Monday, October 5, 2009

What Career Path is Available With a Bachelor's in Sonography Degree?

By Linda Matraz

More or less everybody has looked at a Polaroid image of someone's soon to be born baby. These days it is practically a rite of passage for pregnant women to receive a sonogram as an aspect of their prenatal care. If you are intrigued by this technology, you may be motivated to earn a bachelor degree in medical diagnostic sonography. What can you do with a medical diagnostic sonography degree?

Medical diagnostic sonography is a quickly growing occupation that requires a bachelor's in sonography degree and taking and passing various licensing exams. Generally, hospitals demand medical diagnostic sonographers become licensed before they may work. Candidates can pass one of three exams to meet licensing requirements.

With a bachelor's level sonography degree, graduates may take the first level of the exams to become a registered diagnostic medical sonographer (RDMS). This permits graduates to work in any area of sonography at an entry level. Three other examinations are more specialized. Successfully completing the registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer (RDCS) exam permits the graduate to specialize in cardiac sonography. Anyone who would like to specialize in veins and artery diagnostics have two choices: They can pass the RVT exam and become a registered vascular technologist or get an advanced degree and take the RPVI (registered physician vascular interpretation) exam.

The Bureaus of Labor and Statistics predicts that the future will be strong in the sonography field. Because sonographs are often a preferred procedure over radiology, this field is expected to have faster than average growth. This is great news for people seeking a sonography degree.

Just over half of college graduates with a bachelor's level sonography degree who pass the RDMS exam will work in hospitals and the remainder will find jobs with private physicians or in clinics. Licensed medical diagnostic sonographers can work in the general field or specialize in obstetrics, cardiology, abdominal or neurological areas of diagnostic sonographers. Overall, the future looks bright for people who earn a sonography degree, and the good news is you can earn your sonography degree online!

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