Kat Baxter-Stone

Career Interview
English 1010

Ultrasound Tech / Medical Diagnostic Sonographer

When choosing a career in the current job market there are two main elements to
consider: job outlook and salary. When deciding where to invest your time and energy for
your education you want to know where you will be getting the most return for your
investment. This does not mean that you should pick the first job that pays well and
shows the best outlook for job openings. You still want to look for a job in a field you are
interested in. You are investing in your career, after all, and job satisfaction will go a
long way no matter how great your benefits might be.
When you first think of a job in ultrasound you might consider diagnostic imaging
with prenatal medicine, helping evaluate for issues during pregnancy and answering the
question of gender for a developing fetus. There is a generalized image of what an
ultrasound techs job is from what is shown on television and in movies. A smiling
professional is there for a five-minute segment to put a cold jelly on a pregnant womans
stomach. They effortlessly glide a medical instrument around for a minute or two, then
declare in a triumphant voice: male, female, or twins. Suffice it to say, there is much
more to a job in ultrasound, or medical sonography, than is shown on television or in
movies. What goes on behind the scenes, how much education it takes to understand the
technology used and how to interpret the images and the human physiology, plus the

many specialties and applications for ultrasound in medicine are all important to
understand if you are interested in a career in this field.
In order to obtain current information about a career in ultrasound, I interviewed
Kim Nowicki, ultrasound coordinator for Primary Childrens Medical Center. Ms.
Nowicki first became interested in ultrasound as a career during a job shadow experience
in high school while living in Canada. She knew Right off the bat, in my first semester
of college, that a career in ultrasound was where she was meant to be. (Nowicki, 2015)
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a median wage for diagnostic medical
sonographers at $60,350 per/year, median pay for 2012. (Bls.gov, 2015) While
interviewing Ms. Nowicki we kept the discussion of salary light but we did touch on
national median vs. Utahs median pay rate. It is well known that Utah is under the
national average in terms of compensation for many jobs, and Ms. Nowicki confirmed
that Utah is below the national average for diagnostic medical sonographer careers. She
did not say by how much but she did say that her job satisfaction more than made up for
any gap in wage.
Due to advances in technology, much of the equipment needed to perform
diagnostic sonograms is becoming smaller and in many cases portable. With these
changes the job market is expanding from predominately hospitals to more job openings
in physicians offices. This growth is estimated at 39%-46%, depending on specialty and
location. This growth is Much faster than average. (Bls.gov, 2015) With this career
being so closely tied to technological advancements and related to so many health care
concerns, education and continuing education are major factors.

In order to be considered for most medical sonographer jobs you need to pass a
certification test through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography
(ARDMS) after a two to three year educational program offered through accredited
schools. In Utah, Weber University and Salt Lake Community College each offer these
programs. The program focuses on biology, human anatomy, chemistry, physics, as well
as various technical and hands on courses in order to understand the equipment necessary
to perform the job. Admission includes completion of prerequisites that must be met with
a certain grade in order to be accepted to the program itself.
There is a continuing education process for the ARDMS certification as well. We
have to maintain 30 continuing medical education credits every triennium Every three
years, Ms. Nowicki reported. With many jobs the continuing education process happens
with your work and may include training, meetings, or hands on exercises with updated
technology. Currently an ARDMS certification is recognized in Canada, the United
States, and Australia. This makes choices in job placement varied, as you do not need to
re-test in each state.
When asked about her typical workday and what her hours for the week were, Ms.
Nowickis easily recited answer showed how stable they were. 7:30 to midnight, our
department is staffed on weekends there are on call hours. (Nowicki, 2015) As the
coordinator for her department, knowing the schedule for the staff and the patients was
extremely important for each day to run smoothly. Depending on where you work in the
future, if you have on call hours you may be compensated for them in an hourly fashion
but if you are working salary then you will not see an increase in your pay. Luckily for

