Registered diagnostic medical sonography refers to the practice of sonography by professionals who are registered. Registration in this case is basically synonymous with certification. The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) gives a certification exam in the field which when passed confers the title of Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS). As the name implies, this is organization registers each person it certifies and thus serves to log and coordinate reputable professionals in the field.

The ARDMS offers not just one exam but a number of them corresponding to various areas of specialization. For the RDMS registration/certification there are five areas: abdomen, breast, fetal echocardiography, neurosonology, and obstetrics/gynecology. In addition there are three certifications in echocardiography (fetal, pediatric, and adult), and two vascular technology certifications (in vascular technology and vascular interpretation) that are offered by the ARDMS.

The Steps to Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonography Certification

The basic steps to registered medical sonography certification are as follows:

First, make sure that you have fulfilled the eligibility criteria for the exam you are taking. The ARDMS has specific prerequisites such as graduation from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program, a certain amount of field experience if you have graduated from a non-accredited program, and a clean legal record.

Next, apply to take the exam. The ARDMS will require various supporting documentation attesting that you have fulfilled the eligibility requirements. All the information you need regarding scheduling the exam can be found on the ARDMS website.

Finally, take the exam. The exam is given at Pearson Vue testing centers all around the country. Pearson Vue is an independent testing company that administers many different certification exams. Upon passing it you will become registered and certified, receiving the RDMS title.

Advantages of Registration

Professional Recognition

Getting registered as a diagnostic medical sonographer is a good idea from a professional standpoint. Registered diagnostic medical sonography is associated with responsible practice in the field. Thus when people know that you are registered with and certified by this organization, they can be fairly sure that you are moral, well educated, and reputable practitioner. In addition, other professionals in the field who are also registered will regard you as a colleague and be more likely to recommend you for jobs and network with you in various ways.

Employment Opportunities and Advantages

Related to the above is the fact that employers will be reassured as to your abilities, character, and general employability if you are registered. This can give you a big edge in your search for a good job position. You can put the registration and certification title on your resume. This is one of the credentials that employers like to see most. It attests to and certifies that you are well trained and knowledgeable.

Professional Confidence

Becoming a registered diagnostic medical sonography professional not only assures others of your capabilities, it assures you as well. The study for passing the exam is a great review of what you have learned in an educational program. And in taking the test you will prove to yourself that you have mastered the material in a generalized sense.

Becoming a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer is easy enough as long as your prepare well, both by getting involved in a good educational program and by studying for the exam. Considering that it is not too difficult, this is definitely an advisable step. It will help to boost your career and give you a sense of confidence in your own professional abilities.

The question of the prerequisites necessary to become a diagnostic medical sonographer revolves not so much around the legal requirements but rather around professional considerations. That is to say, there are few actual legal requirements concerning getting hired as sonographer. In most cases one could ostensibly be hired for a sonography position with nothing but a high school diploma. In practice however, the situation is quite different – employers expect to see that an individual is educated and well credentialed before hiring them. If the individual has experience at another sonography job so much the better. The prerequisites for diagnostic medical sonography, while not legal ones in the strict sense, are nevertheless important. It is highly advisable for an individual wishing to get into sonography to take various educational steps before hand if they wish to secure a good job position. These general prerequisites are as follows:

High School Diploma or GED

Given that most educational programs in diagnostic medical sonography are given at the collegiate level, having either a high school diploma or a General Education Diploma (GED) is usually necessary. There is essentially no college level program in sonography that would consider admitting an individual who did not have this basic educational credential unless it was some sort of advanced placement program for high school students.

Completion of a 1, 2, or 4 Year Program

The next prerequisite for getting into this field is completion of an educational/training program in diagnostic medical sonography. While, again, not legally mandated, employers are increasingly wishing to see that job applicants are well educated in a formal sense. The most common program durations/types are 1 year diploma/certificate programs and 2 year Associate’s degree programs. These programs cover all the basic knowledge and skill areas necessary to become a diagnostic medical sonographer and employers can thus feel relatively secure in hiring someone who has completed them. There are also 4 year Bachelor’s degree programs that go more in depth and may include instruction in other imaging types. This is one of the informal prerequisites for diagnostic medical sonography work, although it is one that upon going into the field a sonographer will not have too much of. The more they can get initially, however, the better.

Experience

Either in addition to, or possibly in place of, formal education experience is also an advantageous prerequisite to have from an employment standpoint. If someone has plenty of experience along with having completed a formal educational program such as those mentioned above, they are in a very good position indeed for being hired. If they have a lot of job experience without having completed a college program, this may work as a credential that is accepted in place of such a program.

Certification

An organization called the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) certifies diagnostic medical sonographers. This professional association gives exams in various diagnostic medical sonography specialties. This is one of the most impressive prerequisites, or at least credentials, for diagnostic medical sonography work. It shows that a sonographer has met national standards for competence in the field and it looks great on a resume.

These are the main prerequisites for diagnostic medical sonography. An individual who gets into this field would do well to see that they are met as much as is possible and convenient before searching for a job. While not legally stipulated, some fulfillment of these prerequisites is expected or favored by most employers.

One of the reasons that getting a degree in the diagnostic medical sonography, also known as diagnostic ultrasound, field is so popular is because it pays quite well. For a career path that you only need an Associate’s degree or even a diploma/certificate (i.e. from a one year program) to get into, being a diagnostic medical sonographer offers substantial salary potential. Let’s take a look at some actual statistical figures to see how much a diagnostic medical sonographer typically makes.

