While not an easy career path, majoring in Neurosonography is a great choice for ultrasound students who are fascinated by the human brain and want to help people live better lives. There are many job opportunities for health professionals who specialize in neurosonography and many different places where you can find employment. You can work with any number of different patient populations and alongside all kinds of talented healthcare professionals. So, what does this diagnostic medical ultrasound job consist of?
Specializing in neurosonography means that you are a diagnostic ultrasound or ultrasound technologist who works specifically with the nervous system, which includes the brain and other parts of the body. You may also specialize in neonatal neurosonography, in which case you will work in the area of studying and diagnosing nervous system and neurological disorders that occur in infants, usually those who are born prematurely. This is a very specific area of ultrasound that is vital for the medical community.
Neuronographers are responsible for using transducers to perform ultrasounds on their patients, like all other sonographers. What sets neurosonographers apart, however, is the fact that they use specialized beam shapes and frequencies that are quite different from those used by abdominal and obstetric sonographers.
You will need at least a two-year degree to enter this field, otherwise a four-year degree, and you must pass a certification or licensing exam. As a neurosonographer, you can expect to work in a hospital, clinic, or private doctor’s office, although there may be other types of environments where you might find employment as well. Much of your work will likely take place in dark rooms where diagnostic imaging devices are located, but you can also perform patient procedures right at their bedside in some cases. You will need to be prepared to work long hours on your feet and deal with stressful work situations, especially with patients with chronic illnesses. You may also need to work nights and weekends.
If this sounds like a good career to you, there are many accredited school programs where you can get started.
