January 23, 2009

Diagnostic medical sonographer

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Pay: The 660 medical sonographers in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area earned a median wage of $35.17 an hour or $73,150 a year in 2007, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half earned between $66,210 and $81,050.

The job: Diagnostic medical sonographers use special equipment to direct high-frequency sound waves into areas of the patient's body. The reflected echoes form an image that may be videotaped, transmitted, or photographed for interpretation and diagnosis by a physician. More than half of all jobs were in public and private hospitals, which can include night and weekend work. The rest were typically in offices of physicians, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and mobile-imaging services. Sonographers may specialize in imaging obstetrics and gynecology, the abdomen, the brain or the breast.

Demand: Faster-than-average employment growth is expected. Job opportunities should be favorable.

Training: Sonographers train in hospitals, vocational-technical institutions, two- and four-year colleges, and the Armed Forces. Employers prefer those who trained in programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Allied Health Education Programs and who are registered with the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Sonographers must complete a required number of continuing-education hours to maintain registration and to stay abreast of technological advancements.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: www.stats.bls.gov/oco

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