Need help getting an Ultrasound Job

I recently graduated from a vocational school in CA. from a 15 month Ultrasound program. In those 15 months I had 9-10 months of externship experience in general and vascular sonography. I must work for 12 months as an ultrasound tech to obtain hours needed in order to sit for boards and become registered.
I am registry eligible, I just need to get those hours in order to take the tests.
Employers are looking for ARDMS registered or 1-2 years experienced techs so I've been having a hard time finding a job.
I'm willing to relocate to Hawaii, Oregon, or California, but would rather stay here in Seattle. Any advice?

I have a job share position in chehalis. Are you willing to drive or relocate 1 hour south of Tacoma?
I would like to work 1 day per week so there are 4 days available. Contact my manager Brownie at Steck Medical Group 360-740-4077

Kelli in Lacey, Washington said: I have a job share position in chehalis. Are you willing to drive or relocate 1 hour south of Tacoma?
I would like to work 1 day per week so there are 4 days available. Contact my manager Brownie at Steck Medical Group 360-740-4077

Thank you so much for your help!! I'll give her a call today. Yeah I'm willing to drive or relocate definitely!

Liana in Tacoma, Washington said: I recently graduated from a vocational school in CA. from a 15 month Ultrasound program. In those 15 months I had 9-10 months of externship experience in general and vascular sonography. I must work for 12 months as an ultrasound tech to obtain hours needed in order to sit for boards and become registered.
I am registry eligible, I just need to get those hours in order to take the tests.
Employers are looking for ARDMS registered or 1-2 years experienced techs so I've been having a hard time finding a job.
I'm willing to relocate to Hawaii, Oregon, or California, but would rather stay here in Seattle. Any advice?

What vocatonal school in CA. was it? Newbridge?

I was thinking of going that route. I have family in Washington,but live in calif. What vocational school was it.
I haven't found one with 9-10 months externship.

No It was in Norco, CA, called American Career College.

Nikki in Los Angeles, California said: I was thinking of going that route. I have family in Washington,but live in calif. What vocational school was it.
I haven't found one with 9-10 months externship.

The school is now located in Ontario, CA I believe. It's a bigger campus now.

Liana how long ago did you graduate.I will have particiapted and graduated from a 21 month program in Mar 09.A ways away but not really .I would really want to keep in contact with a few people from different unnacredited schools and see how they do.I am freaked about having chosen an unnacredited school and have went so far-attending over a year now!

I having trouble finding 10-12 months school in the Seattle area as well. If anyone knows anything, please let us know.

Valerie-yeah I was nervous about my unaccredited program as well...it makes it a lot harder to get a job, because you can't get registered until after working for a year and you have no experience just out of school. I recommend making yourself known to employers around and keeping in touch with them. Perhaps even try to volunteer if you can.

And to Julie-

I don't know of a 10-12 month program anywhere...sorry.

So just curious Liana-have you been able to find a job,and how long after graduating?I am wondering if I am throwing my money away...This is not a 15 month or 18 month program but a 21 month, 2 years of my life!Thanks

I don't know of a 10-12 month program anywhere...sorry.

Whoops forgot to erase some of the message I was responding to at the bottom as it doesn't make any sense!

It really matters how good the curriculum is and if the teachers actally make sense and teach well for the students, that is a major point in the wasting away money factor. A lot of the unaccredited schools have the reputation of the doctors teaching being foreign and hard to understand. I'm suprised your program is so long, yet not accredited. There are other programs in CA that are bout that long, like Loma Linda University that are accredited.

I have just started a job bout a week n a half ago. I was fortunate enough to get one that would be patient my newly graduated scanning abilities and schedule with what I am confident with. Some of my friends have had no luck in CA. because the demand is not the greatest there, but I hear Arizona is a great place to start out and pays very well.

Thank for the info Liana.I plan to go anywhere where I am accepted! I have been in California all my life and we are so overpopulated its not a wonder. Some of the doctors at are school were foreign but it was only for a short period of our class which was just basic A&P,and they made great sense just had to get past the accent. The teacher we had from the remainder of the time is an RDMS,BS in Gen Ultrasound and speaks great English.Loma Linda University is very far from me as Orange Coast was not even an option about an hour drive as well. The rest are in Northern California.Would you mind sending me your email so we can keep in contact.Want to make friends in the field.Thanks again!

No problem...okay my email is Angel01071@msn.com, keep in touch and good luck, just keep up on the studying and practice scanning as much as you can!!!

