Ultrasound Technician Resume Example and Skills

Ultrasound Technican
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Ultrasound technicians are also known as “diagnostic medical sonographers” or “sonographers.” They operate ultrasound equipment that creates images of soft tissue and internal organs using sound waves. Ultrasound technicians work at hospitals and clinics. While sonographers are often associated most with pregnancy, ultrasound technology is also used to diagnose many medical ailments.

Ultrasound Technician Careers

Becoming an ultrasound technician is a great option for people who desire a lucrative career in healthcare but may not want to pursue the level of education required to become a nurse or a doctor. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, entry-level sonographers typically hold an Associate’s degree. The median annual pay for this job is $67,080 per year ($32.25 per hour), and the number of jobs is predicted to grow 14% by 2028.

The Importance of Keywords

Compiling a resume for a career in ultrasound technology requires more than simply listing your training, certifications, and work experience.

Hiring managers at hospitals and medical clinics sometimes use automated applicant tracking systems to provide an initial screening of the applications they receive. These systems are programmed to privilege specific keyword phrases, based on their positioning and prevalence.

The resumes that incorporate the most important keywords are those that will be forwarded for review by the human eye of a hiring manager.

Your best guide to knowing what keywords to use on your application documents is the job advertisement. Highlight the skills and technologies that the announcement emphasizes, then be sure to pepper your resume and its accompanying cover letter with these keywords.

In addition, you can use these skill words in your interview. Make sure you have at least one example for a time you demonstrated each of the top five skills listed here.

Of course, each job has different qualifications, so focus on the skills the employer is looking for, based on the language of the job description. Also, review our lists of skills listed by job and type of skill.

Top Skills for Ultrasound Technicians

Below is a list of the five most important skills for ultrasound technicians, accompanied by lists of related keywords that employers seek in sonographers’ resumes. There’s also an example of a resume created for an ultrasound technician that demonstrates how to present these skills effectively.

Communication 

An ultrasound technician doesn't merely look at the machine's display. Before the ultrasound, they will explain the procedure to patients and answer their questions. Then during the ultrasound, they'll often share details of what's visible on the screen with patients. A good bedside manner is a helpful quality for ultrasound technicians. And since ultrasound technicians have to share results with doctors and other staff, excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential as well.

Related Resume Keywords: Answering Patient Questions, Communicating with Radiologists and Other Staff, Customer Service, Developing a Quick Rapport with Patients, Explaining Procedures to Patients, Obtaining Complete Medical History from Patients, Remaining Calm with Distressed Patients, Tact in Dealing with Patients, Telephone Communication, Writing Notes and Reports.

Detail-Oriented 

Ultrasound technicians capture the appropriate images for each patient, and then label each image carefully and accurately. Excellent record-keeping and strong organizational abilities are crucial for this position. 

Related Resume Keywords: Analytical, Attention to Detail, Conducting Quality Control Tests, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Exercising Techniques to Maintain a Sterile Environment, Following Procedural Protocols, Labeling Images, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Recognizing Limitations, Recording Codes for Procedures Accurately, Scheduling Patients, Synthesizing Data, Time Management, Troubleshooting Work Flow Processes.

Medical Knowledge 

A strong medical understanding, as well as a thorough knowledge of anatomy, is required to capture the correct images. Ultrasound technicians may need to change the particular images being captured as a result of what they observe on the screen. 

Related Resume Keywords: Basic Life Support, Carelink, Complying with Medical Ethics, Epic, Imaging, Mathematics, Positioning Patients to Secure Appropriate Images, Reading and Interpreting Medical and Scientific Documents, Recognizing Normal Versus Abnormal Anatomy, Remembering Medical Terms.

Collaborative 

In a hospital, doctor's office, or clinic, no one really works alone. Ultrasound technicians need to be comfortable working as a team, collaborating with nurses, doctors, and other staffers. As well, many sonographers receive on-the-job training, so ideally, ultrasound technicians are comfortable in a mentorship role, explaining their actions thoroughly and patiently to new techs. 

Related Resume Keywords: Collaboration, Instructing, Lifting Patients, Maintaining Patient Confidentiality, Organizational, Orienting New Staff, Prioritizing, Problem Solving, Stress Management, Taking Initiative, Teamwork, Training Junior / Student Staff.

Multi-Tasking 

As well as preparing reports, interacting with patients, and training other technicians, ultrasound technicians also have to ensure that the ultrasound equipment is operating correctly. Ultrasound technicians are expected to do routine maintenance on the equipment, although anything complex or broken will be handled by a repair person.

As well, they both prepare the equipment before each patient’s session, and recalibrate it afterward if necessary. Employers will look to hire people who can handle all sorts of responsibilities, and readily switch from one task to another without a lot of notice. 

Related Resume Keywords: Adaptability, Continual Learning, Developing Film and Processing Images, Disinfecting Equipment, Generating High Quality Ultrasound Images, Maintaining Ultrasound Equipment, Manual Dexterity, Ordering Supplies, Producing in a High-Volume Environment, Utilizing Pacs/Ris to Track Patients, Working Independently

Ultrasound Technician Resume Template

This is an example of a resume for an ultrasound technician. Download the ultrasound technician resume template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Screenshot of an ultrasound technician resume example
©TheBalance 2018

Ultrasound Technician Resume Sample

Sandra Applicant
999 Main Street, New York, NY 00000
(123) 555-1234
sandra.applicant@email.com

CAREER OBJECTIVE

Highly skilled registered sonographer with 6 years’ experience seeks position performing transvaginal, breast, abdominal, and pelvic transabdominal examinations.

CORE QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience leveraging strong communications and interpersonal skills to greet and calm patients, explain procedures, acquire medical histories, and ensure positive patient experiences.
  • Well-versed in use of Color Doppler, Power Doppler, and Spectral Doppler ultrasonography technologies.
  • Current AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) membership.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

PROVIDENCE HEALTH AND SERVICES, Olympia, WA
Registered Sonographer, September 2016-Present

Perform general, OB, and vascular ultrasound sonographic examinations. Interview and assess patients to determine appropriate diagnostic protocols. Create, finetune, and label ultrasound images.

  • Willing work overtime and weekends to ensure uninterrupted coverage of undermanned shifts.
  • Served on collaborative, cross-functional team tasked with implementation of new patient flow software.

HARBORVIEW HOSPITAL, Seattle, WA
Sonographer Intern, September 2015-September 2016
Honed expertise in performing vascular and abdominal ultrasound examinations using color and spectral Doppler systems. Explained procedures to patients, conducted examinations and evaluated images. 

  • Recognized by radiologists for skill in improving quality of images generated on Siemens S2000 ultrasound system.
  • Consistently earned high ratings on patient feedback surveys.

EDUCATION

Associate Degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography; (2015); GPA 3.85
Bellevue College, Bellevue, Washington

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