2 Year Ultrasound Technician Program Falmouth ME - Become an Ultrasound Technician

How to Select the Right Ultrasound Tech Degree Program near Falmouth Maine

Falmouth ME ultrasound technician with patient Once you have made a decision to obtain an ultrasound technician degree near Falmouth ME, the next step is to begin the process of selecting a school. First, you must find the right program that will furnish the appropriate training to become a qualified professional. And since some states do mandate that ultrasound techs be either licensed or certified, depending on your residence you may also need preparation to pass a licensing or certification examination. So it’s very important that you research each program in order to evaluate and compare your alternatives. But exactly where does one start? Most individuals will start by looking for schools that are within driving distance of their homes and then by comparing tuition. Of course cost and location must be taken into account when making a decision, but there are other critical factors also. For example, if the ultrasound technician schools have earned accreditation or if they offer internships. These and other qualifiers will be discussed more in depth later in this post. But to start with, let’s go over what a sonogram tech does and the degrees and online training programs that are available.

Sonographer Occupation Description

Falmouth ME sonographer testing pregnant woman There are more than one professional titles for ultrasound techs (technicians). They are also called sonogram techs, diagnostic medical sonographers (or just sonographers) and ultrasound technologists. No matter what their title is, they all have the same basic job function, which is to carry out diagnostic ultrasound procedures on patients. Although a number of techs work as generalists there are specializations within the profession, for instance in cardiology and pediatrics. Most work in Falmouth ME clinics, hospitals, private practices or outpatient diagnostic imaging centers. Typical daily job duties of a sonogram tech may involve:

Keeping records of patient medical histories and details of each procedure
Counseling patients by explaining the procedures and answering questions
Prepping the ultrasound machines for use and then sterilizing and recalibrating them
Escorting patients to treatment rooms and making them comfortable
Operating equipment while limiting patient exposure to sound waves
Reviewing the results and identifying need for additional testing

Ultrasound techs must routinely evaluate the performance and safety of their machines. They also must adhere to a high professional standard and code of conduct as medical practitioners. In order to maintain that level of professionalism and remain current with medical knowledge, they are mandated to complete continuing education courses on a regular basis.

Sonogram Technician Degree Programs Available

Falmouth ME ultrasound tech testing pregnant woman Ultrasound tech enrollees have the choice to earn either an Associate or a Bachelor’s Degree. An Associate Degree will usually require about 18 months to 2 years to finish dependent on the program and class load. A Bachelor’s Degree will take longer at up to 4 years to finish. Another alternative for those who have already obtained a college degree is a post graduate certificate program. If you have earned a Bachelor’s Degree in any major or an Associate Degree in a relevant health sector, you can enroll in a certificate program that will take just 12 to 18 months to finish. One thing to consider is that the majority of sonographer colleges do have a clinical training component as part of their course of study. It often may be fulfilled by participating in an internship program which many colleges set up through Falmouth ME hospitals and clinics. Once you have graduated from any of the certificate or degree programs, you will then have to satisfy the certification or licensing requirements in Maine or whichever state you elect to practice in.

Online Ultrasound Tech Colleges

woman attending online sonography school in Falmouth ME As previously mentioned, nearly all ultrasound technician schools have a clinical requirement to their programs. So although you can earn a degree or certificate online, a substantial portion of the training will be either conducted in an on-campus laboratory or at a sponsored off campus facility. Clinical training can typically be fulfilled by means of an internship at a local Falmouth ME hospital, outpatient clinic or private practice. However the remainder of the training and classes can be attended online in your Falmouth home. This is especially beneficial for those individuals that continue working while getting their degrees. In addition online programs are frequently less costly than traditional options. Expenses for study materials and commuting may be lessened as well. But similarly as with every ultrasound tech program you are reviewing, make sure that the online program you enroll in is accredited. Among the most highly respected accrediting agencies is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Accreditation is especially significant for certification, licensing and finding employment (more on accreditation later). So if you are disciplined enough to attend classes outside of the classroom in the convenience of your own home, then an online school may be the right choice for you.

Subjects to Ask Sonogram Tech Schools

Questions to ask Falmouth ME ultrasound tech schools Once you have decided on which certificate or degree that you would like to obtain, you can initiate the procedure of evaluating and comparing ultrasound technician schools. You may first want to decide whether you will attend classes online or commute to a school campus in the Falmouth ME area. Naturally location will be important if you decide on the latter, and the price of tuition undoubtedly will be an important qualifier also. But there are additional things that you must also take into consideration, such as if the programs are accredited and if they provide internship programs. So in order to complete your due diligence so that you can arrive at your ultimate selection, below are a few questions that you need ask each sonographer college before deciding.

