A sonographer is also referred to as an Ultrasound Technician or a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. At one time, sonographers only created ultrasound images but were not involved in assessing images or making recommendations based on imaging results. The profession has expanded, meaning the sonographer manages a higher level of duties while using imaging equipment producing high-frequency sound waves to assess certain patient conditions. A Nuclear Medicine Technologist is an entirely different career field in which radioisotope equipment and solutions are administered during diagnostic procedures to identify medical issues.
Table of Content
- How to Become a Sonographer?
- How to Become a Nuclear Medicine Technologist?
- Daily Duties of Sonographers
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists Duties
- Comparing Their Salaries
- Pros and Cons of Two Healthcare Careers
How to Become a Sonographer?
To become a sonographer today means completing a program to become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. There are several paths to achieving this goal. Those who have already worked in a healthcare field can consider a certificate program which takes approximately a year to complete and focuses specifically on sonography training. For those who do not have healthcare experience, there are a couple of options. Some CAAHEP schools offer a 2-year Associate degree program. There are also programs leading to a 4-year Bachelor’s degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Students should choose a CAAHEP school and upon graduation pursue ARDMS certification to have the greatest opportunities for employment.
How to Become a Nuclear Medicine Technologist?
Nuclear Medicine Technologists also have the option of earning a certificate with health industry related experience or completing requirements for an Associate’s degree as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist or a Bachelor’s Degree as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. Unlike sonographers, there are licensing requirements for technologists working in nuclear medicine in some states. Obtaining certification from a recognized organization may serve as enough credential for licensing. Like Diagnostic Medical Sonography, it is possible to earn certification in specialties like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or PET (positron emission tomography), to name just a couple.
The Nuclear Medicine Technology graduate should obtain ARRT certification. Beginning January 1, 2015, ARRT will require certification candidates to have earned at least an Associate’s degree from a recognized ARRT agency or school.
| State | City | School | Zip | Contact Name | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Birmingham | University of Alabama | 35294-0001 | Norman Bolus | (323)563-5808 |
| Arkansas | Little Rock | Baptist Health College | 72210-2827 | Stephen Daniel Guffey | (510)231-5060 |
| Arkansas | Little Rock | University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences | 72205-7101 | Arthur G Maune | (909)558-7549 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | Gateway Community College | 85034-1704 | Jean Marie Dial | (805)378-1433 |
| California | Los Angeles | Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science | 90059-0000 | (650)858-3945 | |
| California | Richmond | Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences | 94804-3739 | Lori Selbrede | (203)285-2381 |
| California | Loma Linda | Loma Linda University | 92350-0000 | Raynold J Ho | (302)428-4566 |
| California | Moorpark | Moorpark College | 93021-1605 | Robert Darwin | (407)303-9380 |
