What Courses Do You Need to Be an Ultrasound Operator?

Ultrasound operators, who also go by the wordier diagnostic medical sonographer title, perform their jobs by translating invisible waves and sound into integral medical data and information. Many people are familiar with ultrasounds as one of the first steps in a pregnancy; ultrasound equipment is also used to diagnose disease, treat injury and conduct research.

Sounding Off

Ultrasound operators aren't superheroes -- they're trained to use the specialty machinery that allows them to hear sound waves inside the human body. To secure a career as a diagnostic medical sonographer, a minimum of post-secondary education is required. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs accredits 185 programs (as of January 2011) across the country offering ultrasound education through short-term certificates, two-year associate degrees and four-year bachelor's programs.

Certificate Programs

Enrolling in one of the 84 accredited certificate programs in sonography (as of January 2011) gives students a one-year introduction to the field with coursework in ultrasound physics and instrumentation, topics in medical sonography, introduction to echocardiography, cardiology, cardiac ultrasound and ethical issues in health care.

Associate Degrees

The commission accredits 94 associate degree programs in ultrasound education (as of January 2011). Students in these two-year programs take courses including introduction to diagnostic medical sonography, practical aspects of sonography, acoustic physics and instrumentation, abdominal sonography, vascular sonography, superficial structures and neonatal brain, cross-sectional anatomy and OB/GYN sonography.

Bachelor's Degrees

Earning a bachelor's degree in medical sonography combines detailed, in-depth education in the field along with the general core classes required by most colleges. Students in bachelor's degree programs take courses including introduction to ultrasound, general sonography procedures, vascular sonography procedures, clinical topics in general sonography, human disease, cardiac sonography and cardiac sonography procedures. As of January 2011, 26 schools offered sonography bachelor's degrees.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
• StateUniversity.com: Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Job Description
• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs: CAAHEP Accredited Program Search
• Loma Linda University: Cardiac Sonography
• Keiser University: Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Washburn University: General/Vascular Sonography Tract Required Major Courses