Career Research

Diagnostic medical sonography is a medical procedure that uses high frequency sound
waves to get a visual of internal tissues, organs, or blood flow of a persons body or body part. A
diagnostic medical sonographer, typically referred to as a sonographer, places a transducer, a
small device that transmits and receives sound, against the patients skin where it is needed to be
imaged. The sonographers must deliver one-on-one care for patients ranging from the highest of
health to the lowest. They have the task of helping their patients on and off of the exam table as
well as sanitizing the exam room before and after working with a patient. They use advanced
technology to generate and translate images of a human body to diagnose any disease, illness, or
anything else that is foreign.
A daily part of being a sonographer requires the use of advanced technology and physical
work, so having technical and physical skills are a must. Without technical skills, proper
performance would not be achieved. The person must also be able to lift 50 pounds or more,
push and pull items, and bend over regularly without hassle---this means that they would need to
be able to stand more than half of the work day. They need to have full function of both wrists,
hands and shoulders. Being able to distinguish sounds and adequately spot the differences
between colors are necessary to properly read a sonogram.
West Coast Ultrasound Institute, located in Ontario, California, offers a program that
specializes in preparing those who are interested in being a diagnostic medical sonographer. In
order to be accepted to West Coast Ultrasound Institute, the applicant must have a high school
diploma or the equivalent, a background check, complete an enrollment application, must pass
the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam with the score of at least 18 on each of the subjects, and
write a one page personal statement on why they would like to attend. The courses offered at this

school in general education include Fundamentals of Health Sciences, Mathematics, English, and
Behavioral Sciences. The core curriculum includes these classes: Vascular Sonography and
Vascular Laboratory, Physics and Instrumentation and Physics Laboratory Prep, Abdominal
Ultrasound Lecture and Abdominal Ultrasound Laboratory, Obstetrics & Gynecology Lecture
and Obstetrics & Gynecology Laboratory, and an Externship.
Another school that provides training for diagnostic medical sonography is Loma Linda
University located in Loma Linda, California. Before an applicant can be enrolled at this
university, they must have achieved an associates or a bachelors degree in a science area from
an accredited higher education institution or be a graduate from an accredited allied health
program. After achieving one of the requirements, applicants must complete the Sonography
Observation course, attend a Sonography Information Session or Annual Loma Linda University
Open House, complete all Allied Health Admission requirements, request all official transcripts
from higher educational institution, and submit a one page letter of intent between October 1st
and February 1st. In April, an interview by invitation of the department will be conducted; in
May, the applicants admission letter will be sent out and the future student will confirm the
program acceptance by sending in a non-refundable $100 payment; in mid-September, the
program will begin. The courses offered at this university include the Diagnostic Medical
Sonography & General Vascular Technology curriculum and the Cardiac Sonography
curriculum. When starting this profession, a sonographer can expect to earn anywhere between
$45,840 and $92,070. In the state of California, the annual wage of a diagnostic medical
sonographer is $89,870. Diagnostic medical sonographers earn $76,974 yearly in the Los
Angeles area, where I plan to reside. Salary in this profession can be raised based on a persons
level of education, geographic location, and facility of employment.

Careers that are similar to diagnostic medical sonographers are radiologic technologists,
MRI technicians, and nuclear medicine technologists. These careers are similar to diagnostic
medical sonography in that they all require an associates degree or higher in science, they all
produce images of the inside of a human body. Though these careers are very similar, they have a
couple of differences. These four careers do not all use the same equipment to produce images.
Diagnostic medical sonographers use ultrasound machines to produce images of the body while
Radiologists use x-ray machines, MRI technologists use MRI scanners to produce their images,
and nuclear medicine technologists use a gamma camera scanner. What else is different is that
they do not receive the same yearly salaries. Nuclear medicine technologists receive an average
yearly salary of $70,180 and both radiologic technologists and MRI technologists receive an
average yearly salary of $55,910. Given all of the similarities and differences, if I were to choose
a career other than a diagnostic medical sonographer, I would love to be a nuclear medicine
technologist.
My personality survey state that I am very responsive to peoples questions and I am a
very honest and straightforward person. As a diagnostic medical sonographer, I would be dealing
with people all the time, so being able to answer someones questions to the best of my abilities
will help me progress in this career. Also, my honesty could help people relax and keep them at
ease because sometimes people are getting ultrasounds for very serious and worrisome things.
This career also calls for hands-on-activities which is something else that my personality survey
said I needed in order to thrive in my career choice. I would be hands-on with the equipment as
well as with the patients. Based on all of these strengths in my personality and the tasks and
activities that are involved in this career, I would be very successful in this field.

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