Qualifications
Babies and brains and bronchi, oh my. Ultrasound technicians work with a whole lot of body parts, but the training required won't make you want to bang your head against the wall. It's actually a pretty straightforward—and relatively quick—process to become a seer of internal organs.
There are two ways to begin this path of righteousness. Depending on how quick you want the job, you can either get your associates or bachelor's degree. Both ways have their perks. The fast-track is an Associate's of Science or Applied Science degree.
Future technicians can get an associate's degree in ultrasound technology in as little as two years. With an associate's degree, you can get to the money much faster than a bachelor's degree.
On the flip side, you can also opt for a Bachelor's of Science degree. Yeah, it might take a couple of years longer, but because of the more extensive training you'll get with a bachelor's degree, you'll look much more desirable to employers and earn more money in the long run. With a bachelor's degree, you'll have much more opportunities to climb up the corporate or medical ladder to become a manager or a researcher.
Either way, you're golden. Whether you get an associate's or a bachelor's degree, you'll qualify for the next step: getting yourself certified. In order to really call yourself an ultrasound techie, getting certified by a program accredited by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography is key. The whole process takes about twelve to fourteen months, after which you can bank on making bank.
Of course, those twelve to fourteen months will be really hard. You'll have to juggle coursework in subjects like ultrasound physics with working an internship at a lab or clinic. On-the-job training is just as important as book learning; it shows potential employers that you know what you're doing.
Getting the certification is a massive amount of work, but once you've got it, you're good to go. Get out there and start scanning.