Ultrasound Technician Schools in Tennessee (Become a Sonographer)

Healthcare professions and other service industry related careers often require medical, technical, as well as personal skills and qualifications.

If you want to become a sonography professional you must have them to be able to accomplish the job.

Besides knowing how to perform the imaging of internal organs, you will need to possess the following:

• Hand-eye coordination
• Compassion and empathy
• Ability to lift, push, pull over 50 lbs
• Staying calm under pressure
• Dexterity to operate equipment
• Listening and communication skills
• Knowledge of anatomy/physiology
• Ethical conduct
• Understanding of pathophysiology
• Independent work ethic
• Reading, writing, and interpretation
  of technical findings from exams
• Ability to function as part of a team

Accredited Ultrasound Technician Schools in Tennessee

Those who decided to enroll in the sonography program should pay attention to many factors that have to be considered when choosing your programs, such as courses, cost, and accreditation.

And we consider it worth mentioning that accreditation should be towards the top.

For sonography and other medical imaging and technician programs, the gold standard of accreditation is from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the following schools have programs that have been accredited, as of October 2019:

• Baptist Memorial College of Health Science – 1003 Monroe Avenue Memphis, TN 38104
• Chattanooga State Community College – 4501 Amnicola Highway CBIH-124 Chattanooga, TN 37406
• Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare – 1265 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38104
• South College Nashville Learning Site – 616 Marriott Drive Nashville, TN 37214
• South College – Knoxville – 3904 Lonas Drive Knoxville, TN 37909
• Vanderbilt University Medical Center – 1161 21st Avenue S MCN-RR1215 Nashville, TN 37232
• Volunteer State Community College – 1480 Nashville Pike Gallatin, TN 37066-3188

The accreditation means that each of these schools has met the CAAHEP DMS Accreditation Standards and Guidelines and that they have passed a series of program reviews, including a self-study review and a site visit to prove that they offer the highest quality education to their students.

The successful completion of one of these recognized Tennessee ultrasound technician programs maks students eligible to sit for the ARDMS​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ examination, which is necessary if you want a certificate in this field.

How Long Does it Take to Become an Ultrasound Technician in Tenessee?

This is highly dependable on the level of education you want to reach:

• Certificate Program –  takes approximately 1 year and it is designed for current healthcare professionals or those who have already completed some type of higher education. This kind of education prepares students for entry-level sonography positions
• Associate Degree –  takes approximately 2 years and results in an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree with a specialization in diagnostic medical sonography. This is a kind of education that prepares students to become a practicing sonographer
• Bachelor’s Degree –  takes approximately 4 years and results in a Bachelor of Science Degree with a specialization in diagnostic medical sonography. Graduation makes students prepared to become a practicing sonographer and may provide them with more job opportunities due to the additional length of education and specialty training.

Ultrasound Tech Certification Requirements in Tennessee

Upon graduation, you can either start looking for a job immediately or decide to gain a certification, even though the state of Tennessee does not require licensure or certification to be an ultrasound technician.

Our suggestion is to consider getting it as gaining certification can put you ahead of the other candidates when it comes to searching for a job.

Actually, it is a fact that many employers do require professional certification by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

The ARDMS is the primary licensing and certification agency for sonographers which requires taking and passing of their exam at one of four testing centers locations throughout Tennessee so as to be able to get the license.

There are also numerous testing centers in surrounding areas in which you can take the exam if they are closer to your place or more suitable for you, and you can find them on the testing company Pearson Vue website, or by calling them at 1-877-258-9220.

The ARDMS has a list of prerequisites that each applicant must meet in order to sit for the exam.

One of the possible requirements is the graduation from a program accredited by the CAAHEP.

Once you are ready to apply for an ARDMS examination, you should log in to MY ARDMS and choose Apply Online.

Then, you need to complete the online application form and submit payment.

The required supporting documentation must be submitted within 21 days of applying online by uploading it into your MY ARDMS account.

Documentation required with the application is:

• Copy of an official transcript from a two-year allied health education program with a state-specific number of credits.
• Copy of education program certificate, certification, or license.
• Letter from a supervising physician, ARDMS-Registered sonographer/technologist, or the educational program director indicating a minimum of 12 months of full-time clinical/ vascular experience.
• Signed and completed clinical verification (CV) form for each appropriate specialty area(s)
• Copy of non-expired government-issued photo identification (ID) with signature

Medical Imaging Organizations for Tennessee Sonographers

Membership in some of the Medical Imaging Organizations in Tennessee will provide future sonographers with numerous benefits, which can include networking opportunities, continuing education, and career and leadership development, among many others.

Membership is most often optional and below are some organizations and associations in Tennessee that you may consider:

• Tennessee Radiological Society
• Tennessee Hospital Association
• Tennessee Medical Association
• Nashville Academy of Medicine

Ultrasound Techs Salary And Job Outlook In Tennessee

Diagnostic medical sonographers in Tennessee make an annual median wage of $84195, but these figures may vary from one city to another.

The salary highly depends on the education achieves, so starting salaries for an entry-level sonographer are $22.00 per hour or approximately $74561 per year.

How much you make is also influenced by the type of facility you work for, so sonographers in Tennessee who work at hospitals or imaging centers are offered greater job opportunities but lower salaries.

Larger facilities might offer better job perks such as insurance.

Growth in the industry is expected to be strong, with a 27% increase in jobs expected by 2026.

In the following table, you can notice the difference in average salaries in some of the major cities in Tennessee.

Annual Salary Range:

Regional Salary in Tennessee