I recently graduated from an accredited ultrasound program in Ohio and moved to the Atlanta area. I am have an extremely hard time finding a job. Everyone wants about 2 years of experience or to already be registered. I graduated from a great school and I am eligible to sit for boards in abdomen, vascular, ob/gyn, and echocardiography. I am looking for an echo job and should be registered with in the next few months. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I know what you mean, it's hard to get a job because of just that, those darn 2 years experience and to be registered!! Well hey, at least you are able to get registered right away...you won't have a problem getting a job as long as you are registered. Just keep up the scanning practice...volunteer if you have to. If you go somewhere and show them that you know what you're doing it should go your way fast. Although, it also matters upon the area you are loooking and the demand for the job. Good luck!!

Hi there!!

I am in Cornelius,Oregon and having a terrible time finding any progrm to attend. Does anyone have any helpful information to point me in the right direction so I know where to start? Tips on making choices on places ( assuming I find choices here?) This is the career path I have decided on now and woiuld like to finally move forward.

Thanks in advance if anyone has any ideas!!

I will finish with my bachelors degree in biology next month.
My intention is to attend a non acredited tech school and then sit for the ARDMS. I understand from many of the posts here that finding a position without 2-3 years of experience is difficult. Is this because these people are not ARDMS Certified? Has anyone who is ARDMS certified had issues with finding a position?

My intvtions were the same,but you have
find a year of experience before passing
the ARDMS.That's the difficult part going
to non-accrecited school.You must read
the 2A part of the rules.

I'm planning to attend an unaccredited school too. As long as you have your bachelor degree then you are eligible to sit for the board upon graduation. You should take a look of Preq 3A

I was told that the experience you get
at vocational school does not count
as experiences to pass ARDMS.You have to find somewhere to do that.It's not easy.

Thanks for your response. I have looked at Preq3A and the subtext is not all that clear to me. I went ahead and called ARDMS and talked to them. They confirmed that a bachelors degree substitutes for the year of externship. They also said that any non accredited school would have to meet the requiremets in the Preqs. The person at ARDMS said that they could not speak to any specific school but suggested that I take the Prerequisits to the school to verify.

Does anyone here have thier ARDMS Certification, but is still having trouble finding work?

I called also because of the the little
references 2 & 3 that I couldn't quite
understand. I got a whole different
answer. Externship experience in your
12 mo. of learning AT VOCATIONAL SCHOOL not meet the
12 months experience needed to pass
the ARDMS. It says so,if you read carefully.That's why the two year program lets you go right into the test.

If your course is over 1680 hrs long including externship, it fulfils the '12 month full time clinical experience'

Boy,I'd like that in writing. I have
an degree in biology. Thought about
Newbridge schhol for 12 months. I was
told by ARDMS lady that I need 12mos.
clinical experience bysides to pass ARDMS.

From the ARDMS pre-req page

Clinical ultrasound/vascular experiencemay be obtained one
of two ways;(1) being employed as a full-time ultrasound/vascu-
lar sonographer in a clinical setting for 12 months,or (2) success-
fully completing a formal,full-time ultrasound program that is
a minimum of 12 months in length and includes appropriate
clinical and didactic hours.Clinical diagnostic settings include
hospitals,clinics,and private practices

Most vocational school do not give you
12 mos. of clinical experience.If you
read the bottom of the 3A page of ARDMS
where it explains the small 2& 3. I
have just wrote ARDMS,I please clarify for me. I haven't received answer yet.
Will let everyone know.

dentanium@earthlink.net in Los Angeles, California said: Most vocational school do not give you
12 mos. of clinical experience.If you
read the bottom of the 3A page of ARDMS
where it explains the small 2& 3. I
have just wrote ARDMS,I please clarify for me. I haven't received answer yet.
Will let everyone know.

it does not have to be 12 months of clinical. It has to be 12 months of clinical and theory (lessons taught by the school). If the school advertises that some students can sit for ARDMS after completion of the program, it means anyone with a Bs degree can. I have spoken to ARDMS and they confirmed this

ANO,I am sorry but you guys are incorrect it nust be 12 months PAID experience,it also will say that on the prereq's with an asterisk,read carefully

By the way you guys,I am currently finishing a 2 yr program,and it WILL NOT let me take the test until a yr of PAID work is completed

Valerie in Los Angeles, California said: ANO,I am sorry but you guys are incorrect it nust be 12 months PAID experience,it also will say that on the prereq's with an asterisk,read carefully

Then why can people from my school sit for the boards immediately after finishing the course?
(and they frequently do)

Either your school is accredited or someone is lieing to you.Call ARDMS directly.I am sorry but I am involved in this terrible situation and cannot sit for it,I know and have tried to find any loop hole I can and there isn't one,which school is it? Or the people sitting have a bachelors,then you can sit no matter what school.

