First off, the most important verification to consider is if the program is an accredited program. Most employers will only hire sonographers who have attended an accredited program. There are two-year colleges that offer an associate degree program, which usually follows a completion of an X-ray program or some other allied health program. There is also a four-year bachelor’s degree program that CNM offers, which gives students the ultimate exposure to the various ultrasound specialties and a strong knowledge of other imaging modalities.
To become a sonographer, there is both classroom and clinical training that is required. Sonography students take general courses in anatomy and physiology as well as ultrasound-specific imaging. Students are also required to take ultrasound physics courses, which can be quite challenging. In addition to classroom time, most accredited schools require and provide over 1000 hours of on-site, hands-on clinical training, where students work side by side with qualified sonographers and doctors to learn the equipment, techniques, and necessary protocols to perform ultrasound