| California | Palo Alto | VA Palo Alto Health Care System | 94304-1207 | Kent Hutchings | (954)201-2083 |
| Connecticut | New Haven | Gateway Community College | 6510 | Ann-Marie Alcala | (850)913-3318 |
| Delaware | Wilmington | Delaware Technical & Community College | 19802-2541 | S Crystal Snow | (813)253-7418 |
| Florida | Orlando | Adventist University of Health Sciences | 32803-1226 | Joseph Hawkins | (863)682-6020 |
| Florida | Coconut Creek | Broward College | 33066-0000 | Belinda L Mouradian | (321)409-4800 |
| Florida | Panama City | Gulf Coast State College | 32401 | Dee A Vanderschaaf | (954)871-7185 |
| Florida | Tampa | Hillsborough Community College | 33614-7810 | Sara Johnson | (305)237-4053 |
| Florida | Lakeland | Keiser University | 33805-2316 | Jasmin E Miller | (352)395-5673 |
| Florida | Melbourne | Keiser University | 32901-1853 | Mariann M Crowell | (912)344-2753 |
| Florida | Miami | Keiser University Kendall Campus | 33172-1864 | Robert P Cleary | (706)721-4181 |
| Florida | Miami | Miami Dade College | 33127-4622 | Agdanamai Luis | (478)988-6800 |
| Florida | Gainesville | Santa Fe College | 32606-6210 | Sara D Smith | (319)226-2081 |
| Georgia | Savannah | Armstrong State University | 31419-1909 | Rochelle Bornett Lee | (515)643-6679 |
| Georgia | Augusta | Augusta University | 30912-0600 | Gregory G Passmore | (319)356-2954 |
| Georgia | Warner Robins | Central Georgia Technical College | 31088-0000 | Patricia I Melnick | (309)341-5311 |
| Iowa | Waterloo | Allen College | 50703-1916 | Jared D Seliger | (630)942-3065 |
| Iowa | Des Moines | Mercy College of Health Sciences | 50309-1225 | Robert Loch | (312)926-4461 |
| Iowa | Iowa City | University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics | 52242-0000 | Anthony W Knight | (708)456-0300 |
| Illinois | Galesburg | Carl Sandburg College | 61401-9574 | Janis Hipple | (317)274-7431 |
| Illinois | Glen Ellyn | College of DuPage | 60137-6599 | Amy Yarshen | Unknown |
| Illinois | Chicago | Northwestern Memorial Hospital | 60611-3418 | Lisa M Riehle | (913)588-6858 |
| Illinois | River Grove | Triton College | 60171-1907 | Susan Campos | (859)246-6241 |
| Indiana | Indianapolis | Indiana University School of Medicine | 46202-5111 | Cybil Nielsen | (504)671-6232 |
| Indiana | South Bend | Radiological Technologies University VT | 46601 | Mellonie F Brown | (617)732-2928 |
| Kansas | Kansas City | University of Kansas Medical Center | 66160-8500 | Tina R Crain | (781)768-7313 |
| Kentucky | Lexington | Bluegrass Community & Technical College | 40506-0235 | Charles H Coulston | (978)354-4115 |
| Louisiana | New Orleans | Delgado Community College | 70119-4399 | Steve D Trichell | (413)755-4871 |
| Massachusetts | Boston | MCPHS University | 02115-5804 | Frances K Keech | (774)443-2649 |
| Massachusetts | Weston | Regis College | 02493-1545 | Carl D Gilmore Jr | (301)624-2845 |
| Massachusetts | Salem | Salem State University | 01970-2714 | Melinda Walker | (301)341-3026 |
| Massachusetts | Springfield | Springfield Technical Community College | 01102-9000 | Richard T Serino | (410)528-8299 |
| Massachusetts | Worcester | UMass Memorial Health Care | 01655-0002 | Leo A Nalivaika | (207)795-5956 |
| Maryland | Frederick | Frederick Community College | 21702-2964 | Michele Tertel | (248)898-4125 |
| Maryland | Largo | Prince George's Community College | 20774-2109 | Nancy P Meman | (616)643-5751 |
| Maryland | Baltimore | The Johns Hopkins Hospital | 21202-4072 | Mary Mc Cormick | (586)286-2191 |
| Maine | Lewiston | Maine College of Health Professions | 04240-7033 | Heather D Poulin | (507)284-3245 |
| Michigan | Royal Oak | Beaumont Health System | 48073-6712 | Teresa R Taggart | (507)457-1770 |
