Sonography

"I love how much hands-on experience we get in this program. A majority of the learning through the program comes from practicing within the clinic and hospitals, which truly prepares students for their future careers. The clinical experience is like job training. Being at Mayo Clinic allows us to see some of the most rare and interesting pathologies." - Kaylee, Sonograpy Student

The Bachelor of Science in Health Professions (BSHP) Sonography program

delivers upper-division curriculum designed to prepare students to become competent, entry-level sonographers in an environment based on teamwork and mutual respect.

Students will have the opportunity to train in the following specialties: abdomen, obstetrics, gynecology and peripheral vascular. The program offers an exceptional educational experience by providing high-quality didactic and clinical experiences that prepare students to:

Perform patient assessments
Acquire and analyze data obtained using ultrasound and related diagnostic technologies
Provide a summary of findings to the physician to aid in patient diagnosis and management
Use independent judgment and systematic problem-solving methods to produce high-quality diagnostic information and optimize patient care

Careers
Sonographers use ultrasound technology to diagnose, monitor and treat a variety of medical conditions. More doctors are turning to sonographers for images because they do not expose patients to radiation the way x-rays do. The types of images that sonographers will be able to take are expected to evolve rapidly.

As imaging technology evolves, medical facilities will continue to use ultrasound to replace more invasive, costly procedures. Ultrasound is often less expensive than other imaging technologies and is often used as a first-line tool for diagnosis.

Employment
Hospitals will continue to be the main employers of sonographers. However, employment is expected to grow rapidly in doctors' offices. New jobs will also be created in medical labs, including diagnostic imaging centers. Facilities such as these are expected to grow rapidly because of the shift to outpatient care.

Job Outlook
Employment opportunities of diagnostic medical sonographers is projected to grow 26 percent from 2014 to 2024, according to the Department of Labor. As the population grows and ages, the demand for diagnostic imaging will increase

Salary
On average, sonographers earn an annual salary of $75,610/yr in Minnesota (data as of 2015 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics).