What does a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer do?
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers typically work in hospitals and clinics, often performing the diagnostic imaging in a dimly lit room to make it easier to see the images. Sometimes the Sonographer goes to the patient’s bedside in a hospital setting to perform the imaging. They work with both patients and physicians. With patients, they aim to make them feel comfortable, inform them on the procedure and work with them to create clear images. With physicians, they provide the images and a summary of their findings to give them the images they need to make a diagnosis. There are specialties that focus on particular body parts or types of patients, including abdominal, cardiac, pediatric, and vascular Sonographers.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer skills and qualifications
Successful Diagnostic Medical Sonographers will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications needed to fill the position, including:
- Strong interpersonal skills to put patients at ease and explain things in easily understandable terms
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to interact with patients and physicians
- Attention to detail to notice abnormalities in sonograms
- Hand-eye coordination to adjust the movement of the ultrasound transducer based on the images seen on the screen
- Technical and analytical skills to troubleshoot complex diagnostic equipment
- Ability to work well under pressure, sometimes in emergency situations, to get a fast diagnosis
- Strong teamwork to interact with the medical team
- Medical knowledge, including a strong understanding of anatomy, to create proper images
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer experience requirements
Most facilities look for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers with medical experience, but they often hire recent graduates with a degree and certification in sonography. Specialty positions might require experience working in that field, such as pediatric experience.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer education and training requirements
A Diagnostic Medical Sonographer typically needs a minimum of a certificate from a one-year program from an accredited college or hospital. More often, a Sonographer holds an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in a sonography program. Sonographers typically need to be certified through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists or Cardiovascular Credentialing International. State requirements vary, but not all states require licensure for Sonographers.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Sonographer is $17.73 per hour. Salary may be dependent on experience, location and company.
NOTE: Salary data wasn’t available for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, so salary data for Sonographers was used instead.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer salary expectations
-
Common salary:
2346.39 WEEKLY -
Typical salaries range from
1100.00 -3800.00 WEEKLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
Job descriptions for similar positions
If you’re looking for a slightly different position, check out the following similar job description examples:
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer job description FAQs
What is the difference between a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer and a Radiology Technologist?
Both medical professionals use imaging equipment to produce images of specific body parts to diagnose, assess or monitor health conditions. The equipment used to create the images is different. A Diagnostic Medical Sonographer uses sonography equipment that relies on high-frequency sound waves to create the images. They typically look at a specific body part, such as the heart or uterus, to diagnose a medical condition. A Radiology Technologist uses X-ray machines, MRIs and CT scans to produce images.
What should you look for in a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer resume?
Ensure the candidate has a degree in an accredited sonography program. Some experience in the field means the candidate can start working without much guidance. If you’re hiring for a specialty position, such as a Vascular Sonographer or Cardiac Sonographer, look for field-specific experience.
What qualities make a good Diagnostic Medical Sonographer?
A successful Diagnostic Medical Sonographer is empathetic and can put patients at ease when they’re potentially facing a serious medical diagnosis. They know how to stay calm, even in emergency situations or when a patient is upset. A good candidate also has strong technical skills to handle the complex equipment properly to produce the highest-quality images necessary for making an accurate diagnosis. Strong teamwork and communication skills are essential for working with the rest of the medical team to ensure all information is provided in a timely manner.
How can you make your Diagnostic Medical Sonographer job description stand out?
When writing a job description for a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, identify the specialty if you’re hiring for a specific role, such as a Cardiac Sonographer. Indicate how much experience you expect and the type of sonography degree and certification you want candidates to have. Describe the work environment to ensure candidates can handle the demands of the role. Including your job perks and salary range also helps job applicants determine if the job is a good match.
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
