Cardiac Ultrasound Programs in Idaho
Like many states around the country, Idaho is undergoing a period of growth regarding health care jobs. A representative from the state’s Department of Labor recently told a local NBC station in Idaho Falls that the need for health care workers has increased because of a growing elderly population. In addition, the state has been trying to overcome a shortage of health care workers, such as a recent shortage of highly skilled nurses.
If you are interested in entering healthcare, but are not sure where you fit in, you may want to check out cardiac ultrasound. You can request information directly from the schools on our page to learn about options to become an echo tech in Idaho, which can be a rewarding and fulfilling career.
One of the benefits of cardiac ultrasound training in Idaho is that the industry offers many full-time positions and is also poised for future growth nationwide. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the typical job for a diagnostic imaging worker is full time. Some jobs also feature benefits and investment opportunities like 401K plans. Further, many positions are open to recent graduates who aren’t yet veterans in the industry.
Once you earn your associate’s degree and become certified, you may find many potential job opportunities within Idaho and the surrounding states. Certification is available through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS). Doctors rely on the expertise of their cardiac sonographers to ensure significant pathology that requires immediate action is brought quickly to the physician’s attention. Therefore, echo techs are an important part of the medical facility in which they work.
Echo Tech/Cardiac Ultrasound Education in Idaho
Before graduating high school, students who want to enroll in an ultrasound education program will want to concentrate on science, as well as take extra health-oriented classes like biology, anatomy, and physiology classes. Once enrolled in a program, you will further their science and technology education with classes like Human Anatomy and Physiology, Quality Issues in Healthcare, and Abdominal Sonography. In addition, most programs require a clinical internship where you will observe actual work in a medical environment like a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office.
The purpose of the clinical internship is to offer you practical experience in an environment that will match the one you may eventually work in after graduation. The ARDMS requires educational and internship prerequisites that a clinical internship helps satisfy.
Students interested in scholarships will want to look at the offerings from the Idaho Area Health Education Center. Students who want to serve their communities will want to check out the resources of the National Health Service Corp (NSHC). This federal agency offers repayment assistance and scholarship awards to qualified students in health care.
Echo Tech Careers in Idaho
With an echo tech degree, you may have a diverse set of opportunities as far as job title and place of employment are concerned. However, before seeking employment, it’s important to seek credentialing with the ARDMS or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
For further guidance on credentialing, graduates may want to learn about the American Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Credentialing International. Most employers require certification; however, entry-level jobs are available to new graduates, so finding available employment becomes easier with certification.
In addition to the various work environments available to students with an echo tech degree, students have access to a variety of jobs within the industry. For example, many graduates choose to become echo technologists in hospitals while other techs may hold jobs like Supervisory Medical Instrument Technician or Diagnostic Cardiovascular Sonographer.
According to recent figures provided by the state government of Idaho, job growth has accelerated in the past few years as the economy has improved and expanded. The government listed health care as one of the industries showing recent growth with new jobs. Diagnostic medical sonographers earn a median annual salary of $62,150 in Idaho, according to the BLS (2013) data.
If you are ready to learn more about getting started in this career, contact the echo tech programs in Idaho you find on our site, and start comparing program information today.