Sonographers, or ultrasonographers as they are often called, typically work in a hospital or clinic. The majority of their patients are pregnant ladies, people with cardiac abnormalities, and people with kidney and/or reproductive organ issues. It may sound like an amazing career, until you hear that you have to have so many continuing education credits every year as a sonographer. That makes the job a little more difficult, considering the fact that it is difficult to find continuing ed credits (C.E.C.) that actually apply to being a sonographer. If you are a fairly new sonographer and struggling to find these applicable credits, here are some ideas. 

The Electives You Did Not Take for Your Degree

​Most graduates of your program forget about all of the choices in classes that they had to make while in school. Think hard now; which ones did you skip in order to take other classes to graduate? The courses and electives you skipped are a perfect starting point for C.E.C.s. Go back and take these courses, and that should count for at least a couple of years' worth of needed credits. 

3D Ultrasound

​In the last ten years, 3D ultrasound is the hot thing. People are completely astonished to see three-dimensional images of their babies in utero, or actual pictures of kidney stones, or even pictures of tumors that have to be removed. Some of these events are not quite so nice, but people are still fascinated with the images taken with a 3D ultrasound because it makes these things very real to them. Remember, they cannot see inside their own bodies, but ultrasound can, and 3D ultrasonography brings the insides of their bodies and what is happening right now into the real world for them. 

​Blood Vessel Physiology in Sonography

​Blood vessels have a weird way of traveling through each individual body. What might look very weird and out of place to you in one body is actually that person's "normal" system. The only exception is when there are clear defects that mix oxygenated with unoxygenated blood or when valves in vessels are clearly not working properly. A refresher course on how to view the vascular system and its many variations in many unique human bodies is a good way to remind you not to panic when you see something different for the very first time. Then you will not freak out the patient either by showing concern when you really do not need to show concern. 

For more information about getting your sonographer continuing education credits, reach out to a program near you.