How to Become a Sonographer in Utah
Utah has a diverse health care industry that is dedicated to meeting the goals of the Affordable Care Act in 2013 and beyond. Ultrasound technologists will play a critical role in ensuring quality health care services are provided in Utah. In 2014, the health care industry in Utah will accelerate its efforts to find professionals interested in helping all people access the medical services they need to maintain good health.
Requirements and Steps to Become a Sonographer in Utah
Becoming a diagnostic medical sonographer in Utah requires completing coursework and clinical internships that provide hands-on training and experience with patients. The time it takes to complete the program depends on the certificate or degree obtained. They include:
- Certificate in DMS
- Associate Degree in DMS
- Bachelor of DMS
- Bachelor of Health Sciences – Diagnostic Imaging (University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee)
Students will need to meet the prerequisites to be eligible for admission to any particular ultrasound program. After completing the Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) program, the final step before seeking employment is to take the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography certification exams. Earning the ARDMS credential is critical to increasing employment opportunities and maximizing starting salaries.
Options for schooling
There are no schools in Utah with CAAHEP-accredited sonography programs. However, students can earn a degree in diagnostic medical sonography by attending school in another state or by completing an online program.
Study at a traditional accredited ultrasound school
Utah borders the five states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, and Wyoming. Each of these states has CAAHEP-accredited programs that offer a certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree in diagnostic medical sonography.
Take an Accredited Online Sonography Training Program
There are also accredited distance education degree programs. The CAAHEP lists three schools that offer full online courses for a certificate or degree in diagnostic medical sonography. The three schools in 2014 are:
- Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas – BS DMS; Certificate in DMS
- Jackson College in Jackson, Michigan – Associate Degree in DMS
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin -BS DMS; Bachelor of Diagnostic Imaging
When selecting an ultrasound technician program, keep in mind that it is possible to choose a program with a general, pediatric cardiac, cardiac, or vascular concentration. Not all schools offer all majors, and that can influence your choice of schools. There are so many opportunities to become a diagnostic medical sonographer that every student should be able to find the right program in the right place that offers the right degree.
Salary And Job Outlook For Sonographers In Utah
A 4.4 percent annual job growth rate in Utah for diagnostic medical sonographers equates to 20 new positions created annually for the years 2010 to 2020. In addition, there will be 10 replacement positions available each year in the same period.
Inexperienced ultrasound technicians can expect to earn an average of $18.90 per hour or $39,312 per year based on statistics. The median annual salary is $64,480, and that’s 98 percent of the national median rate of $65,860. However, industry projections for Utah list health care as one of the fastest growing sectors and with the most projected number of jobs added between now and 2020. One of the facts to keep in mind is that there are a group of cities around Salt Lake. City, the largest city in Utah, employing sonographers. For example, Provo is only 40 miles from Salt Lake City, and diagnostic medical sonographers earn a median salary of $61,898. West Jordan is just 13 miles from Salt Lake City, and sonographers earn a median salary of $64,464.
As national healthcare efforts continue in the years to come, it is likely that diagnostic medical sonographers will find new opportunities beginning in 2014 that were not anticipated at the time the projections were originally developed.