Sonography Programs Texas
Sonography programs are best for people interested in diagnostic medical sonography and who want to make a career in this field.
Sonographers can earn handsome incomes and have ample career opportunities, especially in Texas.
Most sonography programs require in-person attendance due to the hands-on nature of the training.
Your decision to choose offline or online is yours, as you know your schedule better than anyone else. Texas is home to several medical institutions that offer sonography programs.
You can enroll in a medical sonography program at accredited Texas medical institutions. This will help you fulfill your dream of becoming a medical sonographer.
What is the Job of a Sonographer?
Sonographers typically work with imaging equipment to perform procedures such as sonograms or ultrasounds in a hospital, imaging clinic, or physician’s office.
Imaging procedures, such as sonograms or ultrasounds, are used to diagnose medical conditions. As a sonographer, you must ensure that a patient’s purpose for completing these procedures is fulfilled.
To become a sonographer, you need to have a certificate or a degree in sonography. Let us discuss sonography programs in detail.
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Visualizing the Living Body: Diagnostic Imaging
Sonography Programs Texas – Types of Sonography Programs in Texas
Sonography programs are mainly three types: certificate, diploma, and degree. The decision to choose among the programs depends on your previous education.
Certificate and diploma programs are often designed for those with or without a degree in allied healthcare, depending on the program’s specific prerequisites. They can become sonographers by getting a certificate or associate degree.
A bachelor’s degree in sonography typically requires completion of secondary education and may be suitable for those without a healthcare background.
Below is the table that lists the three types of sonography programs, including program duration and program costs.
| Type of Program | Program Duration | Program Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 10-18 Months | $2,710 – $25,020 |
| Diploma or Associate Degree | Two Years | $5,250 – $39,410 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | Four Years | $23,360 – $86,210 |
Most medical facilities in Texas prefer or require certification for sonographer positions. They hire you based on your education.
Having an associate degree or higher in sonography is commonly acceptable to be hired as a sonographer. However, a bachelor’s degree in allied health and a certificate or associate degree in sonography are also acceptable.
Keep this statement as it is accurate but note the previous correction regarding the requirement/preference for certification.
A certification from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) is what you should go for.
An ARDMS certification helps you get a job. To get the certification, you must pass an ARDMS examination.
The sonography, Principles, and Instrumentation (SPI) Exam is the main examination you must clear to get the certification.
Additionally, there is another exam based on the specialty you are looking for, such as abdominal, breast, cardiac, vascular, and neurosonography.
To become a registered sonographer, you have to pass these two examinations. You can apply for these two examinations by registering yourself at myardms.ardms.org.
What’s next after filling out the application form for the SPI exam
The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) will review your application, and the review process involves the below-mentioned steps:
- Once your application reaches ARDMS, it will review your documentation and compare your education with one of the published examination prerequisites.
- Next, it will send eligible applicants an Examination Confirmation Letter within four weeks of your application submission. That letter contains information like the exam you are approved to take. Also, ARDMS will inform you about the 90-day period during which the exam has to be scheduled at an approved testing site.
- The Examination Confirmation Letter details scheduling your exam, often including a website address or contact information for testing centers. Examinations are administered at Pearson VUE test centers, though not online; they are taken in person.
- The preliminary exam scores are sent to you immediately after the exam. A copy is also sent to ARDMS.
- Candidates who successfully pass the exam will receive the credential. They will receive a certification packet containing a temporary ARDMS Identification (ID) card and an official letter. Later, the successful candidates will receive the original ARDMS Identification cards.
- The names of the successful candidates are added to the ARDMS online directory so potential employers can contact you for hiring.
1. Concorde Career Colleges, Inc.
Concorde Career Colleges, Inc. maintains 17 campuses in eight states. Their primary goal is to offer training to the next generation of dental and healthcare professionals and help them grow in their careers.
Online learning combines on-site lab sessions and clinical encounters under their Concorde blended education concept.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program
An ultrasound is a non-invasive procedure that may be used to see interior organs, which are the first to be checked for illness. It is a 21-month course with 80.5 credit hours and 300 lab hours. Students can learn the technical skills necessary to grow professionally during this associate degree program in diagnostic medical sonography.
Students learn about carrying out diagnostic procedures, getting pictures, identifying aberrant pathology inside the body, and communicating oral or written summaries of exams to doctors for diagnosis.
After completing this program, you can develop the clinical skills to perform the necessary operations and document anatomical, pathologic, and physiologic data. You may start thinking critically and improve your problem-solving skills.
After graduation, you can apply for work at different hospitals, acute care facilities, private practices, laboratories, and clinics.
Cardiovascular Sonography Program
A cardiovascular sonographer receives training to use imaging technology and help physicians diagnose heart problems in patients.
Cardiac sonographers take pictures of the heart’s chambers, blood vessels, and valves to help a cardiologist identify patients with cardiac problems, heart disease, or congenital anomalies and create treatment plans for them.
The Cardiovascular Sonography Associate Degree program here equips you with essential technical and soft skills healthcare professionals require. It is a 21-month course with 85.5 credit hours and 300 lab hours.
In this course, you will learn to do echocardiograms and other ultrasound scans of the vascular system and heart.
The experts will teach you to prepare reports for doctors and other care team members, collect data, and assess the quality of tests.
2. Dallas College
Dallas College works to preserve Dallas’s economic health, growth, and viability for the next generation. It offers multiple quality sonography educational programs for its students.
Cardiac Sonography
Their excellent staff and first-rate clinical rotations offer the students an outstanding learning opportunity and prepare them for their professional lives. As a student of Cardiac Sonography at Dallas College, you may receive local and national recognition.
They offer two certification programs for cardiac sonography students: The Adult Cardiac Sonography certification and the Pediatric Cardiac Sonography certification.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
This course offers classroom sessions and hands-on experience in the ultrasound scanning lab and through clinical rotations at local hospitals and other healthcare institutions.
They offer two certification programs for diagnostic medical sonography: Diagnostic Medical Sonography Advanced Technical Certificate and Diagnostic Medical Sonography A.A.S.
List of Sonography Technician Schools in Texas
Many institutions offer certificate, associate, and degree programs in sonography; however, a few rank higher. Below is the list of top institutions to enroll yourself in a sonography program:
Weatherford College – Weatherford
Midland College – Midland
Lone Star College – Cypress
El Centro College – Dallas
Del Mar College – Corpus Christi
Angelina College – Lufkin
El Paso Community College – El Paso
San Jacinto College – Central – Pasadena
Tyler Junior College – Tyler
Pima Medical Institute – Houston & El Paso
Conclusion
Becoming a sonographer can be an excellent career option. This post provides detailed information about programs, especially if you are interested in medical sonography.
Also, you will find names of the top institutions that can enroll you in a sonography program.
Sonography Programs in the US by State (Map)
See Also
Sonography Programs in Alabama
Sonography Programs in Florida
Sonography Programs in New York
Sonography Programs in California
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