Ultrasound technician programs require students to take general medical classes before starting ultrasound-specific coursework. These classes may vary from institution to institution, but some of the most common include: anatomy and physiology (I and II), introduction to health care, medical terminology, cross-sectional anatomy, and basic ultrasound physics and instrumentation.
Once the general medical coursework has been completed, the student will begin taking ultrasound-specific classes. These courses may consist of foundations of sonography, abdominal sonography, pelvic sonography, pediatric sonography, vascular sonography and high-resolution imaging techniques. These classes are designed to give students in-depth information taught through practical experience and theoretical courses.
To graduate from an ultrasound technician program, students must complete several clinical sonography courses. These classes provide hands-on learning in a medical setting based on the information taught during coursework. Students work with actual ultrasound machines and perform various tasks under the direct supervision of a clinical sonographer. The average ultrasound technician program consists of at least five clinical sonography courses.