Are the Sonogram Tech Schools Accredited? A large number of sonogram technician colleges have earned some form of accreditation, whether national or regional. However, it’s still crucial to verify that the program and school are accredited. Among the most highly regarded accrediting organizations in the field of sonography is the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS). Programs receiving accreditation from the JRC-DMS have undergone an extensive examination of their instructors and educational materials. If the program is online it might also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which targets distance or online education. All accrediting organizations should be acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. Besides guaranteeing a premium education, accreditation will also help in obtaining financial assistance and student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited colleges. Accreditation might also be a pre-requisite for certification and licensing as required. And a number of Falmouth ME health facilities will only hire a graduate of an accredited school for entry level jobs.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the ultrasound tech programs you are evaluating have associations with Falmouth ME hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a way to satisfy the practical training requirement for the majority of programs. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional connections in the Falmouth health care community and assist with job placement.

Is Job Placement Assistance available? You will most likely want to hit the ground running after graduation, but getting that first job in a new profession can be difficult without assistance. Find out if the ultrasound tech programs you are assessing have job assistance programs and what their success rates are. High and rapid placement rates are an excellent sign that the schools have large networks and great relationships with Maine healthcare employers. It also substantiates that their graduates are well regarded and in demand.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Falmouth ME residence. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the sonogram technician program as well.

Does the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the sonographer school you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Falmouth ME area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in an Ultrasound Tech Program near Falmouth ME?

If you are considering a Sonography Tech School near Falmouth Maine, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new school campus.

Falmouth, Maine

Falmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 11,185 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.

Native Americans followed receding glaciers into Maine around 11,000 BC. At the time of European contact in the sixteenth century, people speaking an Eastern dialect of the Wabanaki language inhabited present-day Falmouth. Captain John Smith observed a semi-autonomous band known as the Aucocisco living in Casco Bay. English explorer Christopher Levett met with the Aucocisco Sagamore Skittery Gusset at his summer village at the Presumpscot Falls in 1623.

A combination of warfare and disease decimated Native peoples in the years before English colonization, creating a "shatter zone" of devastation and political instability in what would become southern Maine. The introduction of European wares in the 1500s reoriented long-standing Native trade relationships in the Gulf of Maine. Warfare soon broke out among groups such as the Mi'kmaq and Penobscot who sought to subjugate their neighbors by monopolizing access to European goods. The arrival of foreign pathogens only served to compound the upheaval in the region. A particularly notorious epidemic between 1614 and 1620 ravaged the population of coastal New England with mortality rates at upwards of 90 percent. Native peoples were not totally destroyed however, maintaining a presence in the Casco Bay area until King George's War in the 1740s. French military defeat and increasing English settler migration to the area from primarily southern New England impelled most Native Americans to assimilate into European society, migrate toward the protection of New France or further up the coast where they remain today.[4]

Falmouth's original bounds encompassed the present day cities of Portland, South Portland, Westbrook and Cape Elizabeth. Today’s town was known as New Casco, and was only a neighborhood within the larger collection of communities around Casco Bay centered in what is downtown Portland. Falmouth’s early years were marked by extreme violence as it lay on a borderland zone between Europeans and Native Americans. Casco Bay represented the northernmost point of English settlement on the east coast until 1713. Numerous wars between 1675-1763 among the English, French, and Native Americans rarely left Falmouth unscathed from the violence. The English twice abandoned Casco Bay altogether under pressure from French and Indian attacks in 1676 and 1690.

Find the Right 2 Year Ultrasound Technician Program Falmouth ME

Selecting the right sonographer degree or certificate program is a vital first step to launching a gratifying new profession furnishing diagnostic services to patients. Ultrasound tech colleges require that you have earned a high school diploma or a GED. Along with meeting academic standards, you need to be in at least reasonably good physical health, able to stand for prolonged periods and able to routinely lift weights of 50 pounds or more, as is it frequently necessary to adjust patients and maneuver heavy machines. Additional preferred skills include technical aptitude, the ability to stay levelheaded when faced with an anxious or angry patient and the ability to communicate in a clear and compassionate manner. You originally came to this website due to an interest in 2 Year Ultrasound Technician Program. However, as we have covered in this post, there are several questions that you should ask each program you are looking at. This holds true whether you select an online degree or commute to the school campus to attend classes. And by asking the appropriate questions so that you can compare each college, you will be able to narrow down your choices until you are left with the best program for your education. And with the right training, dedication and determination to succeed, you can reach your goal to practice as an ultrasound tech in Falmouth ME.