There are some really good ultrasound tech schools in NJ to look at if you are planning on becoming a sonographer or ultrasound technician. Let’s take a look at what your options are, and the colleges to consider for your education if you want to train in diagnostic medical sonography with one of the schools in New Jersey.
Training Courses Provided By Ultrasound Tech Schools In NJ
If you are considering a career as an ultrasound technician, you’ll need to get a suitable qualification in sonography from one of the ultrasound tech schools in NJ before you can start looking for jobs.
Ultrasound tech schools in NJ can provide three types of ultrasound courses which will give you a recognized professional qualification. Sonography schools in New Jersey can provide you with a certificate in diagnostic medical sonography, an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree.
A certificate in sonography is the fastest way to get qualified to work as an ultrasound technician. The certificate course will take you 12 months to achieve, and covers a combination of ultrasound technology theory and practical application (i.e. using the skills you’ve learned to use ultrasound equipment to diagnose actual patients)
In order to enrol on a certificate program, you’ll usually be expected to already hold some kind of healthcare degree. Generally, this means that certificate courses are more suited towards medical assistants, nurses and physicians. Because of the popularity of the diagnostic medical sonography certificate, virtually all ultrasound tech schools in NJ offer this qualification.
The intermediate ultrasound technician qualification is an associate’s degree, which takes two years to gain. Associate’s degree programs provide far more in-depth training in ultrasonography theory and human anatomy, as well as providing students with much more practical experience with patients in a clinical environment.
The associate’s degree is the most popular route into the sonography profession for both high-school students, and also those without an existing healthcare related degree. Most ultrasound tech schools in NJ provide students with training at associate’s degree level.
The third and final sonographer training qualification is a bachelor’s degree, which a few ultrasound tech schools in NJ offer. Bachelor’s degree programs are extremely comprehensive and take students four years to finish. As you would expect from the length of bachelor’s programs, the tuition covers a wide range of sonography fields and is ideally suited to anyone thinking about becoming involved in research or diagnostic medical sonography management.
Although some people find the long duration of this type of degree to be a downside, having a bachelor’s degree from one of the ultrasound tech schools in NJ does come with many advantages. Probably the best benefit is when it comes to jobs. Healthcare employers really value the education, experience and skills that are learned during a bachelor’s degree program. As a result, you’ll have a lot more sonography jobs to choose from, and will almost certainly earn a better overall ultrasound salary package into the bargain.
Which Ultrasound Tech Schools In NJ Have Been Accredited?
Before taking a course from any ultrasound tech schools in NJ, it’s critical to make sure that the diagnostic medical sonography course has been formally accredited.
When it comes to ultrasound technician and sonographer training in the United States, accreditation is carried out by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (or CAAHEP for short)
In essence, CAAHEP checks the courses provided by all ultrasound tech schools in NJ to make sure that they meet the required standards. If they do, then the course is allowed to be called CAAHEP accredited.
It’s recommended that students should only enrol with ultrasound tech schools in NJ which are CAAHEP accredited. This is because many healthcare employers will not accept qualifications issued by non-accredited sonography schools in New Jersey.
The following five ultrasound tech schools in NJ provide CAAHEP accredited ultrasound technician and sonographer training courses:
- Bergen Community College – Paramus, New Jersey.
400 Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ – 07652. - Gloucester County College – Sewell, New Jersey.
1400 Tanyard Road, Sewell, NJ – 08080. - JFK Medical Center – Plainsfield, New Jersey.
Park Avenue and Randolph Road, Plainfield, NJ – 07061. - Sanford Brown Institute-Iselin – Iselin, New Jersey.
675 US 1 Plaza Gill Lane, Iselin, NJ – 08830. - University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey – Newark, New Jersey.
1776 Raritan Road, Scotch Plains, NJ – 07076.
The above colleges are currently the only ultrasound tech schools in NJ to offer CAAHEP approved training.
As there are a selection of schools and colleges to choose from, it’s wise to contact all these ultrasound tech schools in NJ to get details of the courses they can offer you. This is because each of these ultrasound tech schools in NJ will almost certainly have different course fees and entry requirements.