| Michigan | Big Rapids | Ferris State University | 49307-2740 | Timothy Vanderlaan | (816)276-9570 |
| Michigan | Warren | Macomb Community College | 48088-3870 | Sharon M Lafferty | (314)577-8526 |
| Minnesota | Rochester | Mayo School of Health Sciences | 55905-0001 | Nicole Fischer | (573)882-7857 |
| Minnesota | Winona | St Mary's University of Minnesota | 55987-0000 | Jeanne Minnerath | (662)207-0293 |
| Missouri | Kansas City | Research Medical Center School | 64132-1136 | Jennifer A Miles | (601)984-6355 |
| Missouri | Saint Louis | Saint Louis University | 63104-0000 | William L Hubble | (828)726-2370 |
| Missouri | Columbia | University of Missouri | 65211-4230 | Jeff Galen | (336)757-3345 |
| Mississippi | Moorhead | Mississippi Delta Community College | 38761 | John W Stowers IV | (919)209-2185 |
| Mississippi | Jackson | University of Mississippi Medical Center | 39216-4500 | Sherry J West | (252)493-7475 |
| North Carolina | Hudson | Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | 28638-2672 | Jimmy L Council | (984)974-8800 |
| North Carolina | Winston Salem | Forsyth Technical Community College | 27103-5150 | Tamara M Beck | (402)559-7224 |
| North Carolina | Smithfield | Johnston/Fayetteville Community College | 27577 | Ryan Stimpson | (856)415-2196 |
| North Carolina | Greenville | Pitt Community College | 27835-7007 | Scott J Clinefelter | (770)846-9980 |
| North Carolina | Chapel Hill | University North Carolina Hospitals | 27514-4220 | Brian G Mc Lamb | (505)272-5254 |
| Nebraska | Omaha | University of Nebraska Medical Center | 68198-4545 | Marcia Hess Smith | (702)895-0976 |
| New Jersey | Sewell | Rowan College-Gloucester County | 08080-4222 | Laura J Mac Aulay | (718)289-5930 |
| New Jersey | Scotch Plaines | Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey | 07076-0000 | Isabel T Breen | (718)862-7807 |
| New Mexico | Albuquerque | University of New Mexico | 87131-0001 | Lynnette M Trujillo | (516)323-3389 |
| Nevada | Las Vegas | University of Nevada | 89154-9900 | Arthur M Meyers | (845)341-4277 |
| New York | Bronx | CUNY Bronx Community College | 10453-2804 | Alfred J Romito | (716)475-5117 |
| New York | Bronx | Manhattan College | 10471-4004 | Madeline R Plasencia | (631)638-0003 |
| New York | Rockville Centre | Molloy College | 11571-5002 | Marc B Fischer | (716)838-5889 |
| New York | Middletown | Orange County Community College | 10940-6404 | Robert M Misiak | (330)363-2335 |
| New York | Rochester | Rochester Institute of Technology | 14623-0000 | Kristen Waterstram-Rich | (614)287-3446 |
| New York | Stony Brook | SUNY | 11794-8200 | William K Stanley | (216)987-5298 |
| New York | Buffalo | SUNY | 14214-3007 | Egon 'Gene' Fast | (419)434-6102 |
| Ohio | Canton | Aultman College of Health Sciences | 44710-0000 | Cheryl L Beitzel | (513)558-2018 |
| Ohio | Columbus | Columbus State Community College | 43215-1722 | Rodger A Stinson | (614)293-3131 |
| Ohio | Parma | Cuyahoga Community College | 44130-5114 | Teresa R Taggart | (405)271-6477 |
| Ohio | Findlay | The University of Findlay | 45840-3653 | Ryan J Smith | (541)851-5305 |
| Ohio | Cincinnati | University of Cincinnati | 45267-0394 | Alan W Vespie | (610)606-4666 |
| Ohio | Columbus | Wexner Medical Center - Ohio State University | 43210-0000 | Stacey R Copley | (412)237-2751 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma City | University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | 73117 | Vesper Grantham | (717)947-6165 |
| Oregon | Klamath Falls | Oregon Institute of Technology | 97601-8801 | Rick Hoylman | (412)397-5410 |
| Pennsylvania | Allentown | Cedar Crest College | 18104-6132 | Brian S Misanko | (215)503-6678 |
| Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh | Community College of Allegheny County | 15212-0000 | Carl Mazzetti | (401)606-8531 |
| Pennsylvania | Lancaster | Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences | 17601-5871 | Paula Mancini | (843)839-1149 |
| Pennsylvania | Moon Township | Robert Morris University | 15108-2574 | Angela R Macci | (803)822-3483 |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Thomas Jefferson University | 19107-5211 | Christina A Truluck | (605)367-7625 |
| Rhode Island | Providence | Rhode Island Hospital | 2905 | Lisa J Tetreault | (901)572-2648 |
| South Carolina | Myrtle Beach | Horry Georgetown Technical College | 29577-5044 | Douglas W Gleasman | (423)697-3331 |
| South Carolina | Columbia | Midlands Technical College | 29202-2408 | Mauren R Kreiner | (865)251-1887 |
| South Dakota | Sioux Falls | Southeast Technical Institute | 57107-1301 | Doug Warner | (615)322-0508 |
| Tennessee | Memphis | Baptist College of Health Sciences | 38104-3110 | Donna Mars | (806)354-6071 |
| Tennessee | Chattanooga | Chattanooga State Community College | 37406-0000 | Leesa A Ross | (361)698-2830 |
| Tennessee | Knoxville | South College | 37909-3323 | Lisa M Satterfield | (409)944-1491 |
| Tennessee | Nashville | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | 37232-2675 | James A Patton | (713)718-7354 |
| Texas | Amarillo | Amarillo College | 79178-0001 | Tamra L Rocsko | (210)808-1873 |
| Texas | Corpus Christi | Del Mar College | 78404-3805 | Tonya Pigulski | (210)829-3991 |
| Texas | Galveston | Galveston College | 77550-7447 | Rebecca L Montz | (801)587-4716 |
| Texas | Houston | Houston Community College | 77030-3717 | Glenn X Smith | (801)626-7156 |
| Texas | Fort Sam Houston | Medical Education & Training Campus | 78234-2532 | Tomio L Calhoun | (757)683-3589 |
| Texas | San Antonio | University of Incarnate Word | 78209-0000 | Norma Linda Green Gutierrez | (804)828-3264 |
| Utah | Salt Lake City | University of Utah Health Care | 84132-0002 | Delynn S Strate | (802)656-3265 |
| Utah | Ogden | Weber State University | 84408-3925 | Robert J Walker | (425)564-2475 |
| Virginia | Norfolk | Old Dominion University | 23529-0001 | Scott R Sechrist | (414)649-6418 |
| Virginia | Richmond | Virginia Commonwealth University | 23284-0000 | Mark H Crosthwaite | (414)805-0057 |
| Vermont | Burlington | University of Vermont | 05405-0001 | Kenneth Allen | (715)389-3905 |
| Washington | Bellevue | Bellevue College | 98007-6406 | Jennifer Prekeges | (920)922-8611 |
| Wisconsin | Milwaukee | Aurora St Luke's Medical Center | 53215-4330 | Kerry Michell | (304)205-6681 |
| Wisconsin | Milwaukee | Froedtert Hospital | 53226-3522 | Ann M Voslar | (304)598-4260 |
| Wisconsin | Marshfield | Ministry St Joseph's Hospital | 54449-1832 | Carlyn M Johnson | (304)243-2264 |
| Wisconsin | Fond du Lac | Moraine Park Technical College | 54936-0000 | Mary E Klug | (920)922-8611 |
| West Virginia | South Charleston | BridgeValley Community & Technical College | 25303-2735 | Alicia Tucker | (304)205-6681 |
| West Virginia | Morgantown | West Virginia University Hospitals | 26506-0000 | Tiffany D Davis | (304)598-4260 |
| West Virginia | Wheeling | Wheeling Jesuit University | 26003-6243 | Deborah Wilkinson | (304)243-2264 |
Daily Duties of Sonographers
Sonographers use ultrasound equipment that produces high frequency sound waves. The sonographer runs transducers over the appropriate part of the patient’s body, and the sound waves create images on a computerized screen. The sonographer takes images of soft tissue, organs, and arterial or vascular systems. The specific job duties depend on the type of training the sonographer completed. The specialties include cardio, vascular, and obstetrics and gynecology.
