Whose Fault Is It When You Can't Find An Ultrasound Job?
There are often a lot of complaints in the ultrasound community about how schools aren't following through on promises. "Job Placement Assistance" in particular. What can you do to increase your odds in the job market?
Do Your Homework First!
Did you walk into a school, listen to the sales pitch and get so excited you signed up on the spot? Big mistake. Schools are a business. They need to make money to stay afloat just like any other business out there. How do they accomplish this? Bring in boatloads of students with promises of job offers falling at their feet upon completion of the program.
Homework in this example should be, at least, to check the job market in the geographical location you wish to work before signing up for a program. Some suggestions would be to check:
- Job listing in the local papers
- Online job search sites
- Hospital job postings
- Craigslist for job postings.
This research will give you some idea of what you may be dealing with at graduation time.
Ask Questions!
School Accreditation Type
CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education) vs. Non-CAAHEP
- CAAHEP accredited programs enable students to be eligible to sit for the ARDMS registry exams immediately following completion of the program.
- Non-CAAHEP accredited programs requires an additional 12 months of work-experience to be eligible to sit for the registry exams.
More employers are now recognizing the value of registered technologists and are now making it a requirement for employment.
Clinical Rotations
Clinical rotations/externships can make or break you with regards to being ready for the job market so take this part seriously. Aside from being a requirement for completion of the program, this is where you will obtain your first real hands on training. Finding a job right out of school is difficult enough with no experience. A bad clinical rotation can make it much harder.
Since this step is required to complete the program you would think the school will have this part adequately covered and they most likely will, but, not all sites are "good" sites. (Side note - Ultrasound Registry/Contracted services should be avoided for clinical rotations in my opinion. Why? These companies are expected to provide technologists who can hit the ground running. They couldn't possibly have the time to dedicate to newbie's). Here are a few questions you should attempt to find answers to:
- Find out how many sites the school is contracted with
- How many students are accepted at one time to those sites
- How many students are possibly waiting to start their clinical rotation / externship
Program Success Rate
How many of the schools recent students successfully passed the program and went on to find jobs in their chosen field?
Remember this....Questionable schools will always be around. Your educational experience is what you make of it and you'd better be ready to do your part to contribute to your own success.
With the current state of healthcare and a shaky economy we have to be a lot more careful with our decision making processes when it comes to how we spend our hard earned dollars. There are a lot of things to consider when going back to and choosing the right school. The examples above are just a few of the many things that need to be taken into consideration. Credible schools certainly outnumber their questionable counterparts, but, remember they are a business and are not going to advertise their shortcomings. You are going to have to do your homework and make an informed decision. You'll be glad you did.
Questions and Answers
There are many modalities, or specializations within the world of ultrasound. Once sonographers are registered within one area of ultrasound through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), they often pursue competency in other areas as well. Sonographers are able to achieve this through on the job cross training, and ultimately obtain credentials in other ultrasound modalities.
While becoming an Ultrasound tech does not require a license per say, it comes highly recommend. There are certain steps to take prior to that in order to advance your career in the right direction. Read on to find out what is needed to become an ultrasound technician.
If you're the type of person who takes an interest in technologies like radiology, enjoys interacting with and helping others and possess the mental discipline and dedication to participate in demanding coursework, you may wish to choose a career as a specialist in vascular sonography. This exciting and interesting career path was a subsequent offshoot of the technological advances of the 1970s and 80s surrounding ultrasound. It has since retained its place among the most in-demand and satisfyin
Ultrasound which is also known as sonography is a medical procedure which makes use of high frequency waves in order to produce visual images of tissues, organs and blood flow within the body. The ultrasound technique involves transmitting high frequency sound waves to the area of interest in the body and recording the returning echoes. This procedure is commonly known as an ultrasound scan or a sonogram.
There are numerous scholarships and grants for sonography and ultrasound s- tudents to help pay for school as well as for the living expenses incurred while attending school.
Teaching English abroad in Vietnam is a unique experience for anyone who seeks to explore a beautiful country with a rich heritage. You may find people who say that it is not difficult to find jobs in Saigon, but the converse is true. It depends on where and how you conduct your search.
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So, it's a new year... another new beginning. Did you make a "New Year's Resolution"? If you're like most, you probably did. The real question is, are you going to keep it? Only time will tell. Everyone knows how important it is to take care of our bodies and our health in general. The truth is, we all know what we should be doing, but, for some reason can't seem to make it a part of our lifestyles without great effort. Here's my resolution and suggestion: "PLAY MORE VIDEO GAMES"
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