Major: Diagnostic Medical Sonography
The sonographer applies gel to a pregnant woman's stomach and attaches a transducer. While prepping the nervous mother, the sonographer shares a joke, and the woman relaxes. The mother watches live video of her baby while the sonographer concentrates on making good images so the doctor can spot any problems. Doctors value a sonographer’s opinion, too.
But ultrasound isn’t just for pregnancy. The technology shows many soft tissues -- including the kidney, heart, and eyes -- better than x-rays or MRIs can. Ultrasound provides information about tiny parts of the body that can’t be gotten any other way.
Majors in diagnostic medical sonography learn to use ultrasound equipment to create images of internal body structures that doctors use to make diagnoses.
Did You Know?
- Ultrasound waves have a frequency of 20,000 kHz or more -- just over what you can hear.
Are You Ready To...?
- Hit the anatomy books hard -- you’ll get to know the internal organs and blood vessels well
- Learn how to interpret ultrasound studies
- Gain a practical grasp of the medical conditions that ultrasound is used to detect
- Work full shifts during clinical rotations at a hospital or other medical facility
It Helps to Be...
Logical, precise, compassionate, and strong. You'll need to communicate well, since sonographers spend a lot of time with patients and other medical staff.
College Checklist
- Is the program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs?
- Does it meet the standards of the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers?
- Are clinical rotations, in which students apply classroom instruction in a patient care setting, a significant part of the program?
- Can you specialize in vascular, cardiac, obstetric/gynecology, or other areas of sonography?
Did You Know?
- Researchers are always finding new ways to use ultrasound. Sonographers keep up with cutting-edge technology and new uses.
Course Spotlight
Your schooling will start with a course in the physics of ultrasound. Lectures, along with lab work and discussion, will provide you with a thorough grounding in wave theory, which underlies ultrasound technology. You’ll learn about the speed at which sound travels through different parts of the body. You'll also practice solving equations using the distance formula. At the end of the semester, you’ll understand exactly how and why ultrasound technology works.