Sonographers typically manage the following job duties:
- Work with patients in several ways, including scheduling, explaining procedures, taking patient history, and positioning the body during the procedure
- Overseeing sonographic lab operations
- Operate ultrasound equipment to take and record images ordered by physicians, including adjusting settings
- Check equipment operations and report maintenance and repair issues
- Review images and make decisions about additional images needed to pinpoint possible pathological areas
- Record and document images using available archival and record keeping systems
- Maintain patient electronic health records, making sure they include imaging results, professional interpretations, correspondence, and other medical records
- Consult with other medical personnel
Nuclear Medicine Technologists Diagnose and Treat
Nuclear Medicine Technologists prepare and administer radiopharmaceuticals to patients, mostly for diagnostic and treatment purposes. The isotopes or radioactive materials serve as tracers in the body which radioisotope equipment can detect. Procedures have a similar goal as ultrasound technology sound waves in that the isotopes are used to map tissues or systems in the body to identify potential medical issues. However, the technologist using radiopharmaceuticals may also inject appropriate solutions into patients for the purpose of treating diseases. The technologist will:
- Explain procedures to patient, providing reassurances about safety of using radioisotopes
- Administer radiation or radiopharmaceuticals intravenously to patients
- Produce camera or computer images by using specialized equipment able to detect and map radiation
- Prepare radiation dosages per physician instructions for administration or prepare stock dosages for future use
- Maintain equipment
- Manage storage and disposal of radioactive materials, following medical facility and legal requirements
Comparing the Sonographer and Nuclear Medicine Technologist Salaries
Sonographer salaries vary widely from location to location. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in 2016 was $71,750. A sonographer just entering the profession would usually be hired at the lower tenth percentile wage of $48,660. That is an excellent beginning wage that can rapidly rise with experience.
For Nuclear Medicine Technologists the average annual salary in 2016 was higher at $75,960. This was to be expected since they work with radioactive materials and are thus dealing with higher job risks. The lower tenth percentile annual wage in nuclear medicine technology was $53,440.
Choosing the Right Career to Fit Interests
It is important to research the educational and work requirements for careers in sonography or nuclear medicine fields before making a decision. Following is a quick summary of the advantages and disadvantages of each profession.
Pros and Cons as a Sonographer
The advantages of being a Sonographer include:
- Works directly with patients
- Working in expanding industry which means increasing job opportunities
- Offers rewarding job duties that include uplifting events like producing fetal sonograms of healthy babies
- High expected job growth due to aging population and expanding health care industry
- Opportunities to specialize (obstetrics and gynecology, abdominal, neurology, breast), making it possible to direct career path
The disadvantages of being a Sonographer are:
- Physically demanding because person must work while standing up, must move around a lot, and must help patients adjust their bodies during imaging procedures
- Requires a lot of administrative work because of the independent nature of the job
- Lower wages than for a technologist working in the nuclear medicine field
- Often requires long hours
Pros and Cons as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist
The advantages of being a Nuclear Medicine Technologist are as follows:
- Advancing technology creates exciting professional setting
- Performs both diagnostic and treatment procedures
- Varied work and procedures
The disadvantages of being a Nuclear Medicine Technologist include:
- Must learn how to use a variety of sensitive equipment like the medical radiation dosimeters and radiation detectors, in addition to tomography equipment and medical gamma cameras
- Exposure to radioactive materials during procedures
- Mastering highly detailed job requiring in-depth scientific and mathematical knowledge
Dealing with regular stress - Must work under close supervision of a physician
One of the main advantages of choosing sonography as a career is that professionals do not have to work with radiologic chemicals or procedures. That has swayed some people away from choosing a career as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist and towards choosing the sonography field. It is important to decide what job characteristics are most important to the individual when selecting a career. The healthcare industry is filled with opportunities. It is truly a matter of selecting a career that best fits interests, lifestyle, and personal goals.