Ultrasound Technician Schools in Colorado (Top Sonography Programs)

Colorado’s main economic sector is agriculture, however, healthcare is growing at a rapid pace.

The demand for ultrasound technicians is on the rise, meaning these specialists also have a good salary.

Regional Salary in Colorado

Certification Requirements

In Colorado, these professionals don’t need a certificate to perform their duties, however having one means having an advantage when applying for a job, and a higher paycheck.

Colorado has several educational programs for future sonographers, and associate’s or bachelor’s degrees are the highest qualifications they can earn.

While those programs last 2 or 4 years, there are shorter training options that award a certificate or diploma in about a year.

These classes will also include an average of 1,000 hours of clinical hours, which are mandatory.

Before enrolling, make sure the program is accredited by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

The ultrasound field has several specialties, and the training programs have common classes, as well as classes designed for each specialty.

The common classes include:

• Anatomy
• Physiology,
• Communication,
• Healthcare Ethics,
• English
• Technology

Once the training is over, the candidates are expected to pass an exam, to receive their certification.

The exam can be taken after 12 months of working in this field as well.

Ultrasound Tech Training

To become an ultrasound technician, an individual needs to earn either an associate or a bachelor’s degree.

This professional uses a specially designed machine to take pictures of the patient’s organs.

Monitoring a pregnancy is what most people associate with this specialty.

Their coursework will include:

• Medical Terminology
• Sonographic Physics
• Abdominal Sonography
• Introduction to Sonography

Sonography Tech Training

In this specialty, the technician uses a specific machine to help a doctor establish a diagnose.

The coursework must cover:

• Radiation Physics and Equipment Operation
• General Sonography
• Sonography Orientation
• OB/Gyn Sonography

Vascular Sonography Tech Training

In this field, the technician needs to be very precise when having a look at the patients’ blood vessels.

For this specialty, the candidates need to learn about:

• Vascular Medical Terminology
• Vascular Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology
• Patient Care Practices
• Ultrasound Physics

Echo Tech Training

The heart is one of the organs keeping us alive, and echo technicians help doctors caring for it.

The coursework for a future echo tech includes:

• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Echocardiography
• Sonographic Principles and Instrumentation
• Invasive Cardiology

Radiology Tech Training

In this specialty, high-contrast images of organs, muscles, and other parts of the body are being taken.

For this field, the candidates have to learn about:

• Clinical Radiography Fundamentals
• Radiographic Exposure
• Radiographic Procedures
• Radiographic Anatomy

MRI Tech Training

In this field, the organs are being reproduced in 3D pictures, after taking hundreds of stills.

The classes must cover:

• MRI Patient Care and Safety
• MRI Instrumentation
• MRI Procedures
• MRI Anatomy and Pathophysiology

Extra Information

All these fields use different machines and methods of investigation, and this means specific training for those machines is also included in the coursework.

Additionally, the students also learn about filling out the patients’ records, about the importance of maintaining patients’ privacy, and more.

Only accredited courses will be accepted for the certification exam.

Ultrasound Technicians by State