Smart sonography students in 2017 take advantage of available and needed campus services to find success. Counseling is one of those services available to students pursuing a sonography education. Too many people think that seeking advice from a counselor is an admission of failure, but in reality it is wise to get help when experiencing an excessive amount of stress. Schools have counseling offices to help students develop life skills for managing whatever life brings.
Making the Sonography Education Work
Sonographer schooling is demanding. That is an accepted fact. Students are expected to carry a full load of classes or clinical training each semester until program completion. Life events do not stop just because someone decided to become a sonographer. Students who are already feeling stress because of the ultrasound technician program workload requirements may find the stress is intensified due to events like the following:
- Sonographer education requirements include taking courses in subjects the student has trouble mastering, like physics or algebra
- The student has difficulty balancing the cost of education and personal expenses and begins to experience financial problems
- A family member passes away, creating enormous emotional distress
- A class grade does not meet program requirements
- Balancing time between school and family demands has caused a lot of stress
- Lack of sleep is creating emotional and physical issues
- Student has difficulty making friends on campus and feels isolated
- Student breaks up with a boyfriend or girlfriend
Sonography students are human, and life does not stop just because they are in school. Attending a college, university or technical school is an exciting event, but concerns about money, people or school progress can make it difficult to function (Is Sonography school really that difficult?).
Counseling There to Help
Most schools have counseling departments for a reason. They understand that people need professional advice at times in order to understand and manage the events causing extreme stress. There is no shame in getting professional help. It is a much wiser choice than trying to manage everything alone.
The school counselors are professionals who are trained to advise people experiencing common issues occurring in the higher education setting. For example, the Rochester Institute of Technology with certificate and bachelor degree programs in sonography has a Counseling Center that was specifically setup to offer short-term counseling. This particular center offers group counseling, in order to serve as many students as possible, as well as individual counseling. Staff also advises faculty and student family members.
In another example, Columbus Technical College with CAAHEP accredited associate degree in sonography, operates a Counseling Center with staff trained in the confidential evaluation of educational, personal and social problems. The Counseling Center has a network of agencies and support organizations also to which students may be referred. This enables the counselors to always have a set or resources available to the student, no matter what the issue might be.
No Sonography Student is Alone
All too often students wait too long to contact a counselor. They begin to have trouble studying or getting passing grades. They may experience personal issues with fellow students or family members. Some students will get sick because of the relentless stress. Instead of contacting the counselor, they try to manage the situation on their own, often without success. Most counseling centers are in the student services division which also manages activities like financial aid and collection of tuition and fees.
Some small schools depend on their faculty or designated staff to counsel students rather than operating a separate counseling center. When programs designate a person to serve as counselor, that person is also trained to help sonography students determine the best route to take to resolve problems or lessen stress. To find out the name of the faculty or staff member, contact the ultrasound technician program manager.
From semester to semester life happens, to borrow the vernacular. Just because someone decides to pursue a sonography education does not mean personal events or education-related struggles will not occur. Getting advice as soon as possible can prevent the situation from careening out of control. When a student is admitted into a program to become an ultrasonographer, the school wants the person to succeed. It really is that simple.