6 answers
Juan
Student
Rock Hill, South Carolina
1
Question
Updated
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Is sonography hard? Could a man have a career in this field despite it being a more woman sided job. Do you enjoy your job?
I want to go to a technical school in Greenville for about 2-3 years.
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6 answers
Bhavna Sheth
107
Answers
Collinsville, Virginia
Updated
Bhavna’s Answer
Hello Juan,
Sonography can be challenging, but with practice and dedication it is possible to become proficient in the field. It is true that sonography is a more female-dominated job, but there are male sonographers as well. It is possible for men to have successful careers in this field.
If you enjoy your job as a Sonographer and feel fulfilling to be able to make a difference in people's lives by providing a unique service of precisely capturing images of the body to aid in diagnosing various conditions go for it.
If you want to go to a technical school in Greenville for 2-3 years, it would be helpful to do research and to make sure that their curriculum covers the particular field of sonography that you are interested in. It is also important to make sure that the school is accredited and is well-recognized in the field.
Sonography can be challenging, but with practice and dedication it is possible to become proficient in the field. It is true that sonography is a more female-dominated job, but there are male sonographers as well. It is possible for men to have successful careers in this field.
If you enjoy your job as a Sonographer and feel fulfilling to be able to make a difference in people's lives by providing a unique service of precisely capturing images of the body to aid in diagnosing various conditions go for it.
If you want to go to a technical school in Greenville for 2-3 years, it would be helpful to do research and to make sure that their curriculum covers the particular field of sonography that you are interested in. It is also important to make sure that the school is accredited and is well-recognized in the field.
Kess French
Medical Student
109
Answers
Updated
Kess’s Answer
Hi Juan!
That's a very good question. As stated above, the training is challenging. I think that's well covered above.
As for this being a woman-dominated field, it doesn't matter anymore. A lot of sonographers are women, especially in obstetrics and gynecology. Babies get all the ultrasounds! However, ultrasounds are needed everywhere! They are used in hospitals to find blocked arteries and dysfunctional organs. They are used to guide needle biopsies and to help drain the lungs or abdomen of fluid. They are used to check the heart for valvular function, contractility, and malformations. The emergency department relies heavily on ultrasound to function; they check everything from determining if blood is pooling in the abdomen to confirming pregnancy.
TL;DR: we need more sonographers.
That's a very good question. As stated above, the training is challenging. I think that's well covered above.
As for this being a woman-dominated field, it doesn't matter anymore. A lot of sonographers are women, especially in obstetrics and gynecology. Babies get all the ultrasounds! However, ultrasounds are needed everywhere! They are used in hospitals to find blocked arteries and dysfunctional organs. They are used to guide needle biopsies and to help drain the lungs or abdomen of fluid. They are used to check the heart for valvular function, contractility, and malformations. The emergency department relies heavily on ultrasound to function; they check everything from determining if blood is pooling in the abdomen to confirming pregnancy.
TL;DR: we need more sonographers.
Zahra Abdullahi
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
2
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Zahra’s Answer
Hi Juan,
Sonography is HARD on the body but that shouldn't deter you from pursing it as a career (as long as you take care of your body and do what's best for it).
It's definitely a women dominated field, but that's changing. The thing is that you will need to be chaperoned by a nurse when it comes to certain exams.
I highly encourage you to shadow ultrasound either at a medical facility or at open labs on college campus (this way you can chart with your peers and get a sense of you want to pursue ultrasound as a career).
The only disadvantage is that ultrasound is kinda a dead end career, especially if you are someone who is looking to further their education.
Make sure that you enroll in an ultrasound accredited program. Only pursue a bachelor's in ultrasound if you are looking to advance to a different field or route later in life. Otherwise, just do associate's (save's you tons of money). And from my experience, getting a bachelor's in ultrasound doesn't get you higher pay (it's all about experience and years in the field).
Travelers (techs that travel on temporary assignments) make good money but they've gotta deal with the hassle that comes with it.
Hope that helps and good luck!
Sonography is HARD on the body but that shouldn't deter you from pursing it as a career (as long as you take care of your body and do what's best for it).
It's definitely a women dominated field, but that's changing. The thing is that you will need to be chaperoned by a nurse when it comes to certain exams.
I highly encourage you to shadow ultrasound either at a medical facility or at open labs on college campus (this way you can chart with your peers and get a sense of you want to pursue ultrasound as a career).
The only disadvantage is that ultrasound is kinda a dead end career, especially if you are someone who is looking to further their education.
Make sure that you enroll in an ultrasound accredited program. Only pursue a bachelor's in ultrasound if you are looking to advance to a different field or route later in life. Otherwise, just do associate's (save's you tons of money). And from my experience, getting a bachelor's in ultrasound doesn't get you higher pay (it's all about experience and years in the field).
Travelers (techs that travel on temporary assignments) make good money but they've gotta deal with the hassle that comes with it.
Hope that helps and good luck!
Karyn Ivancich
OB Sonographer (ultrasound)
7
Answers
Tinley Park, Illinois
Updated
Karyn’s Answer
Yes, Sonography is hard as is any other healthcare profession. Yes, it is a woman dominant field, but men are also populating the field. Do not let that deter you. Please make sure the school you attend is accredited by the (Commission on Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). This is very important. You can look at additional information at ARDMS or SDMS for other Sonography related information. You could also try and visit a local hospital and see if you can ask some Sonographers how and where they received their education. One of the basic education requirements is high school or college biology, chemistry and math (within the last 5 years).
Good luck!
Good luck!
david kirk
Retired Computing Manager
472
Answers
Syracuse, New York
Updated
david’s Answer
First, any job that pays well and requires specialized training is HARD, at least for those without training. You need to want a hard job, as that is your best assurance of having a quality and desirable career skill. Regarding men and women, this may have been a concern two decades ago, but men and women now overlap significantly in their careers and there are no sexual attributes that relate to the work. A positive aspect is that an associate degree is sufficient to qualify for the job, and it pays quite well. With training you will do well. All the best.
Katie Bryant
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (ultrasound tech)
11
Answers
San Tan Valley, Arizona
Updated
Katie’s Answer
Yes, sonography is hard. I would recommend a good, accredited school, and choose a sonography program where they have a good job placement record. You will need to dedicate yourself to this career, and it will serve you well. The pay is good, and most of the time, finding a job in this career shouldn’t be difficult.
Men have been getting more into this field over the years. Where I work, if you do a procedure that could be considered intimate (pelvic or breast) most places require a male tech to be chaperoned during the procedure. Same goes for women doing a scrotal ultrasound.
I do enjoy my job. I’ve done it now for 37 years, and find it to be very rewarding. Everyone’s anatomy is different, and different exams carry different challenges. You can work in a variety of places—hospital, outpatient clinics, dr. Offices, so the level of patient care will vary.
Men have been getting more into this field over the years. Where I work, if you do a procedure that could be considered intimate (pelvic or breast) most places require a male tech to be chaperoned during the procedure. Same goes for women doing a scrotal ultrasound.
I do enjoy my job. I’ve done it now for 37 years, and find it to be very rewarding. Everyone’s anatomy is different, and different exams carry different challenges. You can work in a variety of places—hospital, outpatient clinics, dr. Offices, so the level of patient care will vary.