Career Suggestion

Sonographer

Sonographers use ultrasound equipment to screen and diagnose medical conditions.

Average salary (a year)

£40000.0 to £65000.0 (starter to experienced)

Typical hours (a week)

37.0 to 40.0

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on a rota

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role

University

You will need a degree in a relevant subject like:

  • radiography
  • midwifery
  • nursing
  • science
  • health science

You must also complete a postgraduate certificate or a postgraduate diploma in medical or clinical ultrasound, recognised by the Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education (CASE) .

The course is a mix of study and practice, so you will need to have an agreed placement in an approved setting.

Some universities offer a master's course in medical ultrasound as part of a medicine degree.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

More Information

  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
  • finance for postgraduate courses|https://www.gov.uk/funding-for-postgraduate-study
  • university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/

Apprenticeship

You could do a sonographer degree apprenticeship.

There may be apprenticeship opportunities with the NHS, or with independent and private providers of healthcare services.

The apprenticeship takes a minimum of 36 months to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

More Information

  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • search for apprenticeships on NHS Jobs|https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

Work

If you're a health professional like a nurse, midwife, radiographer, doctor or a healthcare scientist, you may be able to take in-service training for medical ultrasound. This will add sonography to your skills.

Courses vary in length and are run by experienced healthcare professionals.

More Information

Professional and Industry Bodies

You can join the voluntary register of sonographers run by the Register of Clinical Technologists .

If you're already qualified in another healthcare profession you may find it useful to continue your registration with your previous professional body, as employers often require this for entry to jobs.

Further Information

You'll find more details about a career in sonography from the British Medical Ultrasound Society.

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • the ability to work on your own
  • knowledge of medicine and dentistry
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • concentration skills
  • the ability to work well with others
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

Day-to-day tasks

As a sonographer you'll:

  • use ultrasound equipment to carry out examinations
  • deal sensitively with patients
  • produce and interpret images
  • train healthcare staff to use specialist equipment
  • make referrals to other healthcare professionals

Working environment

You could work in an NHS or private hospital or in a therapy clinic.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.

You may need to wear a uniform.

There are opportunities to move into specialist sonography areas like:

  • obstetrics and gynaecology
  • vascular
  • cancer services

You could work with specific patient groups such as children or pregnant women.

With experience, there are opportunities to go into teaching sonography or to do clinical research.

Related careers

Back to course details