An ultrasound tech performs the role of scanning the bodies of patients with sound waves. The professional creates images that the physician can use to detect medical conditions, monitor medical conditions and/or assess the health of fetal in pregnant women. Therefore, they work directly with physicians and patients. Ultrasound technicians are also referred to as diagnostic medical sonographers or simply sonographers. They often specialize in abdominal sonography, obstetric & gynecologic, cardiac, vascular, breast or neurosonography. Many of these professionals are employed in medical centers, hospitals or private clinics.

Educational requirements

To work in this field, you require an associate degree in sonography. The associate degree programs take about 2 years. Furthermore, to practice as a sonographer, you can enroll for a bachelor degree program that takes 4 years. Professionals who are already working in the health care industry can consider a certificate program that takes 1 year. This gives the practitioner the opportunity to learn diagnostic medical sonography. Some employers provide on-the-job training to their workers who possess experience in other healthcare careers, such as nursing.

In any training program, several courses are taught including anatomy, patient care, basic physics, instrumentation, physiology and medical ethics. In addition, learners obtain supervised clinical training. Many of the employers opt to hire candidates who have acquired their training from an accredited program. The accrediting body seeks to determine the technician’s expertise in visualizing particular sections of the body. Ultrasound technicians who possess a wide range of credentials and specializations often have the best employment prospects and chances of promotion. Multiple specialties can advance your opportunities to supervisory, administrative or managerial positions.

Ultrasound technician information details the educational and skill requirements. To obtain certification, the technician needs to pass 2 exams. The general examination includes sonography principles, equipment and physics, while the specialty examination is concerned with diseased or normal anatomy of the body organs.

Skills required for the job

To work effectively as a sonographer, you need to have certain characteristics. Considering you are expected to work on a one-on-one basis with patients, you need to have good interpersonal skills. In addition, you need to have good hand-eye coordination. You also need to be detail oriented. It is equally important to have good physical stamina because you will be expected to spend a greater part of your day standing. Good physical stamina will help you lift and move the patients.

On a typical day, you will be expected to keep patient records, prepare work schedules, maintain equipment, evaluate equipment purchases and manage the diagnostic imaging department or a sonography.

Coaching institutes plays a major role in training students for entrance examination to higher education. The reason is that curriculum in schools and colleges do not equip students to appear for entrance examinations.

Educational system in schools and colleges
The educational system is schools and colleges do not match with the expectations of higher education institutes. Premier institutes like IIT, IIM test students’ ability, that how far they have understood the concepts and whether they are able to apply concepts in practical.

But in educational institutions students are taught in examination point of view. System of education in India is more examination oriented. There is a system of examination and there is no system of education in India. Students memorize the concepts and reproduce in the examination. Examination tests students’ memory power only.

Role played by coaching institutes
Coaching institutes teach students the concepts in science, mathematics and similar subjects. They teach students how to apply concepts they have learned, in practical situation. What students should learn in schools is taught in coaching institutes. With the knowledge gained in schools, students are unable to get through in the entrance examinations of higher education.

Problem with coaching institutes
Of course through these institutes students are trained well in learning science concepts. But the fees they are charging are exorbitant. A report says that nearly 5000 million rupees is spent together by all students getting training in these institutes. Coaching institutes also cannot be blamed for these high fees, as they are paying handsome salary to their faculties.

Moreover as these institutes are located in cities, rural students are denied this opportunity.

Remedy to this issue
The curriculum in education should be restructured, so that it improves students’ comprehensive ability, making them to understand the concepts well and attend the entrance tests of premier institutes. Government may consider starting boarding schools having separate curriculum, where talented students are selected, admitted and trained to appear for entrance examinations. Government may consider giving subsidy to these schools and nominal fee may be charged from students. Changes in pattern of examinations should be done. Objective type questions can be introduced, to test whether the students have understood the concepts.

This may be considered as a reform in higher education in India.

As you may be aware, the role of the facilities or building manager has evolved immeasurably in recent years. This continued evolution of industry highlights the increasing need of tertiary training for practising facilities and building managers.

What are the advantages of Tertiary qualifications?

There is certainly credibility to the sentiment that experience cannot be circumvented; however with the maturity of the facilities management industry sector comes a real opportunity for candidates to gain invaluable exposure to the most current methodology and practising frameworks through formal training and education.

In addition to ensuring your asset is managed in accordance with the most effective methodology and operating techniques, it is imperative to ensure your asset or business is equipped in these areas.

What qualifications are necessary to ensure the highest calibre of candidate for my business/asset?

While there is no one specific qualification that will ensure your management is at the forefront of industry practices, there are a range of formal training options available to candidates in order to ensure a professional approach to the facilities management discipline.

Traditionally the sector hosted a range of former tradesman filling these positions, however as the skill set required evolved in areas such as account keeping, financial management, IT, asset planning, risk management, security and emergency management; these particular candidates generally evidenced a skill set shortage in order to adequately complete the tasks required. This shift highlighted the necessity for additional education and training.

In addition to equipping candidates with skill set required, educational providers align themselves with peak industry bodies to ensure candidates are afforded the most current and conclusive information in industry.

What are the disciplines that a facilities or building manager may require formal education?

There are a myriad of correlated disciplines in the built environment that facilities or building managers need to a working understanding of to operate efficiently.

Examples of these are areas are:

- Facilities Management;

- Project Management;

- Occupational Health Safety and Environment;

- Environmental Sustainability;

- Engineering;

- Construction; &

- Valuation.

Further the accessibility to educational providers is now more than ever attainable with a multitude of courses and delivery methods available to managers at all levels of expertise and experience.

For those in the strata space or part of an executive committee, there is a legislative requirement pursuant to the strata Schemes Management Act (1996 – SECT 113) to ensure that you have engaged the services of a suitably and professionally qualified candidate.

STRATA SCHEMES MANAGEMENT ACT 1996 – SECT 13

2) An owner’s corporation must ensure that any person employed to assist it in the exercise of a function has the qualification required by this ACT for the exercise of that function.

With the ever increasing emphasis on ‘green’ initiatives or environmental sustainability in the built environment, it is now imperative for practitioners, building owners and managers to align operations with the most efficient and modern frameworks available.

We recommend that you enquire with your existing management to check the on the suitability of your existing candidate.