Ultrasound technicians use sound waves to develop a picture of what is taking place inside a patient's body. For example, ultrasounds can be used to examine the brain, the heart, the organs of the digestive system, male and female reproductive systems and more. The use of ultrasound allows doctors to get valuable diagnostic information in a manner that is minimally intrusive to the patient.

Job prospects over the next decade for ultrasound sonographers should be excellent, with faster than average job growth anticipated for people with these skills. Most ultrasound tech jobs are found within hospitals, but an increasing number of such jobs will start to emerge within the offices of physicians and medical laboratories.

There is no licensing required to obtain a job in this field. However, formal education is generally required by employers. Training ranges from 1 year programs designed to get you into working positions as rapidly as possible, to 2 and even 4 year programs that include more comprehensive training. For more information on ultrasound training, please see our list of schools offering ultrasound programs on the left.