CAAHEP-Accredited Ultrasound Technician Schools in Chicago
Chicago ranks third among the most populous states in the United States, and is home to several schools that offer Diagnostic Medical Sonography training. With over 2.7 million people living in Chicago, you can expect that they have a veritable army of students looking to apply to college-level degree programs. There are only two CAAHEP-accredited ultrasound technician schools in Chicago in 2017. You can read more about these 2 accredited ultrasound technician schools in Chicago through the link.
Applying to Radiology Technician Schools in Chicago
The application process to any college-level program is pretty straightforward, although there are several steps you must undertake.
1. Choosing your program length is the first step. Ultrasound tech programs are offered in three program lengths: bachelor degree, associate degree, and certificate. Bachelor degree programs are the longest, taking four years to complete, but is the easiest to apply to. All a student needs is a high school diploma or GED. Associate degree programs take two years to complete and require students to have completed a certain number of general education units before application. Certificate programs are the shortest, taking 12 to 18 months to complete and are offered to students who have previously taken an allied health education program and/or is working as a healthcare professional.
2. Choosing your major is the next step. There are four major sonography programs you can apply to: general, cardiac, vascular, and pediatric cardiac sonography. General sonography covers the areas that the other three majors don’t --- from breast to abdominal sonography. Cardiac sonography focuses on the heart, vascular sonography on the blood vessels, and pediatric cardiac sonography on pediatric cases.
3. Choosing your school. After you’ve narrowed down the exact kind of sonography degree programs you want, choosing your school is the next logical step. You know have to find a school that offers the program you need --- and the CAAHEP website can help you. The website helps narrow down your options based on program length, major, city, and state.
Ultrasound Salary in Illinois
In the Unites States, sonographers are among the top-earning medical professionals. Diagnostic medical sonographers earn more than $70,000 annually, with a mean hourly wage of roughly $34. These values are much higher than the nationwide annual salary of $48,000 and mean hourly wage of $17. Certain cities in the US offer annual salaries of as much as $100,000. In fact, the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights metropolitan area is among the areas with the highest employment levels in the United States, with 1,010 sonographers working in those cities. The annual salary in that area is higher as well -- $77,200 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Learning about Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Sonography is a popular procedure typically used on pregnant women to assess the health of their babies. However, this procedure can also be used on different organs like the heart, internal organs of the abdomen, and even the brain. A sonogram machine uses sound waves that are sent from a handheld transducer to the body part being assessed. The sound waves travel through the skin, bounce off of solid structures, and come back to the machine wherein an image is created. This is done with invasive procedures like surgery which minimize risk during the diagnostic process.
The application process to any college-level program is pretty straightforward, although there are several steps you must undertake.
1. Choosing your program length is the first step. Ultrasound tech programs are offered in three program lengths: bachelor degree, associate degree, and certificate. Bachelor degree programs are the longest, taking four years to complete, but is the easiest to apply to. All a student needs is a high school diploma or GED. Associate degree programs take two years to complete and require students to have completed a certain number of general education units before application. Certificate programs are the shortest, taking 12 to 18 months to complete and are offered to students who have previously taken an allied health education program and/or is working as a healthcare professional.
2. Choosing your major is the next step. There are four major sonography programs you can apply to: general, cardiac, vascular, and pediatric cardiac sonography. General sonography covers the areas that the other three majors don’t --- from breast to abdominal sonography. Cardiac sonography focuses on the heart, vascular sonography on the blood vessels, and pediatric cardiac sonography on pediatric cases.
3. Choosing your school. After you’ve narrowed down the exact kind of sonography degree programs you want, choosing your school is the next logical step. You know have to find a school that offers the program you need --- and the CAAHEP website can help you. The website helps narrow down your options based on program length, major, city, and state.
Ultrasound Salary in Illinois
In the Unites States, sonographers are among the top-earning medical professionals. Diagnostic medical sonographers earn more than $70,000 annually, with a mean hourly wage of roughly $34. These values are much higher than the nationwide annual salary of $48,000 and mean hourly wage of $17. Certain cities in the US offer annual salaries of as much as $100,000. In fact, the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights metropolitan area is among the areas with the highest employment levels in the United States, with 1,010 sonographers working in those cities. The annual salary in that area is higher as well -- $77,200 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Learning about Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Sonography is a popular procedure typically used on pregnant women to assess the health of their babies. However, this procedure can also be used on different organs like the heart, internal organs of the abdomen, and even the brain. A sonogram machine uses sound waves that are sent from a handheld transducer to the body part being assessed. The sound waves travel through the skin, bounce off of solid structures, and come back to the machine wherein an image is created. This is done with invasive procedures like surgery which minimize risk during the diagnostic process.