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Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Experience, Skills, and Personality Traits

Experience is gained via internships while in a training program to earn an associate's or bachelor's degree in this field.

Those wishing to pursue a career as a diagnostic medical sonographer should be technically adept, detail oriented, and precision minded. Sonographers need to enjoy helping others and working with a variety of professionals as part of a team. They must be able to follow physician instructions, while maintaining a creative approach to imaging as they complete each procedure. Sonographers need to cultivate a professional demeanor, while still expressing empathy, patience, and understanding in order to reassure patients. This professionalism is also necessary because, in some instances, tragedy such as cancer, untreatable disease, or fetal death is revealed during imaging procedures. As a result, sonographers must be able to skillfully deflect questions better left to the radiologist or the attending physician. Clear communication, both verbal and written, is a plus for those who are part of a health care team.

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