Welcome, Guest: Ultrasound Technologist / Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (Save)
Other Useful Tips
Choosing a Training Program
Choosing a training program means making decisions about the degree or certificate you want, location, cost and schedule. It also means making sure that the training program you choose will prepare you for a job down the road.
Here are some important questions to ask of any training program to make sure it will prepare you for the job you want.
Is the program accredited?
Accreditation means that the program has passed a set of guidelines specified by an outside organization. If a program isn’t accredited, this is a signal that you may want to find out more about it. There could be valid reasons a program isn’t accredited, like if it’s a brand new program, but it could also be a cause for concern.
Does the program offer hands-on experience or job placement?
For many jobs in health care, getting hands-on experience before graduation isn’t just something good to put on your resume — it’s also a requirement to get licensed or land a job. Find out if the training program you are researching will help you get experience through clinical rotations, internships/externships or in another way.
Some training programs also offer job placement services like help with resumes or connections to local employers. In some cases, programs may even guarantee that graduates will get hired by a local hospital after completing their training.
Are graduates passing the required licensing exams?
For jobs that require a state-issued license — like registered nurses, dental hygienists or psychiatric technicians, for example — passing a licensing exam is required before you can get a job. Licensing exam pass rates are published each year. If the job you’re interested in requires a state-issued license, check the state agency’s website or ask the training program for their pass rates.
What jobs are the graduates working in now?
Many programs keep track of how their graduates do once they leave. It is a good idea to ask what graduates are doing with their certifications or degrees so you know what the possibilities are after you complete your training. In any case, knowing how students do once they leave the program will give you a good sense of whether the program will prepare you for the job you want.