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Sonographer, Diagnostic Medical
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| Related Jobs |  | Technologist, Nuclear Medicine, Technologist, Medical and Clinical Laboratory, Therapist, Respiratory, Technologist and Technician, Cardiovascular, Therapist, Radiation, Technician, Medical and Clinical Laboratory |
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| Job Outlook | | Diagnostic medical sonographers held about 46,000 jobs in 2006. More than half of all sonographer jobs were in hospitals. Most of the rest were in offices of physicians or in medical and diagnostic laboratories, including diagnostic imaging center, many worked in urban areas.
Employment of diagnostic medical sonographers is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2016 as the population grows and ages, increasing the demand for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic technology. In addition to job openings due to growth, some job openings will arise from the need to replace sonographers who leave the occupation permanently.
Opportunities should be favorable because sonography is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to radiologic procedures, as patients seek safer treatment methods. Unlike most diagnostic imaging methods, sonography does not involve radiation, so harmful side effects and complications from repeated use are rarer for both the patient and the sonographer. Sonographic technology is expected to evolve rapidly and to spawn many new sonography procedures, such as 3D-sonography for use in obstetric and ophthalmologic diagnosis. However, high costs may limit the rate at which some promising new technologies are adopted.
Hospitals will remain the principal employer of diagnostic medical sonographers. However, employment is expected to grow more rapidly in offices of physicians and in medical and diagnostic laboratories, including diagnostic imaging centers. Health facilities such as these are expected to grow very rapidly through 2012 due to the strong shift toward outpatient care, encouraged by third-party payers and made possible by technological advances that permit moreprocedures to be performed outside the hospital. |
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| More Information | | Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography |
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| References | | Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos273.htm
O*NET OnLine, on the Internet at
http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/29-2032.00 |
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