Career Choice: Pediatrics in Sonography
Like other medical careers, sonographers have an opportunity to choose from a variety of specialties. Sonography is generally divided into four major specialties according the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education (CAAHEP) – general, cardiac, vascular, and pediatric cardiac sonography. There many more specialties that fall under general sonography, each requiring a different specialty certificate and examination.
Pediatrics is one of the popular ultrasound career paths, because of high salary and demand. But a question common asked by students how to become a pediatric cardiac sonographer.
Pediatric Sonography
Sonography curricula are typically focused on adult organ systems and structures. The process is usually viewed using a perspective on adult patients. Today, programs that focus solely on pediatric cardiac sonography are available in three schools in the United States, all accredited by CAAHEP. These schools offer certificate, associate, and baccalaureate courses throughout the academic year.
1. Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, CA – Certificate
2. Alvin Community College, Alvin, TX – Certificate, Associate
3. University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee – Milwaukee, WI – Baccalaureate
Pediatrics is one of the popular ultrasound career paths, because of high salary and demand. But a question common asked by students how to become a pediatric cardiac sonographer.
Pediatric Sonography
Sonography curricula are typically focused on adult organ systems and structures. The process is usually viewed using a perspective on adult patients. Today, programs that focus solely on pediatric cardiac sonography are available in three schools in the United States, all accredited by CAAHEP. These schools offer certificate, associate, and baccalaureate courses throughout the academic year.
1. Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, CA – Certificate
2. Alvin Community College, Alvin, TX – Certificate, Associate
3. University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee – Milwaukee, WI – Baccalaureate
An Overview of Sonography in the US
By May 2013, there were 58,250 sonographers working in the United States. Employment is predicted to increase by 46 percent in the span of ten years, between 2012 and 22 - faster than any other occupation in the country, and faster than the overall growth rate of 11 percent. Compared to similar diagnostic occupations, sonography still has better job growth, in terms of both salary and employment.
According to a survey by the Society for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), almost half (43.4 percent) of pediatric sonographers earned more than $80,000 or more annually. They are the highest-paid specialty, tied up with neurosonographers who earn along the same lines annually. This contributes greatly to the influx of students studying pediatric cardiac sonography.
The ARDMS PS Exam
After you graduate from a pediatric cardiac program, you have to take a certification exam before applying to jobs. Certification exams from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) are not mandated by law, but are common requirements when applying for work in the field of sonography. Certified sonographers have better advancement opportunities than sonographers who aren’t. More often than not, an employer will choose a certified sonographer over one who isn’t.
The PS (Pediatric Sonography) specialty examination is a new exam offered by the ARDMS, for prospective pediatric sonographers. The specialty examination will be first administered by February 2015, in select window periods. The exam itself is three hours long, with 170 multiple-choice questions. As with other specialty exams, students have to take the Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) exam first. The SPI exam does not have to be taken again if the sonographer plans on becoming certified in another specialty.
If you plan on taking sonography and specializing in pediatrics, be prepared for hard work, but also for the rewards of working with children. You can visit the links above for more information.
By May 2013, there were 58,250 sonographers working in the United States. Employment is predicted to increase by 46 percent in the span of ten years, between 2012 and 22 - faster than any other occupation in the country, and faster than the overall growth rate of 11 percent. Compared to similar diagnostic occupations, sonography still has better job growth, in terms of both salary and employment.
According to a survey by the Society for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), almost half (43.4 percent) of pediatric sonographers earned more than $80,000 or more annually. They are the highest-paid specialty, tied up with neurosonographers who earn along the same lines annually. This contributes greatly to the influx of students studying pediatric cardiac sonography.
The ARDMS PS Exam
After you graduate from a pediatric cardiac program, you have to take a certification exam before applying to jobs. Certification exams from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) are not mandated by law, but are common requirements when applying for work in the field of sonography. Certified sonographers have better advancement opportunities than sonographers who aren’t. More often than not, an employer will choose a certified sonographer over one who isn’t.
The PS (Pediatric Sonography) specialty examination is a new exam offered by the ARDMS, for prospective pediatric sonographers. The specialty examination will be first administered by February 2015, in select window periods. The exam itself is three hours long, with 170 multiple-choice questions. As with other specialty exams, students have to take the Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) exam first. The SPI exam does not have to be taken again if the sonographer plans on becoming certified in another specialty.
If you plan on taking sonography and specializing in pediatrics, be prepared for hard work, but also for the rewards of working with children. You can visit the links above for more information.