id":"40","program_name":"A.O.S. in Ultrasound Technology","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false}}},"2":{"campus_id":"2","campus_name":"Concord Campus","hidden":false,"programs_at_campus":{"18":{"program_id":"18","program_name":"RN to BSN","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"36":{"program_id":"36","program_name":"B.S. in Nursing (LVN to BSN)","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"35":{"program_id":"35","program_name":"B.S. in Nursing","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"1":{"program_id":"1","program_name":"Vocational Nurse","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"2":{"program_id":"2","program_name":"Psychiatric Technician","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"14":{"program_id":"14","program_name":"Medical Assistant","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"7":{"program_id":"7","program_name":"IV Therapy and Blood Withdrawal","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"21":{"program_id":"21","program_name":"A.S. in Radiologic Technology","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"29":{"program_id":"29","program_name":"Medical Assistant with Phlebotomy","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"24":{"program_id":"24","program_name":"B.S. in Diagnostic Medical Imaging","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"8":{"program_id":"8","program_name":"CPR for Basic Life Support","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"34":{"program_id":"34","program_name":"Limited X-Ray Technician with MA Skills","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false}}},"4":{"campus_id":"4","campus_name":"Modesto Campus","hidden":false,"programs_at_campus":{"1":{"program_id":"1","program_name":"Vocational Nurse","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"7":{"program_id":"7","program_name":"IV Therapy and Blood Withdrawal","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"8":{"program_id":"8","program_name":"CPR for Basic Life Support","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"14":{"program_id":"14","program_name":"Medical Assistant","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"19":{"program_id":"19","program_name":"A.S. in Magnetic Resonance Imaging","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"25":{"program_id":"25","program_name":"Dental Assistant","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false}}},"3":{"campus_id":"3","campus_name":"Fresno Campus","hidden":false,"programs_at_campus":{"1":{"program_id":"1","program_name":"Vocational Nurse","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"8":{"program_id":"8","program_name":"CPR for Basic Life Support","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"7":{"program_id":"7","program_name":"IV Therapy and Blood Withdrawal","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"14":{"program_id":"14","program_name":"Medical Assistant","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"23":{"program_id":"23","program_name":"A.S. in Nursing","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"27":{"program_id":"27","program_name":"A.S. in Vocational Nursing","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"29":{"program_id":"29","program_name":"Medical Assistant with Phlebotomy","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"30":{"program_id":"30","program_name":"International Nurse Graduate Courses","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"37":{"program_id":"37","program_name":"A.S. in Nursing (LVN to RN)","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"40":{"program_id":"40","program_name":"A.O.S. in Ultrasound Technology","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false}}},"6":{"campus_id":"6","campus_name":"Sacramento Campus","hidden":false,"programs_at_campus":{"21":{"program_id":"21","program_name":"A.S. in Radiologic Technology","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"19":{"program_id":"19","program_name":"A.S. in Magnetic Resonance Imaging","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"14":{"program_id":"14","program_name":"Medical Assistant","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"34":{"program_id":"34","program_name":"Limited X-Ray Technician with MA Skills","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"40":{"program_id":"40","program_name":"A.O.S. in Ultrasound Technology","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"1":{"program_id":"1","program_name":"Vocational Nurse","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false}}},"7":{"campus_id":"7","campus_name":"Van Nuys Campus","hidden":false,"programs_at_campus":{"33":{"program_id":"33","program_name":"A.O.S. in Radiologic Technology","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"34":{"program_id":"34","program_name":"Limited X-Ray Technician with MA Skills","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false},"14":{"program_id":"14","program_name":"Medical Assistant","has_enrollment_areas":false,"hidden":false}}}}

{"2":{"id":2,"name":"Fresno, CA","hidden":"0"},"3":{"id":3,"name":"Las Vegas, NV","hidden":"0"},"1":{"id":1,"name":"Los Angeles, CA","hidden":"0"},"6":{"id":6,"name":"Orlando, FL","hidden":"0"},"7":{"id":7,"name":"Palm Springs, CA","hidden":"0"},"4":{"id":4,"name":"Phoenix, AZ","hidden":"0"},"5":{"id":5,"name":"Tampa, FL","hidden":"0"}}

Array