Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians. Includes vascular technologists.

Sample of reported job titles:
Cardiac Sonographer, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Medical Sonographer, Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS), Sonographer, Staff Sonographer, Ultrasonographer, Ultrasound Technician (Ultrasound Tech), Ultrasound Technologist (Ultrasound Tech)

Occupation-Specific Information

Tasks

  • Decide which images to include, looking for differences between healthy and pathological areas.
  • Observe screen during scan to ensure that image produced is satisfactory for diagnostic purposes, making adjustments to equipment as required.
  • Observe and care for patients throughout examinations to ensure their safety and comfort.
  • Provide sonogram and oral or written summary of technical findings to physician for use in medical diagnosis.
  • Operate ultrasound equipment to produce and record images of the motion, shape, and composition of blood, organs, tissues, or bodily masses, such as fluid accumulations.

Technology Skills

  • Calendar and scheduling software:Calendar and scheduling software
  • Data base user interface and query software:Database software
  • Electronic mail software:Email software
  • Medical software:Medical procedure coding software
    ,
    MEDITECH software
    ,
    Patient medical record software
  • Office suite software:Microsoft Office

Occupational Requirements

Work Activities

  • Assisting and Caring for Others:Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Getting Information:Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge:Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Documenting/Recording Information:Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates:Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Adjust settings or positions of medical equipment.
  • Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
  • Assist healthcare practitioners during surgery.
  • Clean medical equipment or facilities.
  • Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.

Work Context

  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled:93% responded"Every day"
  • Contact With Others:90% responded"Constant contact with others"
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate:89% responded"Extremely important"
  • Physical Proximity:85% responded"Very close (near touching)"
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions:81% responded"Continually or almost continually"

Worker Requirements

Skills

  • Active Listening:Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading Comprehension:Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Social Perceptiveness:Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Speaking:Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking:Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service:Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English Language:Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Physics:Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
  • Medicine and Dentistry:Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Administrative:Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Education

How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:
  • 47%
    Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
  • 19%
    Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
  • 17%
    Bachelor's Degree
  • 17%
    First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.

Worker Characteristics

Abilities

  • Oral Comprehension:The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Near Vision:The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Expression:The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity:The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Written Comprehension:The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Interests

  • Investigative:Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
  • Social:Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
  • Realistic:Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Work Values

  • Relationships:Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
  • Support:Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
  • Achievement:Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Work Styles

  • Dependability:Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Attention to Detail:Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Independence:Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
  • Integrity:Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Concern for Others:Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
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