Illinois Sonography Tech Careers and Degrees
Receiving your Sonogram Technician Training in Illinois
When you are in sonogram technician training program in Illinois, you might be enrolled in classes such as the anatomy of the human body or clinical pathology. You may also learn to use ultrasound equipment with and without patients.
There are two options when you enroll in sonogram technician training. If you apply for an associate’s degree, it will take two years to obtain. If you apply to a bachelor’s degree program, you can expect to complete more academic classes, but a similar amount of hands-on training to learn how to use the equipment properly. The bachelors degree will grow over a period of four years.
Students can enroll in a diagnostic medical sonography certificate or an applied science degree program when in Illinois. Again, most of the degree programs will require between one and four years.
Sonography Technician Licensing in Illinois
Certificates in diagnostic medical sonography in Illinois will require between one and two years to complete. Students must complete a training program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Illinois may require one year of work in a clinical setting. This work should be sponsored by the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) to obtain licensing. The certification process begins with ARDMS, and the application process can begin online.
The duration will depend on the type of program you want to complete. Many people will enroll in certificate sonography program in Illinois and be required to complete classes such as sonography physics, clinical pathology, anatomy of the human body, imaging and echocardiography, and ultrasound equipment. These classes will prepare people for the certificate level classes.
Career Outlook for Sonogram Technicians in Illinois
Diagnostic medical sonographers is a field that is expected to grow 44 percent from 2010 to 2020, as reported by the BLS. This is a good statistic for most people who are looking for job stability. Experts expect that the use of sonography will continue to increase as patients request to decrease exposure to radiation and invasive procedures. Diagnostic medical sonographers may find jobs in outpatient care and also in hospitals, but they are more likely to find a job in an outpatient facility since that’s the recent trend.