What Can You Do With a Sonography Degree?

Just about everyone has seen a Polaroid image of a friend's soon to be born baby. It is now almost a rite of passage for expectant mothers to have a sonogram as part of their prenatal care. If you're fascinated by this technology you might be tempted to get a bachelor's degree in medical diagnostic sonography. What can you do with a medical diagnostic sonography degree?

Medical diagnostic sonography is a fast growing field that requires a bachelor's level sonography degree and taking and passing various exams. Most hospitals insist medical diagnostic sonographers become licensed before employment. Candidates can pass one of three exams to fulfill licensing requirements.

With a bachelor's level sonography degree, graduates may take the first level of the exams to become a registered diagnostic medical sonographer  (RDMS). This allows graduates to work in any field of sonography at an entry level. Three other exams are more specialized. Passing the registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer (RDCS) exam allows the graduate to specialize in cardiac sonography. People who want to specialize in veins and artery diagnostics have two choices: they can pass the RVT exam and become a registered vascular technologist  or get an advanced degree and take the RPVI (registered physician vascular interpretation) exam.

The Bureaus of Labor and Statistics predicts that the future will be strong in the sonography field.  Because sonographs are often a preferred procedure over radiology, this field is expected to have faster than average growth.  This is great news for people seeking a sonography degree.

Just over half of college graduates with a bachelor's level sonography degree who pass the RDMS exam will work in hospitals and the remainder will find jobs with private physicians or in clinics.  Licensed medical diagnostic sonographers can work in the general field or specialize in obstetrics, cardiology, abdominal or neurological areas of diagnostic sonographers. Overall, the future looks bright for people who earn a sonography degree, and the good news is you can earn your sonography degree online!