While becoming an ultrasound technician can be a highly rewarding career, it takes hard work and dedication to succeed, which is true of any career in the burgeoning healthcare field. By carefully choosing among the best ultrasound schools in NJ, you can set the stage for a career that can provide almost limitless advancement.
Today’s ultrasound technicians can be found as vital diagnosticians for all aspects of healthcare where obstetrics and gynecology are only the beginning. Today’s ultrasound technician can be found providing diagnostic imaging for every region of the body. These include the abdomen, chest and back as well as other areas where they can be skilled in helping to detect a variety of ailments and disease states.
Each of these areas requires specialized knowledge that is built on the foundation obtained in initial education. This means that it is critical to graduate with more than just a diploma. A career-oriented person that wants to excel in the field of ultrasound must carefully choose the school that can provide this robust level of education to be able to successfully pursue certification.
While leading ultrasound schools in NJ and around the country may say they offer entry to a rewarding career, not all school programs are created equally. For instance, it is possible to find employment in the ultrasound field directly out of school without further certification. Although the opportunities for non-certified graduates may appear to be more limited at first glance, the schools they attend have something in common with students that go on to earn their certifications— the ultrasound schools that they attend provide a strong grounding in more than just the fundamentals of ultrasound.
You may not be able to tell from their curriculum, but you can glean a lot from their student retention rate as well as their successful placement ratio after graduation. The best schools will not only offer one-year programs but also two year programs in ultrasound technology.
The best of these schools have a high student retention rate as well as placement rate for graduates across the board. Any school with these criteria is quick to tout these statistics, and a little research can provide numerous reviews that substantiate those stats.
While accredited schools that offer bachelor’s degree programs (four years) in ultrasound technology may appear to be the ideal scenario for many prospective students, the reality is that some of the leading ultrasound schools in NJ and around the country provide accredited two-year programs. The keys to finding the right school that lays the foundation for career advancement are based more on the teaching staff, a combination of advanced and current technology use in the education environment, and rigor of the curriculum than the program’s duration.
The right school with these attributes can provide the dedicated student with the education that they need to successfully pursue certification; such as through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). Along with other widely accepted accreditation bodies, ARDMS provides examinations for certification in general as well as a variety of sub specializations within the ultrasound field.
The educational criteria for eligibility to take these exams varies to some degree, but generally, the best accredited two-year ultrasound schools in NJ and around the country can provide the level of education needed to pass the applicable exams. It is important to remember that certification may be able to open more doors for an ultrasound technician school graduate, but a good school can provide entry-level career opportunities to those students that are dedicated to getting the most out of the education that is being offered.
In other words, once you choose the right school you will be poised for a rewarding career as an ultrasound technician. Prospective students must remember that the right school also requires that the student have the drive, work ethic, and dedication necessary to enter almost any healthcare field and then to advance.