Ms. Nowicki and her team, when they are called in they are compensated based on hours
worked.
During a typical day responsibilities include much more than just running
diagnostic tests. Beginning each day equipment needs to be turned on and tested,
schedules checked, emails checked and returned, and after tests follow up reports are
created. Being able to communicate detailed information through emails and reports
through writing is an important skill to have in ultrasound. Communicating findings and
keeping a correct record is essential for both your career and the well being of your future
patients.
What is seen during a diagnostic test is usually not shared with the patient during
the test, the exception most notably being prenatal testing in regards to gender. The
observations and images are shared with the radiologist or referring physician and later
discussed with the patient or parent/guardian. Ms. Nowicki noted, Diagnoses can be
difficult sometimes knowing Ive seen something that could potentially be a really
difficult diagnosis for the patient and the family. (Nowicki, 2015)
Finding a difficult diagnosis was what Ms. Nowicki stated was her least favorite
thing about her career. The favorite part about her job was the patient interaction. Being
able to talk to the excitable little kids, calm down the mentally delayed, or make a scared
kid laugh was what she counted as compensation in her job. Even her description of past
jobs at different hospitals included patient interaction that emphasized good
communication skills, empathy, and an interest in helping others. Being able to interact
with your patients, whether they are adults or children, is an important skill to have for a
career in ultrasound.

Kim Nowicki has a pediatric specialty, working as a general diagnostic medical

ultrasonographer at Primary Childrens medical center. With a certification in diagnostic
sonography you can either perform a variety of tests as a general diagnostic sonographer
or you can move into a specialty such as cardiac sonography (echo cardiographers),
vascular technologists (vascular sonographer), or a department specialist. The different
specialties can be pediatric, breast, musculoskeletal, neurosonographers, and
obstetrics/gynecologic sonographers. (Bls.gov, 2015) Each specialty can bring its own
excitement and rewards.
Whether you choose a specialty or stay with general medical diagnostic imaging
you can expect a few things about the physical requirements of your future career.
Depending on your work environment, you may be on your feet for long periods of time.
You may be expected to lift and/or turn patients for different procedures if they are
unable to physically change position. Many hospitals/clinics/physicians offices have
policies on employees being current on certain vaccinations. Also, basic life support and
first aid certifications are necessary for many programs as well. When asked about what
advice she would give to somebody who was planning to go into ultrasound that she
wished someone had given her, Ms. Nowicki said, I would say that sometimes you can
encounter some bodily fluids or body parts that are not always pleasant to scan or you
have a patient that is throwing up and you have a mess to deal with or anything like
that. (Nowicki, 2015)
With a large amount of projected growth, comfortable salary vs. amount of
education, and high level of job satisfaction- a career in medical diagnostic imaging is
well worth investing your time and money in. Finding a job that satisfies your financial

needs with a high job projection is hard to do. If you can find one in a field where you
can make a difference in someones life, where you can provide comfort during a time of
distress, then your job satisfaction adds a level of compensation that money could never
buy. If you have an interest in a job in healthcare and are interested in helping people, a
career in ultrasound/medical diagnostic imaging may be the right choice for you.

Works Cited

Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook,

2014-15 Edition. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers and Cardiovascular
Technologists and Technicians. Including Vascular Technologists.
www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/diagnostic-medical-sonographers.htm (visited
November 09, 2015)
Nowicki, Kim. Personal Interview. 17th Nov. 2015.

Interview Questions
When did you decide on a career in ultrasound?
What moment made you decide this is where I want to stay?
What is the required education, continuing education and on the job training for this
career?
What are the prospects for advancement in this career field?
Do your employers help you with continuing education on the job or do you need to
complete those tasks on your own time?
How do you use writing in your day-to-day work?
What is a typical workday like?
What are the hours like, on a weekly basis?
Are you compensated for your time with hourly pay or is your pay salary?
Can you tell me about your work environment and the workspace designated to your
department?
What is your favorite part of your job?
What is your least favorite part of the job?
What advice would you give someone going into diagnostic imaging
(radiology/ultrasound) that you wish you heard before you started?
Compensation in Utah may be lower than nationwide average, is the worth of the job
more important than the monetary compensation?