Salary Statistics

The website Salary.com gives some statistical figures for the current diagnostic medical sonography salary ranges. The median salary the site gives in the field is $64,844. Not too shabby. This is enough to live on quite comfortably. The median range runs from $59,259 to $70,898. Finally, they give the bottom 10% of the salary range as being under $54,174 and above $76,409.

It is clear from these figures that even the lowest salaries are still fairly substantial. Most people wouldn’t complain even about making $50,000 a year in a field that they enjoy and find interesting. And the chances are that you will make still better money than this either to start or as you progress in the field.

Factors That Affect Salary

The salary somebody makes as a medical sonographer can be influenced by a number of factors. The following are a few of these factors:

Education

The more education you have in the field, the better, at least to some extent. With advances in technology and the evolution of the field, having educational credentials can definitely be an asset. The standard degree level of a diagnostic medical sonographer is an Associate’s degree. There are however shorter and longer term programs – diploma type educational courses as well as Bachelor’s degree programs in sonography. One would expect that the shorter programs would result in a diagnostic medical sonographer being offered less as regards salary, and this is probably true in many cases. However it probably depends to a large degree on the job in question. Likewise, a Bachelor’s degree may qualify an individual for higher paying jobs but it depends as well on the position being offered. Suffice it to say that an education of an Associate’s degree level or higher is probably the surest bet for being offered a diagnostic medical sonography salary in the higher ranges.

Experience

The other big factor is experience. The classic reason for being offered a higher salary in any field is because an individual is experienced, and sonography is no exception. So as you accrue experience working in the field, you can expect your salary to steadily rise. Therefore it’s a good idea to emphasize any and all experience you may have when you apply to a sonography job. Even if you are just starting out you can, for instance, you can put together a resume that highlights the experience you’ve had doing clinical work at a school or hospital where you have trained.

Certification

Certification in this career is handled by a national professional organization called the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). They administer an exam which when passed grants the test taker the Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) title. Having a certification can, like education and experience, impress employers into offering you a higher salary. It is fairly easy to register for and pass these kinds of exams once you have completed your training, so it’s advisable to get this credential. It has employment benefits and generally establishes you as a reputable and competent practitioner.

Local Averages

Average salaries will vary from locality to locality. This variation depends on various economic factors that are active in a certain region. The figures given above are national ranges. To get a sense of the ranges in your particular state or locality, you can call simply call and ask employers what they pay or talk professionals already working in the field.

To get into this lucrative field you may only need to go to school for one to two years, so if it seems like it is for you get enrolled in a training program, do your best, and then get employed. The kind of diagnostic medical sonography salary you can expect will be enhanced by your educational and experience credentials. And unless your area is especially depressed economically, you can expect to find wages that are quite competitive as a diagnostic medical sonographer.

Diagnostic medical sonography jobs can be found in a variety of locations. This is a common type of imaging so it is used across a wide range of medical facility types. Furthermore, job demand for this work is expected to grow at a fast rate in the coming years. Diagnostic medical sonography jobs can be found in virtually any area of the country, pay well, and you don’t need a huge educational and time commitment to get into the field. The following are some of the common types of locations where diagnostic medical sonography jobs can be found:

Hospitals

Hospitals employ a lot of diagnostic medical sonography professionals. Imaging is needed to diagnose a variety of conditions, monitor prenatal development in pregnant women, and for emergency care. Since it is considered a fairly safe modality, sonography is employed in a number of ways for real time monitoring and imaging of sensitive areas of the body.

Physician’s Offices

The next big category is doctor’s offices. General practitioners, orthopedists, cardiologists, pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecologists, and so on all use diagnostic medical sonography extensively. They seek well trained and competent diagnostic medical sonography professionals that can handle the workload with efficiency and accuracy. Given that a certain area will have many physicians, and that demand is growing, there should be many such jobs opening up in the near future in your area as long as it’s a fairly typical locality.

Medical Laboratories

Medical laboratories, being places where diagnostic testing of many different types is regularly performed, are another important source of diagnostic medical sonography jobs. Medical labs are also located in many different areas. They need qualified professionals with a high standard of professionalism and accuracy, so the better trained and credentialed you are the better when applying to these kinds of diagnostic medical songraphy jobs.

Outpatient Care Centers

Outpatient care, also known as ambulatory care, is care that does not require overnight stays (as in, for instance, hospital care). This includes things like emergency rooms and clinics. These establishments are often involved in emergency care to some capacity or other, and diagnostic medical sonography is used in these kinds of situations quite frequently. For instance if somebody comes in with a broken bone, ultrasound can be used to quickly locate the break and assess the damage level. This allows medical professionals to take the appropriate steps toward stabilizing a patient’s condition.

These types of centers are also often involved in prenatal care, which can be done at outpatient care centers as long as it is not the actual birth process that is occurring. It is common for parents to get imaging work done at these types of locations. Parents may wish to simply get pictures of their baby or it may be recommended for medical purposes.

These are some of the types of locations at which diagnostic medical sonograpy jobs may be found. Your best bet is to apply to a number of different locations and to get a feel for what work will be like at various job sites. Hopefully the sites that you find most comfortable and interesting from a work standpoint will be where you find employment. You can even think in terms of working part time at more than one location in order to give yourself versatile experience and to guard against job monotony. Regardless, there are many sonography jobs available and, as noted, more will be opening up. So your employment prospects are good.