Sonographers perform medical tests on patients, using sound waves to create images. They produce sonograms, best known for their role in peering at an unborn child. Many expectant parents are anxious to "see" their baby in a sonogram. Sonographers work in other fields in addition to obstetrics. A wealth of opportunities in the medical field, as well as relatively high salaries and rewarding job duties, are benefits of becoming a sonographer.
Patient Interaction
Sonographers interact with patients. They begin by telling the patient what is going to happen and then use a piece of medical equipment called a transducer, which channels sound waves and creates on on-screen image. Sonographers interpret this image to diagnose health conditions.
Working Environment
Sonographers usually work in clean and safe environments with regular hours. They may be working directly in hospitals or a doctor's office with patients or may be working in darkrooms with diagnostic imaging machines. Although the work environment is generally positive, the nature of the work may have some physical risks: Sonographers may have to stand for long periods of time, help patients who are unable to move or do repetitive motions that make them susceptible to carpal tunnel. Finally, reading the imaging machine may put sonographers at risk for eye strain.
Good Pay
The median (midpoint) salary for sonogaphers was $57,160 as of May 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The top 10 percent of sonographers were able to earn an estimated $77,520 annually. Sonographers who worked for private physicians tended to have higher salaries than those working in hospital environments.
Job Growth
The Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that job prospects for sonographers will be strong through 2016. The estimated rate of growth between 2006 and 2016 is 19 percent, which is higher then the 12 percent average annual growth for most occupations. An aging population is expected to be a contributing factor for the growth of this position.
Opportunities
Sonographers have the opportunity to specialize in a number of different fields. Specialization allows sonographers to direct their own careers, and most sonographers who specialize in a particular field are able to earn higher levels of compensation. Areas of specialization include obstetric sonographers (fetal sonographers), abdominal sonographers (sonogramers who image the stomach and digestive track), neurosonographers (sonographers who image the brain and nervous system) and breast sonographers.
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