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    The best career option for anyone looking for a stable job is to enter the field of healthcare. One such job that is currently hot on the healthcare market is in sonography. Those who specialize in sonograms are called ultrasound technicians or sonographers. Ultrasound technicians are highly skilled individuals that perform diagnostic exams on patients with the aid of an ultrasound machine. With the help of an instrument called a transducer, the sonographer uses sound waves to bounce off targeted organs in order to provide a real time view of a specific organ inside the body. Once the targeted organ has been found, they can take a picture of it for diagnostic purposes.

    Ultrasonographers need a good eye for attention to detail as their findings will help doctors diagnose patients better. They need critical thinking skills during emergency situations and must be attentive to provide a comprehensive view of the patient’s body. Another important skill of an ultrasonographer is having strong interpersonal skills. They need to establish rapport quickly as they prepare a patient for the tests. Patients who are ill are often irritable and need to be coaxed into following instructions.

    An ultrasound technologist earns a certificate by getting an education in schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation on Allied Health Programs. The minimum requirement for entering a course is having a high school diploma or a GED certificate. A fast track course will take about a year to complete. Fast track courses are especially helpful for healthcare professionals who want to branch out into another field of healthcare. A two year course will result in an associate’s degree. A four year course in sonography will earn a bachelor’s degree with possible potential for administrative positions.

    The more years you build up on your educational background, the higher you salary will be. Salaries for ultrasound technicians will depend on education, trainings and experience. While there are many opportunities for new graduates, those who have accumulated a year’s worth of experience will have better chances of finding an employer. Most employers prefer someone who has experience as they need little or no supervision while working. On the other hand, new graduates are easier to hire because they are willing to work during the hours where the experienced ultrasonographers would refuse.

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    Considering a career in radiology? Then you might be interested in becoming an x-Ray technician! The x-ray is one of the oldest and most non-invasive methods for diagnosing a patient’s medical condition or illness. X-ray technicians are indispensable members of the radiology team as they take images or plates of bones or organs with the aid of an x-ray machine. With their help, doctors and nurse practitioners can work together to find the proper treatment required by a patient.  X-ray technicians can work in hospitals, doctor’s clinics, nursing homes and even dental offices. He can even work in the field during emergency situations that require the immediate use of a portable x-ray machine.

    It comes as no surprise that most x-ray technicians are actually men. Repeated exposure to the radiation without proper protective equipment can pose as a possible health hazard for those working in the radiology department. Women are not advised to spend too much time in the radiology department when they are expecting a child as the radiation poses a potential risk for the life she is carrying inside of her. Men are ideal x-ray technicians because of their capacity to carry heavy objects. Sometimes, the patients that are admitted are unable to move because of an accident that occurred, and it is the x-ray technician’s job to ensure that the patient is positioned properly.

    An x-ray technician should have several working traits available to him as well. He needs to know how to deal with people who are uncooperative or hard to teach on a daily basis. Though most of his clients are quite compliant, there are times when he needs to exercise his restraint when a patient begins to reveal character flaws such as suddenly becoming irritable and obstinate. He should also be very ethical. Though an x-ray technician can read the films and be able to point out which patient has poor prognosis, he is not allowed in any way to divulge the information to anyone or anybody- not even the patient herself. Only the Physician can discuss the results of the patient on the x-ray. He cannot tell the patient even if the results on the x-ray are normal. An x-ray technician should have a good grasp of the medical terminologies used so he can communicate his findings accurately on the result.

    In order to get a better than average salary, x-ray technicians can opt to further their education by enrolling in schools that offer additional trainings. They can then branch to other fields in the department such as learning how to perform sonograms, magnetic resonance imaging, and CT scans. The more equipment they can learn to master, the better their chances will be at earning a very stable income.