Valerie in Los Angeles, California said: Either your school is accredited or someone is lieing to you.Call ARDMS directly.I am sorry but I am involved in this terrible situation and cannot sit for it,I know and have tried to find any loop hole I can and there isn't one,which school is it? Or the people sitting have a bachelors,then you can sit no matter what school.

Dentanium and I were both talking about the situation for people with batchelors. Sorry you are having problems

And,also I wasn't trying to attack what you guys were saying or anything but be very careful! From the prereq forms it clearly states nationwide via the ARDMS to sit you must either come from an accredited school,have a bachelors or one year paid experience to sit or even apply!They told me I would have to work a year but to a school applicant new to ultrasound they made the ARDMS exam sound optional and that work without it would not be a problem,very untrue

There has to be some difference between having or not having a bachelors degree or they wouldnt have delineated it in the Prerequisites.

We need to hear from someone who has recently received ARDMS Certification after attending WCUI with a bachelors.

With a bachelors it is OK at WCUI I go there.I DO NOT have a bachelors and go there and am finishing a 2 yr program

I want to know more about ultrasound technician program? is it good and does anybody knows how much an ultrasound technician can make

I've been working in ultrasound for 3 years. I love my job. It is very rewarding and provides just enough change to keep it interesting. Depending on where you live, you can make anywhere from $18-30/hr or more if you are a traveler. If you visit the web site for ARDMS, they have a link for the average pay rate in major cities. I suggest visiting a lab and hospital that would allow you to job shadow for a day or two to see if you would like it. It's good to see both a clinic and hospital setting as they are different. After that it is important to choose a good school with a good clinical program. The ARDMS web site can provide you with more information on this as well. I hope this answers your questions, happy career hunting!

Valerie in Los Angeles, California said: With a bachelors it is OK at WCUI I go there.I DO NOT have a bachelors and go there and am finishing a 2 yr program

Valerie, do you know any one who has graduated from there with a bachelors and was able to test for RDMS?

Did you go to school at Bellevue Community?

No, but had I done more research, that is where I would have gone. I graduated from Tacoma Community College. I was in the first graduating class of a new, non-accredited DMS program. When I applied, the program had been a 15 month program for RT's and was accredited as such. They changed the program to be a 2 year, dedicated DMS program and therefore, the school had to reapply to be accredited, but none of the program applicants knew this until we were 1 quarter into the program. Long story short, I was fortunate to find a rural clinic 1 hour south that was willing to hire me and give me the time and experience needed to sit for the registry. Many of my classmates found jobs, so it is possible, but is getting tougher.

ano in New York, New York said: If your course is over 1680 hrs long including externship, it fulfils the '12 month full time clinical experience'

Hi, I would like to check this .. Can you tell me where you found this So I can check it out for myself and others here at my campus in southern California.

Jackie

jackie in Valencia, California said: Hi, I would like to check this .. Can you tell me where you found this So I can check it out for myself and others here at my campus in southern California.

Jackie

Jackie, this means, if you already have a Bachelors degree in any major, and you go to a school with 1680hrs or more of coursework, you fulfill prerequisite 3A. This means you are able to sit for the ARDMS certification.
You can look on the ARDMS website for the application booklet to find this.

So...since I am still having trouble finding a program...can anyone who had attended the program at Bellevue tell me how many hours a week / days a week is involved the first year? I am wondering if thre is any way to take any of the coursework at another college and transfer it - or compress any of it to reduce commute days/time. I live quite a long way and have school aged kids so I cannot move. There apperas to be nothing in my area - and know Bellevue said they could try to find a clinical for year 2 closer to me so it is a matter of that first year's commute and # of days away....

I am looking to relocate to alabama and need a job doing Echocardiograms. I also know how to perform Stress Echos, Carotids and LEV studies. Please if anyone knows anything contact me at tashabirgans@yahoo.com

Thank you
Tasha

I am registered RDCS as well with 1 year under my belt. I am a graduate of Georgia State University, Bachelor degree in Science and Sanford Brown Institute Cardiovascular sonography program. Looking for work ...tashabirgans@yahoo.com