Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

People in this career often have these skills:

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

People in this career often know a lot about:

• Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

People in this career often have talent in:

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• Speed of Closure - The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.

People in this career often do these activities:

• Process x-rays or other medical images.
• Prepare official health documents or records.
• Monitor video displays of medical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
• Adjust settings or positions of medical equipment.
• Create advanced digital images of patients using computer imaging systems.

• Operate diagnostic imaging equipment.
• Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities.
• Communicate test or assessment results to medical professionals.
• Position patients for treatment or examination.
• Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
• Gather medical information from patient histories.
• Record patient medical histories.
• Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
• Assist healthcare practitioners during surgery.
• Explain medical procedures or test results to patients or family members.
• Prepare patients physically for medical procedures.
• Schedule patient procedures or appointments.
• Maintain medical facility records.
• Perform clerical work in medical settings.
• Examine medical instruments or equipment to ensure proper operation.
• Clean medical equipment or facilities.
• Repair medical facility equipment.
• Train medical providers.
• Supervise patient care personnel.
• Treat medical emergencies.
• Implement advanced life support techniques.
• Prepare medical supplies or equipment for use.
• Maintain inventory of medical supplies or equipment.
• Order medical supplies or equipment.
• Obtain written authorization to perform activities.
• Prepare accident or incident reports.

• Radiologic Technologists and Technicians

• Neurodiagnostic Technologists

• Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

• Radiation Therapists

• Nuclear Medicine Technologists

• Respiratory Therapists

• Endoscopy Technicians

• Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians